Conrad Leto
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The first Wizard King, Lumiere Silvamilion, was a genius in creating magic items.
As he delved deeper into the creation of magic items, he couldn't help but explore forbidden magic, too, with the help of Secre. The magic stones that revived the elves were the product of forbidden magic, combined with Elf magic and Lumiere's magic.
Following the concept of the magic stones and the Demon Dweller sword of Licht, Lumiere created a sword called Elsdocia as a weapon for the future generation.
The sword was capable of absorbing, storing, and releasing an enormous amount of magic power. Moreover, it absorbed a part of the soul of the wielder inside it, which could be utilized by other wielders of the sword. Due to the difficulty of wielding the sword, only the Wizard Kings could use the sword but not to its full potential.
Until the 27th Wizard King Conrad took the seat.
Only he had the ability to completely utilize the power of the sword. Using Key magic, Conrad could steal anyone's magic and mana and use it for himself, fulfilling the mana requirement of the sword.
Although he had a noble dream of leading the Clover Kingdom to a bright future, his dreams and ambitions were crushed by the royals and nobles who didn't like power slipping away from their fingers.
Unlike Julian who crushed every single finger that was raised against him and made sure that even the King was under his command, Conrad couldn't do it.
The royals and nobles took everything away from Conrad - his position, his reputation, his family - and declared him guilty of treason. Seeing that the Clover Kingdom that Conrad dedicated his life to serving was spitting in his face, Conrad broke into insanity.
His dream to lead the Clover Kingdom to a better future intensified to the degree that he wished to destroy the Clover Kingdom to the ground and rebuild it from scratch to create an ideal society.
A society without discrimination, a society where loved ones were not murdered, a society without corruption, a society where people would fulfill their dreams. His radical dream led to a battle ten years ago whose records were erased by Julius Novacrono to save the last amount of reputation Conrad had.
In the battle, Conrad fought against all the magic knight captains, including Julius Novacrono, but was too strong to be killed. So Julius sealed him using his time magic. Time passed as people began to forget about Conrad but the captains knew that the day Julius's seal weakens, that monster would return. A decade later, the day Julius lost against Patry, the seal disappeared freeing Conrad.
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Clover Kingdom was in an uproar after reading the newspaper.
Julian had done something that had never been done in history before - unite the three kingdoms.
Ever since their creations, the four nations had been at each other's throats, but Julian managed to bring Clover, Heart, and Diamond under the same page, erasing their conflict.
Within a week with the help of the Elves, Spade mages were pushed back, and most of the Diamond Kingdom was reclaimed but there was no time to celebrate. The war would be starting in just three weeks.
Although Spade Kingdom might seem to be at a disadvantage as Clover, Heart, and Diamond would be fighting against a common enemy, Spade Nation had the power of Devils, which disturbed the balance of the scales.
Julian sat in his chair hearing the story about the Anti-Magic devil and his mother from Asta. Asta had to take some time to process everything.
For years he had thought that he was abandoned outside the church because he was unwanted.
No matter how good of an upbringing he had, that thought always hurt Asta. Noelle was the same and only recently was made aware of the truth about her mother.
Asta was happy that he was not abandoned because he was unwanted but sad at the same time that he didn't get to spend time with his mother.
Glad that at least, the Anti-Magic devil Liebe got to spend time with his mother and finally furious that Lucifero took his mother away from Liebe.
"Damn… didn't imagine it would turn out like this. At least the two brothers are together," Kirin said to Julian.
"You are right, it should motivate Asta even more," Julian said to Kirin.
"Julian ni-san, I feel like I am ready for the Devil contract ritual," Asta said with determination in his eyes.
After the fight with Dante, Julian wanted Asta to learn to control his Devil from Nacht.
But after meeting Nacht and hearing about the details of the devil-binding ritual, Asta needed some time.
He wished to avoid doing that to his brother and wanted to reach an understanding with Liebe.
And today, Asta felt that he had finally reached that understanding.
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Forsaken realm:
Night:
Above the Demon Skull, a man stood and looked towards the moon.
He sighed and looked down to see thousands of seals getting engraved on the ground, dispersing the raging mana beneath the ground and calming down the mana veins.
Slowly he felt that he was losing control over his magic and soon completely lost the ability to use magic.
There was a hint of sorrow and disappointment in his eyes, not because of the situation but because of disappointment in himself.
"27th Wizard King Conrad Leto… it's a pleasure to meet you" a voice spoke from behind him.
"The all-powerful Wizard King Julian Ragnvindr… the Devil Slayer, the nation conquered, the Elementalist… I didn't realize I would be so powerless in front of your magic." Conrad said, talking out the magic sword Elsdocia.
"How did you know I would be here?" Conrad asked.
"My eyes are all over the kingdom. Everything you do is under my observation including your plan to use the Mana veins to create destruction" Julian replied.
"What do you think of the current Clover Kingdom, Julian? I say nothing has changed…" Conrad answered, unfazed by Julian.
He turned back and aimed the magic sword Elsdocia, which no longer worked due to the lack of mana, at Julian.
Since Julian was here, Conrad knew it was his end.
"Why do you think that?" Julian asked, summoning Aquila Favonia in the form of a sword.
There was no mana wrapped around his sword, signifying his acceptance of the duel of pure swordsmanship.
"Discrimination based on mana and status has lessened, people were living in peace, and people were happy. Why do you think it's still the same?" Julian asked walking towards Conrad and using a horizontal slash.
Ting!
Conrad blocked the attack and looked Julian in the eye. "You know the answer to this question too, Julian Ragnvindr… This so-called peace exists because of fear.
Nobles and Royals fear you, so they stay in their territory and wait for you to disappear.
Commoners and peasants know that their so-called equal standing in society exists till you exist, so they wish to enjoy this time as much as they can," Conrad replied stabbing his sword forward at Julian's chest.
Ting! With extreme accuracy, the tip of Aquila Favonia touched Elsdocia stopping it.
"Changes cannot be brought within a day, it takes time… With the previous pace, it would have taken a hundred years to see real progress, so I made the time flow faster. People change, Conrad… time even changes people," Julian replied as his sword gazed at Conrad's arm, drawing blood.
"That's the thing, Julian… we don't have enough time. How long are you going to wait?!
Wait till all the commoners lose all hope and cease to exist?!
Wait till the society turns to dust?!
That is why I wished to destroy the country and reset the time to rebuild the ideal future!
As long as humans exist, the cycle of discrimination will never end.
I wished to create a new cycle based on a foundation of equality!" Conrad jumped and slashed downward towards Julian's head which was blocked again.
"Destroying the society would make all the sacrifices people made for the betterment of people go to waste; this is why I cannot let you do that.
This is why I am nurturing people who carry the dream of making society equal.
You may have heard about Asta… a magicless peasant who dreams of becoming the Wizard King. 'Not giving up is my magic,' he says… People like Asta are the future of this kingdom, and I will do everything in my power to lay the foundation for them as the Wizard King!" Julian stabbed his sword through Conrad's leg making him fall to the ground.
Julian stabbed his sword through Conrad's shoulder making him unable to wield the sword an finally pointed his sword at his chest.
"Believe in the people of Clover Kingdom, Conrad, and walk with me to see the changing future."
A smile appeared on Conrad's face as if he had already accepted his fate.
" 'Not giving up is my magic…' how nostalgic these words sound.
But even I had to give up on this nation which is beyond repair.
The day my family was taken away from the Kingdom that I dedicated my life to, I swore that I would not stop till the kingdom was changed.
I will not walk on the same path as you, Julian…
As long as I am alive, I will keep trying to create a future my way"
Conrad said with raging fire in his eyes wanting to burn the Clover Kingdom.
"So be it… Your torch lies with me, Conrad, either I would reshape the future or burn it to the ground.
Who knows what the future holds, but I promise you one day the future you desire will exist.
Farewell…" Julian said as he stabbed his sword through Conrad's heart ending his life.
Julian snapped his fingers creating a portal as two people walked out of it: Julius Novacrono and Lumiere.
Julius had sorrow in his eyes seeing Conrad, the person whom he once looked up to lie lifeless.
"How were his last moments?" Lumiere asked looking at the lifeless body of one of his legacies.
"He was a man who believed in his principles till the end… befitting for a Wizard King," Julian said picking up the magic sword Elsdocia and handing it to Lumiere.
"You made it, so take care of it too."
"Julius… contacts the people who maintain the royal graveyard, let Conrad's body rest beside his family, he deserves a peaceful rest"