The Truth That Was Hidden

‘Claudia Magica, huh.’

Vermillion, who had been shoved into the closet in an instant, widened his eyes as he realized the identity of the faint magical power he had felt from his father at the very end.

Claudia Magica.

If translated literally, could it be interpreted as magic blocking, or mana blocking?

It’s magic that, as the name suggests, endlessly suppresses the target’s magical power, making it impossible to detect.

Moreover, Persis was a wizard who had reached the pinnacle of this magic. He used to use a unique combat method of enveloping even the magic he cast with it, making the magic itself undetectable.

Furthermore, he was better at high-speed incantation than anyone else, so Persis was sometimes called the Silent Magician.

‘It’s to hide me.’

Vermillion held his breath, assuming that it was a way to hide himself from the woman’s voice he had heard at the end.

– You seem to be doing well, Persis Drake.

– What brings you here today?

Soon after, the familiar voice of a woman and his father’s voice were heard from outside the closet.

At this, Vermillion focused his attention, straining his ears as much as possible.

If that woman is who he suspects, the conversation they’re having here will be quite valuable information.

– I just came to check up on you. Or what is it? Are you hiding something and feeling guilty?

– Hiding? How dare I do such a thing?

– Still a smooth talker. Quite different from that crazy old man who was willing to sacrifice the family to see the ultimate depths of magic.

– ……

Persis couldn’t say anything to her, who was smiling as if she was quite pleased, even while wearing a subtle expression.

Meanwhile, Vermillion, who was hiding in the closet listening to their conversation, felt all sorts of thoughts flashing through his mind.

He wasn’t an idiot, and he could quickly deduce who the woman was referring to.

If it was someone who wanted to achieve the ultimate depths of magic while sacrificing the family, there was only one person he remembered.

‘She must be referring to grandfather.’

The former head of the Drake family and the man who was in charge of the Black Magic Tower, Alberton Drake.

He was famous for being a very mysterious figure even within the family.

You might say, how can members of the same family use such expressions, but at least Vermillion thought he was a truly unknowable man.

He was always holed up in his room researching something, always busy reading books whenever he had a chance, and he was indifferent even when looking at his eldest grandson, whom he wouldn’t find it strange to shower with affection.

He only found out later that all of that happened because he was engrossed in magic.

As such a man, it wouldn’t be strange if he sacrificed the entire family to finally see the ultimate depths of magic.

However, what Vermillion was somewhat concerned about was the last sentence the woman mentioned just now.

‘Grandfather and father are different, what does that mean?’

Does it just mean they look different? Or their personalities?

No, perhaps it’s not such a one-dimensional story, Vermillion thought, and listened again.

Again, the voices of the two people were heard.

This time, Persis’s voice felt a little lower than before.

– Are you doubting my loyalty?

– No, at least if I look at what you’ve done so far, it’s enough to believe without a doubt.

– Then why would you say such a thing?

– Well, if I had to make an analogy… yes. I don’t see madness in you.

– Madness, you say?

What on earth does that mean?

Not only Persis, who was answering, but also Vermillion, who was hiding in the closet, questioned her answer.

– Those who have joined hands with us have all been crazy about something. For example, magic, money, women, power, and so on. Your father was also like that, and that madness was also the meaning of loyalty. The moment they let go of our hands, they also lose what they are crazy about.

– ……

– But I don’t see that in you. Yet you are so loyal. It’s annoying.

There is no such thing as loyalty without a price in this world.

Sometimes, contractual relationships or vested interests are the reason why they bring a greater sense of unity than abstract things such as loyalty, friendship, or love.

In that sense, Persis Drake was more alien than any other person she had ever seen.

Unlike his father, he didn’t live obsessed with magic.

Of course, he does a lot of research and effort to the extent that he is not inferior to other magicians, but he was careful not to feel that it was the whole of his life.

He wasn’t a man obsessed with money or power either.

The reason why the Drake family’s territory has lower tax rates than other territories and is considered a relatively good neighborhood to live in is because he, as the head of the family, had little greed.

Is he obsessed with women? It doesn’t seem like it either.

He was a man who had only looked at one woman throughout his life.

So why is he so loyal to the Dawn’s Eye?

The woman always had a fundamental question about that fact.

It’s not because she suspects him, or for that reason.

Of course, that reason also exists, but this was in the realm of pure curiosity.

Purely from the position of an observer watching the world, she was curious about the emotions and thought processes of humans rolling around in it.

Like a naive child who puts ants in a tube and watches them build a house, wondering how it’s done.

– Isn’t there such a thing as loyalty without a reason?

– That’s right. But when I saw you, you didn’t seem like a loyal person enough to show loyalty to someone without a reason.

– I’m just following the teachings passed down from my father.

– Teachings, huh.

The woman repeated his words in her mouth, as if exclaiming.

It’s a plausible answer.

In the first place, if you ask who is at a loss when they split up, it is of course the Drake family.

If Alberton was aware of that point and taught him to swear allegiance to the Dawn’s Eye, it would not be strange for Persis to follow it.

However, what the woman wanted to hear was not such a poor excuse.

Because she knew it from the beginning.

That this man is also a human being who is crazy about something.

She had only been curious until now because she couldn’t guess what the subject was.

The reason she said he wasn’t crazy was only because it wasn’t visible in her eyes.

– So you’re saying you don’t have anything you want to protect or want?

– Of course.

– This family, the power you’ve built up so far, and that pathetic life. You’re going to give it to me?

– That’s what I decided from the beginning.

The woman’s expression turned cold as she listened to Persis’s indifferent answer.

No, even the expression ‘turned cold’ didn’t suit it.

If a god descended here and inflicted divine punishment on lowly humans, would that be the expression right before that?

Persis stared at the woman with wide eyes at the sudden impression.

At that moment.

Kwajik. Kwajijik.

– Keok!?

As sudden excruciating pain covered Persis’s body, a groan was about to come out of his mouth, but it was swallowed back.

A sensation as if lightning and flames had simultaneously covered his entire body.

Every bone joint screams, cells shout, the brain buzzes and the thought circuit begins to break down.

– Keok…! Keo-eok…!

As if the fire of life would be cut off at any moment, only the barely exhaled breath was the only proof that he was alive.

‘Father? What on earth is going on…’

Listening to the sound, Vermillion, who was trapped in the closet, was seriously worried about whether he should run out of here right away.

At that time, the woman’s voice continued again.

– It’s bland. It’s a punishment for not giving me fun. I expect a plausible answer next time. Persis Drake.

Even if it was a complete stranger, if someone was rolling on the floor in front of you and spitting out vomit, you would blink at least once, but the woman turned around with an expression as if she had lost all interest without the slightest movement.

Jiiing.

The magic circle that had shone a little while ago lit up again, and soon the woman’s figure disappeared in an instant.

About a few seconds later, Vermillion realized that there was no conversation going on and finally ran out of the closet.

Kwang!

“Father! Father…! Are you okay!?”

Then, he hurriedly lifted Persis’s body, which was helplessly lying next to the desk, and checked his condition.

Fortunately, he was still breathing.

But like a person who had lost his soul, he was just pouring out vomit, and he did not respond to his beloved son’s call.

Vermillion tried to cast healing magic, but it didn’t even have any effect.

‘What is this? Healing magic doesn’t work.’

Come to think of it, there are no particular external injuries.

While he was guessing what the woman had done to his father.

Seureuk.

“This is….”

Because of the collar that had gone down as he lifted his body that was lying on the floor, the back of Persis’s neck was faintly revealed.

Vermillion’s eyes widened as he witnessed this.

There, a unique pattern, as if drawing a moon that had become a sun, was engraved, emitting an ominous black light.