Chapter 123

Episode 123

“What kind of power of darkness is this? It’s just a two-star demonic beast, trying to act all mighty.”

I once again realized the power of “Automatic Combat.” It not only brought my thoughts to reality but also took care of things I hadn’t even considered.

Just like now.

Darkness had erupted from the demonic beast’s staff, but by then, the “Ice Bolt” spell I had cast had already struck it.

*Rumble…*

*Whoosh!*

The dark fog the demonic beast had unleashed slowly dissipated.

The surroundings, which had been momentarily plunged into darkness, brightened. The luminous pearl that the sommelier had chosen was truly bright.

You might ask, “Why didn’t you fight without incantations from the beginning?”

It’s a valid point. I had thought the same thing at first.

In web novels and anime, mages always chanted fancy spells and activated magic with cool incantations.

I had thought it was a waste of time and boring, but after becoming a mage myself, my opinion had completely changed.

The feeling was different.

The exhilaration of activating magic with an incantation was something only those who had experienced it could understand.

“Is it over?”

“I think so?”

Selendis seemed to be still processing what had happened.

The Baphomet-like demonic beast had been preparing its final attack.

It had probably intended to obliterate us with a concentrated blast of dark energy from its staff.

But there was one variable it hadn’t anticipated.

‘It must have thought I was just an ordinary knight who swung a sword.’

And I wasn’t just any mage. I could cast spells instantly, without incantations.

So, while it was focused on unleashing its energy blast, it had been completely defenseless against my ten “Ice Bolts.”

It was lying on the ground, black smoke seeping from its wounds. The smoke gradually faded as time passed.

Normally, powerful monsters and demonic beasts would regenerate over time. But the demonic beast’s wounds weren’t healing they were getting deeper.

Something completely different from my common sense was happening.

‘Was my magic more powerful than I thought?’

Two-star demonic beasts were strong. I couldn’t quantify their combat stats objectively, but they were definitely tough opponents.

‘It shouldn’t be this easy to incapacitate a demonic beast with a few magic spells. And its wounds aren’t regenerating. I wish I had a status window to check its condition. This is frustrating.’

To gauge my own level, I needed to spar with other mages, but that was impossible at the moment.

Jericho was a mage, but he specialized in elemental magic and couldn’t overwhelm me.

One thing I had learned while practicing magic was that the number of magic projectiles I could create increased as my magic level went up.

When I had first practiced “Energy Bolt,” I could only create ten projectiles simultaneously, no matter how hard I tried. So, ten seemed to be the realistic limit.

It was the same for “Fire Bolt” and “Ice Bolt,” which I had chosen as my main spells. I had already trained both spells to level ten.

‘Bolt-type magic is just basic magic commonly used in games, so there’s no need to focus on it any further.’

I cleared my mind. It was time to finish this.

I approached the fallen demonic beast. Its eyes were glazed over, and it was gasping for breath.

“See you again in the demon realm.”

I left those ominous words and swung my sword towards its horns.

*Slash!*

『Groaaar…』

The demonic beast turned into dust and scattered, just like the one I had seen before.

The surroundings were clean, as if nothing had happened. The only things left were two horns lying on the ground.

“Are you going to leave the horns here? We’ll need to find a safe place if you do.”

“No, I’m taking them with us.”

I took off the holy gloves Jericho had made and wrapped each horn in a glove, securing them with string. I could feel a strong pulsating energy, but it was weaker than my resistance.

I was wrapping them in gloves as a precaution.

Retrieving the horns wasn’t part of the mission, but I decided to give them to the sommelier as a surprise gift.

He had created a snack corner for the Lucius Club, so it was only fair for me to reciprocate.

‘The horns of a two-star demonic beast will be useful somehow. Maybe they can be ground into powder and used in potions.’

I had a reason for thinking this. It wasn’t pointless.

I had concluded that the sommelier was one of the Lady’s closest confidants. If that were true, his role would be Alquines, the eccentric mage and Count of the demon realm from “The Legend of Aldebaran.”

According to the book, Alquines was a loyal servant who had even saved the mastermind’s life.

In other words, to become the Lady’s left-hand man, I needed to build a good relationship with Alquines, her right-hand man.

“My lord, is something bothering you? You seem lost in thought.”

“No, it’s just… My magic seems to have been more effective than I expected. Ice Bolt is a low-level spell, but I didn’t think it could defeat a demonic beast with just a few hits.”

It was a vague excuse, but Selendis tilted her head and fell into deep thought.

“Could it be because you were wearing those gloves you used to retrieve Dark Souls?”

“Gloves? Ah, I didn’t think of that. You might be right.”

As expected of a smart person.

She was suggesting that the holy gloves might have amplified the effects of my magic.

It was possible.

These gloves weren’t made by an ordinary mage. They were made by a mage from a demon-hunting family.

Of course, they wouldn’t have had any effect if the opponent had been a human instead of a demonic beast. I had heard that the conditions for holy power to inflict damage were quite strict.

I should use this trick more often.

“Let’s get out of here. We can’t escape upwards, so let’s find the exit.”

“Understood.”

Thankfully, we didn’t have to wander through a maze. We found a gently sloping path that led outside.

The outside was still desolate. A dry wind blew from afar, whipping against our cheeks.

But now that “Dark Souls” was gone, it was only a matter of time before new life sprouted in this wasteland.

The important thing was that this wasteland was also part of my territory.

“Are you going straight back to the castle?”

“Yes. I’ll return alone. You can go and assist Sir Paris. The demonic energy has weakened, so the monsters should be easy to deal with.”

“Understood. Be careful, my lord.”

We mounted our horses and galloped off in different directions.

***

The Lucius Club had recently relocated from the Kalisto capital to the Walker Barony.

The only difference was the exterior of the building. The interior was exactly the same as before the move. It felt like playing a spot-the-difference game.

“Welcome, Mr. Walker. It’s our first time meeting here.”

The sommelier was also the same as before. His impeccably tailored suit and formal tone exuded confidence.

“I’m glad the relocation went smoothly. Are you satisfied with the new location?”

“I didn’t go out much even in the capital, so it doesn’t feel that different. But I’m happy that I’ll be able to see you more often, Mr. Walker. Now, what can I do for you today?”

“I’m not here for equipment. I’m here on Inspection Unit business.”

I took out a small box and two gloves tied with string from my bag.

But the sommelier’s expression was strange.

He seemed surprised.

“Didn’t the Lady tell you? About the Inspection Unit’s current mission.”

“I heard a little bit about it. I also heard it would be a difficult mission. But what are those gloves?”

“They contain the horns of a two-star demonic beast.”

“Oh?”

The sommelier, genuinely impressed, opened a drawer and put on a pair of luxurious gloves.

He was already wearing white gloves, like a staff member at a luxury store. He must have put on another pair for demon resistance.

“May I open the gloves?”

“Go ahead.”

The Baphomet’s horns were revealed. The sommelier adjusted his monocle and examined them closely.

“These are very fresh horns. It seems like it hasn’t been even two days since they were harvested.”

“You’re well-informed. It’s been exactly one day.”

“I can make an excellent potion with these. You’ve brought me excellent ingredients. I don’t believe this was part of the mission, was it?”

“It’s a gift in return for creating the snack corner. Chloe is delighted.”

“I’m grateful. I was just in need of some ingredients. Please excuse me for a moment.”

The sommelier took the horns and walked to a tank filled with a black liquid. He carefully placed the horns in the tank. Violent bubbles erupted, then subsided.

Sensing my curious gaze, the sommelier returned and explained, “This is a special solution that can contain demonic energy. If we leave the severed horns as they are, the demonic energy will dissipate, so we use this to prevent that.”

“What kind of potion will you use them for?”

“It’ll be used to create a potion that can enhance both magical power and aura.”

“Demonic energy is the power of demons. Is that even possible?”

The sommelier raised his finger and praised my question.

“Have you heard of the saying ‘All rivers flow to the sea’?”

“I believe it means that all things eventually converge into one.”

“You’re well-informed. The same applies to the forces that exist in nature. The mana, aura, and holy power used by humans and other races are actually branches stemming from a single source.”

It was a common setting in fantasy stories. But hearing it from the sommelier made it feel like I was attending a university lecture.

“Of course, I’m not saying those branches are bad. When a concept becomes highly developed, it inevitably branches out and diversifies. Mana, aura, and demonic energy all originated from the same power.”

“So, the potion you’re making taps into that fundamental power?”

“Precisely. Do you remember the potion I gave you before?”

I nodded.

I had given that potion to Selendis. It had dramatically increased her aura.

“It also contained some demonic beast horns. But the potion I’m about to complete is on a completely different level.”

“Is Dark Souls also needed for this potion?”

“No, it has a different purpose.”

I was curious about its purpose. But the sommelier wouldn’t tell me. It would be better to ask the Lady directly.

“I heard that the Lucius Inspection Unit will be relocating here in a few days. I’ll prepare some snacks, so please visit again.”

“Thank you for your consideration. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

I left the club and returned to the lord’s castle. I had completed the mission, so it was time to meet the Lady.

But as soon as I entered the inner castle, Administrator Balzac told me something I hadn’t expected.

“My lord, the Lady is very ill. She’s been bedridden for days.”