Chapter 47: Apostle Louveci (2)

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“This is…”

It’s dark. No matter where you look—up, down, left, or right—it’s pitch black.

So dark that you can’t even see your own body. Nothing is distinguishable.

Even when Sugar channels magical energy into her eyes, all she can see is an endless abyss of darkness.

“Can’t see anything, can you?”

Immediately, Riley fired a magical projectile toward the voice.

“Ouch… You got me. In this place, you have to distinguish everything by sound. It’s the perfect battlefield for me.”

“…”

“…”

“Smart. You shut your mouths and held your breath right away. But… you know that all natural things in this world are imbued with magical energy, right?”

‘I know’

Louveci’s ability to see the flow of magical energy, to distinguish people by it, to predict movements—it’s all because of that.

“I can clearly see that Sugar is diagonally to my right, and that Tommy is preparing a spell.”

“…We can sense your magical energy too.”

If she focuses, Sugar can feel two large sources of magical energy besides her own. One is Riley, and the other is Louveci. The sticky, unsettling energy must be hers.

Sugar pointed her wand.

“Sugar. Did you forget? What my specialty is. You’ve experienced it firsthand.”

“…!”

That sticky magical energy vanished in an instant. No matter how hard she searched, there was only endless darkness.

‘She’s concealing her magical energy!’

Immediately, she reached out toward Riley. He was right next to her just a moment ago, so he should still be close. In a place like this, they needed to stick together.

‘…He’s not here.’

But no matter how much Sugar flailed around, she couldn’t find him.

‘One step to the side? To the left? No, the opposite? Where was I even facing earlier?’

‘With nothing but darkness around, I’ve completely lost my sense of direction.’

“It’s disorienting, isn’t it? You can’t tell front from back or left from right.”

A poking sensation on her back made Sugar whirl around, pointing her wand but there was nothing there.

“I wonder how you’ll manage to escape.”

The voice came from behind again.

This time, she ruffled her hair.

“Hey!”

Annoyed, Sugar swung her fists wildly, but the presence disappeared immediately.

“What are you trying to do, you old hag!”

Riley kept snapping his fingers, trying to create a light source, but no matter how hard he tried no magical light appeared.

Does he need a stronger spell?

That would require an incantation. He’d have to chant it out loud.

However, then she’d notice, she’d definitely come to stop him.

He could hear Sugar struggling with her nearby. Was she trying to prevent her from casting a dispel spell? It’s absurd that she’s playing around after kidnapping her, but at least it’s a relief that she doesn’t seem intent on harming them.

Should he go over there, hide Sugar behind him, and start firing spells randomly? But he doesn’t have much magical energy left and would she even just let him do that?

He’s out of options.

Clicking his tongue, Riley took a deep breath.

“Close your eyes!”

A secret language only the two of us know.

An ancient script Sugar taught me once.

After uttering it, he continued.

“Chant the dispel spell!”

What will she do now?

Will she come after me to stop the meaningless words? Or will she stop Sugar?

Either way, Riley just needs to chant the spell he prepared.

Whether it’s the flash spell he’s about to cast or the dispel spell Sugar might use, both are worth trying.

Just as he was about to utter the incantation, he felt a hand cover his mouth.

‘Good.’

It seems Louveci chose to restrain Riley.

From the side, I could hear Sugar’s clear voice chanting.

“Dispel Magic.”

As Sugar uttered the incantation, surprisingly, nothing happened.

“Sorry, but this isn’t an ordinary magical space.”

It doesn’t matter.

Riley grabbed Louveci’s slender wrist, the one covering his mouth. With both hands, he gripped it tightly, as if he could crush it. Pouring into it the resentment he felt when he lost Sugar.

Louveci, startled, tried to pull her wrist away but it was too late.

Magical infusion.

If it were Sugar, she would’ve immediately made it her own. However, Louveci, with her ordinary magical energy, wouldn’t be able to handle it, so she’d be in quite a bit of trouble.

Different magical energies naturally repel each other. Riley’s energy would flow through her magical pathways and wreak havoc inside her body.

And now that he’s left a trace, it’s easy to track her. He just needs to follow the trail of his own magical energy. No matter how well Louveci hides her own energy, she can’t hide someone else’s.

Riley immediately chanted the spell.

His sharp eyes, his hand, all directed straight at the blind apostle.

“Explosion.”

A crisp explosion echoed through the dark space.

Just as he thought he heard something shatter, his vision began to blur.

Squinting, he looked around—it was the dreaded mountainside.

.

.

.

“Wow, To… Riley!”

Sugar dashed toward Riley, looking like she was about to hug him.

“What did you do?”

“Just… waited for the right moment.”

Following Riley’s gaze, Sugar saw Louveci staggering to her feet.

It’s terrifying that she’s still standing after that explosion.

“Ah… I can’t get up.”

“?”

But then she suddenly collapsed. She slumped down as if she had no strength left.

As Riley slowly approached her, Sugar followed closely by his side.

“So destroying that fragment was the way to escape.”

He was referring to the black fragment Louveci had dropped into her shadow.

“I’ll keep that a secret.”

Louveci smiled weakly and raised her hand.

“That was an incredible spell. Such smooth coordination. Ah~ My insides feel like they’re turning inside out from the magical backlash~ I can’t do anything~”

Then, in a trembling voice, she spoke.

“Louveci… you…”

Sugar couldn’t understand what was going on.

A centuries-old apostle incapacitated by something like this?

It doesn’t make sense. She wasn’t even fighting seriously. To her, this was just child’s play.

An apostle who must have survived countless bloody battles.

Even in that dark space, if Louveci had wanted to, she could have prevented any contact. She could have bought time until other apostles or followers arrived but she didn’t.

Instead, she kept toying with them, leaving openings upon openings.

It was too strange.

Louveci clearly wanted to capture Sugar, and she had already committed such acts.

But from the altar to now, her attitude during this fight was almost as if…

“I can’t figure out your intentions…”

The snake-like woman simply hugged her staff and smiled softly.

“That’s just how the world is. Even after living this long, there’s still so much I don’t know.”

Then she opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. Her empty gray eyes gazed upward. What could she possibly be seeing? She stared endlessly at the sky.

Sugar interrupted her musings.

“Forget about the world. I’m talking about you, Louveci. Your intentions.”

“Oh my. Are you interested in me?”

“…”

“Well… Sugar, your kindness is both your strength and your weakness. You’re going to have a hard time.”

Though she was clearly talking to Sugar, her tone sounded as if she was speaking to someone else. As Sugar tilted her head in confusion, Riley, who had been listening, made a strange expression.

“Anyway… are you even talking to me right now? Ah, if only I had the strength, I’d grab you right now.”

“…”

Riley raised his grimoire to chant a spell but hesitated when he saw Sugar. She was looking down at Louveci with a puzzled expression, her eyes clear.

Finally, Riley sighed and took Sugar’s hand. He urged her to leave quickly, as if impatient.

But something kept nagging at Sugar, and she stopped.

“Louveci. I’ve been thinking. If that day, you had let me go, not only you but I would have also been caught by the cult—”

“Just remember this.”

She cut her off quickly.

Like the time she spoke to Sugar so kindly, like a mother. Or like when they ran through the fields under the night sky during their childhood. With an inscrutable smile, she murmured.

“Freedom isn’t something you get for free.”

“…”

Then she waved her hand.

“Well, that’s it for me. See you next time.”

“We’re never seeing you again. Just disappear.”

As Riley answered in her stead and dragged Sugar away, Louveci burst into laughter, puhaha. She was the type to laugh carelessly at the most unexpected moments.

Leaving the sound of her laughter behind, the two children walked away.

Goodbyes are always bittersweet.

Even though she said those words, she hoped they would never meet again. She wished for the two of them to rely on each other and live well, far from her gaze.

Setting aside her conscience about protecting children and her duty as an apostle, she clung to a single hope.

‘I want to see those two children, who remind me of my younger self and Claude, find their freedom.’

Though she had found them by chance, given their unique magical traits it was only a matter of time before they became entangled with the cult. Just like the day Sugar demonstrated her adaptation to his magical energy.

‘So, I’ll stay with the cult forever.’

‘I’ll secretly guide things so the other apostles can’t target those children.’

That day, when Sugar revealed her abilities—Claude being there was the problem. At that moment, the information must have spread to all the apostles through the crows.

Louveci couldn’t stop it. If she had let Sugar go at that moment, what would have happened next?

Fight Claude again? Go against all the apostles?

‘Even for me, that’s too much.’

It was beyond her capabilities, and despite everything, Louveci liked the cult. Her faith in him was genuine.

However more than that, she wanted to see Sugar free. She thought it would be fine to find another way to appease him without relying on Sugar.

And so, Louveci’s plan began.

First, let’s pretend to cooperate in the kidnapping. A common goal unites people. The top priority in that situation was to end the fight.

‘Louveci is a cold, rational woman who prioritizes the cult above all else.’

If she planted this image, Claude and the other apostles would see her in a new light, right?

Next, let’s help Sugar escape the cult.

Of course, the desire to stay together was strong too. To pass on knowledge to that little girl, to worship together. Just imagining it was delightful. Whether Sugar was captured or escaped, it was a satisfying outcome for her.

Keke. The snake-like woman let out a sly laugh.

‘I’ve already been more than generous.’

Still, it’s better to smile. Freedom is better.

Let’s stir up some trouble.

That way, the sluggish holy knights will come running.

It’s annoying and frustrating, but there’s no other choice. Once the information reached the apostles’ ears, the only place Sugar could be free was there. Once she entered that place, even the apostles would be powerless.

So, she pretended not to know about the tracking spell on Sugar’s headband.

The boy who cared for Sugar would run wild in the mountains, and he’d have to come to rescue her.

She pretended not to know about the dark magical energy inside Sugar.

If Claude found out, he’d bind her so tightly she wouldn’t be able to lift a finger.

She let the spells miss on purpose, unsealed the exits, and went easy during the fight. Secretly, she helped them escape.

She deceived both Sugar and the cult.

In the process, Claude’s subordinates died, there were losses, and she earned hatred but still, It couldn’t be helped.

A promise once made must be kept.

-“I’ll send you home, so don’t worry.”

She owed her that much. She wanted to repay the debt of hurting Sugar’s feelings. Let’s consider it repaid.

‘…Come to think of it, it all started with me.’

From witnessing Sugar to uttering those words. Everything.

So, there’s no other way.

I’ll take responsibility.

I’ll guide the outcome myself.

After all, the children’s wishes are what matter most.

Louveci lay down comfortably, letting out a soft huhu. The sound of the children’s footsteps had already faded away.

Run, run.

In life, countless greedy hands will reach out for you, but I hope you overcome them all and seize freedom with your own hands.

I hope you succeed where I once failed.

With that wish, she reached her hand toward the sky, and a crow perched on it.

“…What about the barrier?”

[It’s almost done.]

“Wow… But what do we do? We lost the kids. They were stronger than I thought. I must really be getting old.”

Since she wouldn’t know what happened inside the dark space, she could just say it was so.

The crow sighed as it spoke.

[Louveci. I truly can’t figure you out.]

“Trust me. If you hadn’t used his magical energy yesterday, I could’ve moved better. I’ll rest a bit and then act again.”

[…]

It fell silent, having nothing to say about that.

“And it’s sad that you still don’t understand me. I’ve always been the same. Louveci, the sister who loves and cherishes children.”

[Don’t make me laugh. Fine. We’ll deal with the reprimand later.]

The crow flapped its wings and opened its beak wide.

As if its exterior and interior were flipping, it transformed into a human figure.

A man in a black robe with a beak-like mask. He glanced at Louveci once, then began walking in the direction the children had disappeared, soon vanishing from sight.

“…”

Louveci struggled to hide her dismay.

She didn’t expect him to step in personally. What now?

Can the children hold out? No matter how she thought about it, it’s impossible. If they survive, it’ll be a miracle.

Groaning in frustration, Louveci formed a circle with her fingers and held it up to her eye. She was growing impatient, wondering when the people she was waiting for would arrive.

‘Hmm…’

She tried her best to stay with the cult, but it seems things might go a little off track.