Ch.200200. Invisible Mask (6)

# BANG!

The luxurious door collapses like a rag.

The nobleman of Mirpark glares and vehemently protests against those who barged in.

“What is the meaning of this! Barging in and breaking down my door without any courtesy!”

“It would be proper to lead the soldiers myself, but currently we’re short-staffed after the Great Purge of Shit, so we’re here instead. The reason is that illicit dealings among Mirpark nobles have been confirmed. Here, I have a search warrant.”

“Hmph. So mere brats who only handle trivial cases, worthless youngsters, dare to investigate my mansion with nothing but the name of Levrant Academy’s Disciplinary Department on your backs? Get out this instant!”

Nevertheless, they pay no heed and signal to begin searching throughout the mansion.

They check inside all kinds of ornaments and furniture, and frequently lift walls and carpets.

For a nobleman without proper justification, this thorough investigation must have been quite humiliating.

“You little…! Someone bring our family knights to remove these pests!”

The nobleman, unable to bear the humiliation, tried to use force.

But that thought was short-lived.

The moment he faced a woman walking confidently toward him, the nobleman’s face froze.

“Ah, Princess Ardelion? Why are you here…”

“Well, I happen to be the head of those ‘mere brats who only handle trivial cases’ and ‘worthless youngsters’ you mentioned, and the one in charge of searching this mansion.”

“Wh-what are you saying? You authorized the search of my mansion, Princess?”

“That’s right. This matter is too serious to overlook.”

Even if it were just the Disciplinary Department of Levrant Academy, it wouldn’t have been so frightening.

But the Princess of Ardelion Principality, Ophelia—her name could never be denied.

Throughout the search, the nobleman had to watch his entire house being turned upside down while biting his lips.

“Is the search over? Please leave now!”

The furious nobleman snaps, implying he had done nothing wrong.

If they dug deeper, evidence would surely surface. He was one of the nobles who once frequented the Octagon, so there were grounds for arrest.

‘But that’s not our purpose this time.’

Restraint was necessary now.

“From now on, try not to raise suspicions regarding your taxes. After all, you brought this search upon yourself.”

With that warning, Ophelia steps outside.

As soon as they’re a fair distance away, she quietly asks her team members:

“Was it in this mansion?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“I see.”

The search yielded nothing.

Of course, Mirpark nobles are always plotting behind the Principality’s back, but this time it was merely a perfunctory search.

“This would certainly be impossible without some connection to the nobility.”

Demian, who caused this incident, belongs to Mirpark Road School. To enter there, one faces the towering wall of social status.

To lower that wall even slightly, one must demonstrate qualifications as a Sorcerer or Mage—something they desperately desire.

But Demian wasn’t a nobleman. His position was that of a vanguard, most despised by nobles.

After being expelled from Levrant Academy, he couldn’t possibly meet the conditions to enter there.

‘That means the nobility must have had a hand in this. Yet strangely, we can’t catch the trail.’

They’ve searched so many noble houses that it’s hard to keep count.

By now, evidence should have surfaced, but they’re exceptionally good at evading the Principality’s eyes.

“Princess. May I speak?”

“You may.”

“We have no more noble houses to search.”

No places remain. Even if they searched them again, no convincing information would emerge.

“However, there is one place left… though it’s not a noble house.”

“…?”

At the mention of a non-noble house, Ophelia checks the map.

She vaguely realized what the remaining place was.

“The temple.”

Thinking carefully, while nobles had contact with Demian, the temple wasn’t entirely disconnected either.

Wasn’t there a clear record of him repenting at the temple before entering Mirpark Road School?

Most temple members are presumed uninvolved, but if even one person was connected to the nobility, it wouldn’t be impossible.

With that assumption, a foul smell began to emerge.

“We’re heading to the temple immediately.”

“Yes!”

The tragedy of that day when innocent victims perished.

The calamity of a madman who became a beast, without using tools, without using his head, without attempting tactics or strategy—despite being a human animal with intelligence.

To prevent the arrival of the worst day Muniher mentioned, the sacrificial ritual must be severed by any means necessary.

***

Early evening as the sun begins to set.

It was time for lights to come on throughout the city, including the academy.

‘Did I arrive too early?’

A man with bushy beard checks his watch.

There’s still a 30-minute margin until the appointment time. Having arrived so early, he clearly had to wait for quite a while.

‘Well, Junon said he had preparations to make.’

Better to wait quietly for now.

Meanwhile, he felt fingers tapping his shoulder.

Thinking Junon had arrived, he turned his head, but didn’t see the distinctive black hair.

“Oh, oh? You…?”

“What are you doing here?”

Instead of black hair, he saw the graying hair of an elderly man.

It was a doctor who provided simple medical care near his shop. They were now close enough to call each other friends.

“Already closed shop for today? Tsk, tsk.”

“W-well, sometimes things don’t sell well. But what brings you here? It’s early for closing time.”

“My goodness, it’s Saturday. That’s why I closed early.”

“I see. Hmm.”

“Anyway, this is fortunate. I was looking for someone to have a drink with—would you join me?”

The doctor, seemingly pitying the poor sales story, even offered to pay for the drinks.

But he couldn’t accept the offer.

“I’m not really in the mood today.”

“Huh? What’s going on with you? I thought you’d be drooling at such an offer.”

“Old man, do you think I only live for drinking?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

“No. That’s just prejudice.”

He couldn’t go, as he was waiting for Junon.

The old man clicked his tongue, gave a brief farewell, and went to find someone else.

“…”

Looking at his drinking buddy, he cautiously ponders:

‘If I revealed that I’m a Lakan, would you still treat me as a friend?’

As always, he answers his own question internally.

Absolutely not, he thinks, swallowing hard against the stabbing pain in his chest.

‘Friends… when I can’t even share one honest feeling.’

The Lakan man could only watch his drinking buddy disappear with a smile full of emptiness and bitterness.

Even among the many people passing by, the moment his Lakan identity was revealed, fearful gazes would turn toward him.

Could he withstand that?

No.

It’s because he can’t withstand it that he hides like this.

He must maintain the relationship by deceiving him for life, carrying circumstances he cannot speak of.

Because he belongs to a race accused of harming humans. Because he is Lakan. Because he is now treated as a complete beast.

Continuing this distorted relationship was truly painful.

So he hopes this will be the last time.

Pinning his threadlike hope on this contact with the Sirens, he quietly prays with folded hands that he can clear away all false relationships.

Praying earnestly that the power of the Guide would reach them too.

And then it happened.

—Kyaaaah!!

Screams erupted everywhere, and he saw his drinking buddy from earlier running toward him.

“Lycan!!”

“Run away!!”

Crowds of people rushing over, and a werewolf chasing after them.

This scene is all too familiar to him as a Lakan.

A Lycan rampaging like that? It must be that monster, rolling its huge eyeballs and firing mental interference magic.

It must have interfered with someone’s mind and turned them into a Lycan.

What more was there to think about? Although the Lycan was attacking humans indiscriminately, its target could change to him at any moment.

He needed to flee immediately.

But his body froze stiff. Because his eyes caught sight of a certain old man.

“Oh my!”

“!!!”

Of all things, did he have to fall down right there?

With the Lycan charging from behind, did he have to fall now…!

‘Why, why you…!’

His already fragile skin would be torn to shreds. His body would be dismembered and crushed by sharp claws. And he would be reduced to a mere piece of meat, mauled all over.

It was obvious he would die. That friend who had spent his life treating people.

He knew how to respond. But his head wouldn’t issue the same command.

His body and mind seemed completely separated, showing no movement whatsoever.

-What are you hesitating for? Turn around and run! The Lycan will obviously target you first as a Lakan!

His brain scolds him. Run without looking back.

-He’s the friend who helped you settle here. If you step in, he might survive!!

Then his heart, located somewhere in his chest, shouts. If he reveals his Lakan identity, he could save his friend.

A choice was presented.

If he, as a Lakan, stepped in, he could hold off the Lycan momentarily, but couldn’t guarantee what would happen next. Even if he succeeded, his Lakan power would be exposed.

But if he turned away and fled now? The old man he’d known for years would die.

Should he ignore the fallen human and seek his own survival? Or risk his identity being exposed to save his friend’s life?

He had to choose in a split second.

Clatter.

His trembling hand grabbed a shovel lying on the ground.

‘Anyway… without you, I would have been exposed back then.’

It was a vague memory, but the old man probably knew. For someone who loved baths and hot springs so much, he deliberately pretended not to notice, trying to protect him.

If he had entered the bathroom and undressed then, he would have been exposed immediately, but he survived thanks to the old man’s help.

Yes. If it was a secret he could keep thanks to his help, if it was a life extended by his lies.

‘Just once. I don’t think it would be so bad to save your life before I go.’

Magic power rises slowly.

The magic power wrapped around his Lakan body would make his distinctive fur grow abundantly, turning him into a werewolf.

He planned to clench his teeth and slowly wrap magic around his body to strike down the Lycan’s arm. He just needed to buy time.

But suddenly, the mana circulating in his magic circuit stopped in place.

“…? Why is my magic…”

“I’ll handle this.”

“Handle it? What do you mean… Whoa!”

“Just hold this and stay still, mister.”

With those words, a young man handed him a bundle, surrounded himself with magic power, and rushed toward the Lycan.

He accurately struck the Lycan’s wrist as it reached for the old man, causing an instant knockback.

A one-on-one confrontation. In terms of physical ability, humans would naturally be at a disadvantage. The Lycan’s agility would be impossible to match with a human body.

That’s how it should have been according to the data, but…

-Kweack! Kwik!

The young man facing the Lycan dodged attacks fluidly without any complicated movements, and even counterattacked.

It was as if he could see the attack paths.

He continued to allow not a single attack through. Clearly, humans shouldn’t be able to match a Lycan’s agility. Even setting that aside, there was only one advantage humans could have in terms of physical ability against Lycans.

Magic.

Sometimes with overwhelming firepower. Sometimes with appropriate binding.

Magic was the greatest weapon for humans facing Lycans.

Yet no spell activation occurred from him.

He merely strengthened his body by surrounding it with magic power.

The only peculiarity was that he efficiently utilized everything around him—collapsed materials, toys abandoned by playing children, even handfuls of sand—against the Lycan.

In a situation where he should clearly be overwhelmed, he was gradually pushing the Lycan back.

Slash!

The floor is scratched with such force that claw marks are clearly visible.

This was the Lycan’s final blow, significantly slowed by accumulated damage.

He didn’t miss the wide opening and firmly grasped it.

Solar plexus. Abdomen. Thigh.

And finally,

Thwack!

Taking a blow to the jaw, the Lycan collapsed to the ground, completely retired.

Just then, a gust of wind blows off his hood. The watching Lakan gapes and clasps his hands together.

“My goodness…”

Black hair flutters in the wind.

The back of the young man’s head, who doesn’t even seem tired, is clearly visible.

The face turning around amid applause was the person he had arranged to meet here.

-‘Our non-human race always had a Guide in times of crisis.’

The Siren elder had assured him of this, but he had been half-skeptical. He sometimes felt it was nonsense, wondering why such a being never appeared for the Lakan race.

But now he need not doubt.

This must be the Guide who would save the Lakan race.

While all humans were applauding, only one person stood out, praying with folded hands toward Junon.

***

-Awoooooo!!

Today again, the monster takes away a comrade. Lakan people who could lean on each other’s backs and lend shoulders for support now become beasts controlled by the monster. They become Lycans.

When that Beholder’s largest eye opens. Each time, yesterday’s comrade becomes today’s enemy, falling into the monster’s clutches.

Crunch.

-Grrrr.

As the Beholder’s great eye twitches as if giving an order, the Lycans simultaneously remove their hostility toward the Lakans and turn away.

It meant they were done for today.

“Damn it…!”

“Chief!”

“Could it be mental interference…!”

“Let go, it’s not that.”

Blood flows from various parts of the Lakan leader’s body as he deactivates his beast form. His body, which had to face Lycans rushing in without hesitation, becomes more battered day by day.

“Are you really alright?”

“Yes. I’m still far from becoming a plaything.”

The Lakan race wasn’t among the weaker non-human races.

When fully transformed into werewolves, their physical abilities increase dramatically, and they can resist mental interference magic to some extent.

But that’s only when they can resist with full strength. With a body so exhausted that beast form is released, the monster’s mental interference magic takes full effect.

That condition only buys a little more time.

After the set time passes, they simply become faithful wolves following the Beholder’s commands.

Help is needed.

Someone to help the Lakans was desperately needed.

But who would help? The race with the most powerful strength would only be humans.

The Lakan race, being hammered by humans, couldn’t even ask for help.

It was truly a dilemma.

“Damn it all!!!”

This world was hell itself for them. The chief cursed, lamenting the Lakan race’s situation.