Ch.56Gently clasped hands

# 1.

Peter.

A member who infiltrated <Aria Main School> under the orders of the Black Wolf, leader of the Black Wolves.

“Today at dawn. We attack the main school.”

“Ah…!! Finally…!!”

After a year of infiltration, the time had finally come to eliminate Heoshin’s remaining forces.

“How dare you curse at me, a High Bishop!! You must be completely out of your mind!!”

What should he do with this ignorant, foolish, pitiful lamb?

Peter pondered for a moment.

“Hahaha! Peter! Everyone mocks me for being weak, but you alone are truly kind!”

“Yes, if I become High Bishop, I’ll give you the High Bishop position!”

“Do you like that so much! Hahaha!”

Memories of days spent with Hendrickson, the High Priest of Love, briefly flashed through his mind.

“…*sniff*”

“…?”

Hendrickson was bewildered by the sound, but Peter continued his deliberation without wavering.

His concern was naturally,

“Ah… how should I kill this bastard who dared to blaspheme against our Lord…”

Only about how to kill him.

“…Kill? You’re going to kill me…?!”

“Is there a problem?”

“Ha!! I thought we were close!! I was planning to go all the way with you, no matter which path I took!!”

“Ah… what about the Blue Mage Tower Gate…”

Despite being close for a year, it wasn’t something Peter needed to know.

“You…!! Youuuu!!! Fine, then!! I’ll kill you first and then figure out what to do next!!!”

“Ah… what about the Red Mage Tower Scroll…”

“You son of a bitch!!!!”

Having finished his contemplation, Peter smiled at Hendrickson, who was reaching out toward him.

“I’ve decided.”

Your crime is daring to refer to the one true god, Lord Black Wolf, as ‘that guy in the back.’

The divine punishment befitting such a crime is,

“【The Black Wolf declares, the sin of blasphemy shall be atoned by cutting out one’s own tongue.】”

The moment Peter finished speaking.

【Skill #1 – <Brainwashing(SS+)> has been activated.】

A system window unlike any before—pitch-black and oozing with viscosity.

Simultaneously, Hendrickson’s hand, caught by shadows, slowly moved toward his face.

“St-stop, sto-stop!!! Aaagh!!”

…Crack.

Crack-crack-crack.

His tongue being pulled out helplessly.

Hendrickson sensed it.

‘I must cut it to survive.’

Slash.

Moving his left hand holding a dagger—the only limb not under control—he cut off his own tongue.

“Huaa…!! Huaaaaaaa!!!”

His bloodshot eyes rolled wildly, casting blame toward Peter, but,

“【O lamb, your resentment shall not reach the divine but only the shepherd, so resent freely, but the eyes that dared to contain the divine shall also be removed by your own hand.】”

“Aaah…!! Aiya, aiyao!!!”

A voice mixed with horrific screams.

His right hand, beyond his control, was guided by shadows toward his pupils.

‘I must kill before I die!!’

Whether it was Peter before him,

The Black Wolf behind him,

Or even the giant right in front of him!!

【<Enchantment(S-)> rank has increased!】

【Unless the caster – <Hendrickson(A+)> cancels this skill, status ailment – <Enchantment(S-)> will persist eternally!】

Hendrickson’s final struggle.

‘Got it!! I’ve taken the giant hostage, so that bastard Peter won’t be able to…!!’

A perfectly rational thought—that taking a hostage would prevent further reckless actions.

But he didn’t know.

The Black Wolf members gather only around their leader <Black Wolf>, and if the Black Wolf were in danger, perhaps, but if they themselves were in danger.

“【…Child. You have not been reformed in the end, so offer your heart to me. I shall cleanse the sin from your heart myself and offer it to my Lord, so act without doubt.】”

They simply thought they would sacrifice their lives for their leader, the Black Wolf, and that would be the end.

“Huh…?”

Squelch.

Riiip.

“Huuh…!! Huaaaaaaaaah!!!!”

What Hendrickson faced before even going blind after tearing out his own heart was,

“I pray that you realize at least some of your sins before you die.”

“Ah, aah, aaaah!!!”

“Shh.”

“Guh, gumu, gumu…!!!”

Only a blood-covered priest and the cold gaze of one who looked at such a priest indifferently.

“You may run away if you’re afraid.”

“Eyo!!! Eyooo…!!!”

“Where to run, you ask? Isn’t it obvious?”

Through death.

“…Ah.”

A true enlightenment indeed.

Crack!

Finally freed from fear, Hendrickson trembled and smiled.

“…Uuh,,, ye, uuuh I see……”

…Thud.

Peter carefully cradled the heart Hendrickson had offered, wiped away his flowing tears, and quietly prayed.

“Salvation… I heard it clearly. You realized it only in your final moment. May you be happy in that place you’ve ascended to. May you not fear as you feel my warm touch.”

Watching Peter wailing in joy and sorrow, Nahan quietly thought.

‘You’re the scariest one, you madman.’

Every time I think about it, it seems like there are no proper humans in this world.

Regardless, it was true that thanks to Peter, they had dealt with the High Priest of Love with ease.

It was a bit cruel, but I feel no guilt.

‘In the original work, he committed all sorts of filthy sins under the pretext of sharing love.’

Nahan rose from his seat and immediately moved toward Hanryang.

【Warning.】

【<Enchantment(S-)> is active.】

【Intervening in the mental world – <Enchantment(S-)> may result in loss of life.】

The sight of him waving his thick hands in the air, silent as if dead.

“Ah, miss…”

What is he trying to grab?

No matter how he waves at the empty air, what could he possibly grasp?

“Shall I wake him up?”

Peter, who had approached, asked this, but Nahan shook his head.

“It’s dangerous.”

What I’ve learned through various growth experiences.

‘If I forcibly wake Hanryang now, he might become a formidable enemy like Luna.’

Soon, <Light> would arrive after hearing the news, so before that, I needed to bring Hanryang to his senses and leave this place.

‘…But how?’

With the skills I’ve unlocked so far, I couldn’t intervene with Hanryang.

Yet recklessly intervening was dangerous, as I knew little about the mental world in question.

【Caster – <Selena(SS-)> activates <Detection(S+)>.】

A thin, delicate web of mana unfolds without giving me time to worry.

“It’s Light.”

“I felt it.”

They must have deployed immediately after receiving the news, so it would take about 10 minutes at most to arrive.

As I silently looked at Hanryang, Peter, unable to hold back, carefully suggested.

“…We must kill him.”

A truly efficient choice.

I was about to speak words to stop Peter, but,

“No. It would leave traces.”

“Don’t worry. If we dissolve him to death, no magic could detect it. I’ll also proceed after breaking the contract, so there will be no danger to you, my Lord.”

Peter seemed to have already made up his mind, ready to move as soon as the order was given.

…Indeed.

This is a flawed fantasy world where swords and magic exist.

As the leader of the villainous organization in the novel, I could understand abandoning Hanryang, who was merely a character, but,

【Do you wish to intervene in the mental world – <Enchantment(S-)>?】

【Accept / Decline.】

To Nahan, they were no longer just fictional characters, but,

“Stand by, Peter.”

Living, breathing people.

“M-My Lord!!”

【Accept.】

【Intervening in mental world – <Enchantment(S->.】

Nahan pressed accept without hesitation.

# 2.

Mental World.

A unique space that only those who have reached the upper echelons of A-rank or entered S-rank can use.

Therefore, the form and abilities differ across worlds, and the ability of this mental world – Enchantment is.

“Hanryang, I want to take a walk now.”

“…Miss. The backlog of work is mountainous.”

“Oh? Talking back?”

“…Sigh. Just this once.”

“I do like your softness.”

A world that simply recreates the target’s past memories and holds them captive.

Originally, it also had the ability for the caster to steal the target’s aura or mana, but now that the caster is gone, it merely persists.

In that delicate and concrete illusion, Hanryang was simply happy.

And for good reason,

By his side now was.

“I smell flowers.”

“Can you tell what kind they are, Miss?”

“Surely plum blossoms.”

“Correct.”

Miss Eunhong was with him.

“Ahem. As a reward, I’ll add more time to our walk.”

“…Only 10 minutes.”

“Too short. Let’s make it an hour.”

“But the master…”

“Oh my. Think about it, Hanryang.”

The miss, smiling slightly, reached out her blind hand to Hanryang’s face and smiled.

“Just feeling your face like this would take at least an hour.”

A sly smile.

Hanryang barely tore his gaze away from the enchantingly curved pink lips.

“…If the master scolds me, you must save me.”

“That’s my specialty.”

Step, step, step.

Pat, pat, pat.

The footsteps of the man and woman,

“My, can’t you come closer?”

“…Yes, Miss.”

The tense hands gently clasped together, using her blindness as an excuse.

“Hanryang. Never let go of this hand for the rest of your life.”

“…I will do so.”

It was a happy afternoon where warm sunlight settled and sparkled.

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【Warning.】

【<Regret> will be reenacted shortly.】