episode_0165

165. Hope.

Of course, the best way is to change her mind. It would be better if it didn’t turn into a bloody affair, if possible.

But to bind her entire body with five chains, it’s safe to say that she’s already gone too far.

While Johann was having grim thoughts, she spoke.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind? Why, do you want to kill me?”

“What are you talking about.”

“Hmm, trying to pretend you don’t. Well, it’s okay. I understand you.”

She slowly lifted her head. The black hair that was blocking her view moves away.

Sarah took something out of her inventory. It was a white pill. The kind of pill you might take if you have a cold.

She said with a chilling expression.

“Open your mouth. Johann. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Do you think I’ll open my mouth for a pill that I don’t even know what it is?”

“I think you’re mistaken, it’s not up to you to decide.”

Thud, Sarah’s finger forced its way into Johann’s lips. Johann reflexively clenched his teeth.

“Ticklish. Hehe.”

But from Sarah’s point of view, it’s just cute. Compared to her, Johann’s physical abilities were no different from a bug.

“Relax. Your jaw will tear.”

“Keck, kehack!”

She forcibly opened Johann’s mouth and pushed the pill in. Johann resisted with all his might.

‘Damn, damn it! The Magic Scale isn’t activating!’

Is it because of the magic restraints? No matter how hard he tried to use it, Johann’s special ability remained unmoved.

Gulp-

“Hic, heueueueue!”

Eventually, Johann swallowed the pill. At the same time, a clear sense of exhaustion drenched his entire body.

“Damn it, what the hell did you feed me······!”

“Don’t worry. As long as you don’t overdose, it won’t be life-threatening.”

His consciousness fades away. Unless he had magic power, he couldn’t resist the effects of the drug with mere mental strength.

“Heu, heueueue. Euh······.”

She suddenly said to Johann, who was panting.

“Johann. From now on, you will love me.”

Following that, Johann fainted and closed his eyes. Sarah watched Johann for a while before reaching out and stroking his cheek.

Unlike just now, Johann’s breathing was stable.

“You held out for a long time. I want to increase the dosage as much as I want, but I have to be patient.”

She took a pure white piece of paper out of her inventory. The very top of the paper read:

[Brainwashing Pill Instruction Manual]

“I sell all sorts of amazing things······. Well, I like it though.”

Sarah read the manual again with a worried mind. Except for overdosing, there were no special precautions to be aware of.

Suddenly, she frowned. Not brilliant, but a rather annoying light was emitting from the ring.

‘Left ring finger······.’

It was reflecting the light from the room’s light bulb. It was as if it was saying to her. Johann will never like a bitch like you.

She raised one corner of her mouth.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I’ll give up here?”

Johann’s lover is not here right now. That’s how it’s been, and that’s how it will be in the future.

Click-

She nervously pressed the switch. The room quickly became dark.

In the pitch-black darkness, only her red eyes shone eerily.

***

“Eum, euem······.”

Johann let out a small groan and opened his eyes. Unlike before when it was bright, he could see the darkened room.

Even though his magic power was sealed, he still had the physical abilities he originally possessed. His eyes pierced through the darkness.

Johann rolled his eyes. She was sitting next to him.

“You’re awake? Johann?”

“······Haa.”

Johann just sighed.

“Tell me now. What did you feed me?”

When he looked inside his body, there was nothing particularly problematic. That’s why he was even more anxious.

“I’m sorry, but that’s a secret. Is there anything uncomfortable, by any chance?”

“The situation I’m in right now is uncomfortable. Let me go.”

“You know that’s not going to happen, right?”

“······.”

Johann closed his eyes. Yeah, he didn’t think she would let him go easily.

“What do you want.”

“To love me.”

“Love isn’t something you can work for.”

“That can’t be. There’s nothing that can’t be done with effort. It’s just that the effort is lacking.”

She said with clear eyes.

“Just like I finally met someone who remembers the regression, there’s no such thing as impossible in this world. Now forget about the person named Seon-ah. I’ll make you happier.”

Johann wanted to yell at her right away. To tell her to stop talking nonsense and release these chains right now.

But an emotional response cannot improve the situation. Johann calmly chose his words.

“So, do you think I’ll love you just by tying me up like this? Do you really think that makes sense?”

“It’s a much more likely method than you going back to reality, Johann.”

Johann presented one compromise.

“How about we go back to reality together instead? Maybe my mind will change someday.”

“That’s possible.”

“Then······.”

She cut off Johann’s words before he could say anything.

“But after entering the tower, you’ve only been thinking about your lover, would you easily change your mind? Well, I don’t think so.”

“······.”

“There have been countless opportunities. Johann, you’re a man with great strength and looks. If you set your mind to it, you had enough time to make a new woman.”

She raised her finger and poked Johann’s chest.

“People say that people’s minds change easily. But sometimes there are people who are wholeheartedly devoted. In my opinion, you’re that type of person.”

It was a compliment he would have gladly accepted normally, but he wasn’t happy at all.

She continued.

“Give up. Johann. I will never let you go.”

“······.”

Gritting, Johann gritted his teeth. It seems like persuasion is out of the question.

In the end, there’s only one way.

‘Kill Sarah. And I have to block her movements.’

If she tries to commit suicide while challenging the tower’s administrator, everything will be in vain.

Maybe the administrator knows how to control her regression. But first of all, the priority is to neutralize her.

Johann’s brain was spinning violently. He has to find the best way out.

And fortunately, there was one way to overcome the current situation.

‘Spell Modification.’

Just like he endlessly modified Fire Arrow in the past to create Flame Harpoon. Johann was planning to incorporate spell modification into a new magic.

‘Instead of using mana within the body to use spells, deploy magic with the mana floating in the atmosphere.’

Until now, Johann has always used mana within his body to cast spells. That was the easiest and most powerful way.

But now he can’t use mana within his body. It means he has to pioneer a new path.

‘The problem is, which spell should I modify······.’

He can’t stop her with any ordinary attack magic or defense magic. He has to eliminate the more fundamental cause.

Clang-

The restraints holding Johann’s limbs. He has to destroy them.

‘But that’s impossible.’

There’s no way there will be an opening while she’s staring with her eyes wide open.

Johann stared at the restraints that bound his hands and hardened his resolve.

‘Complete the Teleport spell.’

Not only complete it, but he has to succeed in using the spell using mana in the atmosphere.

Johann chuckled. He can’t just do spell experiments recklessly while she’s watching.

‘This is driving me crazy. Really.’

Somehow, this seems to be the most difficult ordeal he’s faced while climbing the tower so far. Even the duel with the administrator wasn’t this difficult.

Fortunately, the Teleport spell was somewhat complete. It was because he gained a sense of it by constantly moving through various colosseums.

At that time, she suddenly leaned in and said.

“Johann?”

“······Why.”

“You seem to be thinking a lot?”

“······.”

Johann felt goosebumps.

‘This crazy bitch.’

Johann’s body trembled. Seeing that, she muttered, ‘Is the room cold?’ Johann was dumbfounded.

Johann closed his eyes.

“I’m going to sleep. Don’t touch me.”

“Okay.”

He was embarrassed because the answer was more straightforward than he thought. Then she added.

“Johann. You will love me.”

It was a sentence that seemed like a declaration. Johann felt a strange sense of déjà vu and responded indifferently.

“Do whatever you want.”

Johann closed his eyes as is. After that, Johann’s brain was working busily.

‘First of all, I have to move the mana in the atmosphere as I please. Without getting caught by Sarah.’

Johann’s brain drew a vivid imagination. Himself teleporting to a new place after throwing off the restraints.

He thought it was worth a try if he had enough mana and accurate coordinates. He already had plenty of a sense for teleportation.

Johann widely expanded his range of recognition. Because he had no magic power, the radius was very small. Johann breathed his will into the atmospheric mana at the end point of the range.

‘I have to do it even if I get caught.’

Twitch, the atmospheric mana vibrated shallowly. At the same time, her head snapped around.

He couldn’t see it because his eyes were closed, but he roughly got a feel for it.

“······Hmm?’

Johann barely maintained his composure. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like she had noticed anything strange.

“I guess there’s a fight going on nearby······.”

If Johann had moved the mana within his body, she would have noticed it for sure. But the flow of mana that just occurred was different in nature.

No matter how good her senses are, there’s no way she could notice the flow of mana caused by will. Because human will has no form and no weight.

‘Heu.’

Johann grinned inwardly.

Hope, is visible.