Chapter 282: New Contract (1)

Chapter 282: New Contract
(1)

Black
particles scattered across the sky.

As
I stared into the air while placing my axe on the ground, something
falling at my feet awakened my mind.

When
I absentmindedly lowered my gaze, a soul stone fused with black
demonic energy was rolling on the ground.

‘…Why
did this come out?’

Karelos
was a chameleon beastman not a monster, yet a soul stone, that thing
that only monsters spit out appeared.

Does
this mean that the being I just cut was closer to a monster than a
human species?

[If
she accepted that much of the demon’s power, she can no longer be
called human.]

-Gulp.

Bunny
muttered with a voice that salivated.

It
was different from the unpleasant hallucinatory whispers that Karelos
had shown.

I
never thought I would come to appreciate Bunny’s voice.

‘Well,
the voice itself was always nice, but…’

I
smiled bitterly and tucked the soul stone into my pocket.

I’ll
think about how to handle it later, but for now.

“My
disciple.”

When
I turned my head toward the voice, Idelbert was grinning with a faint
smile.

“You’ve
grown quite a bit.”

“Just
‘quite’?”

When
I shrugged my shoulders and asked, Idelbert chuckled and approached,
flicking my forehead.

“Don’t
be too arrogant. The Envy Worshipper is the weakest among the demon
worshippers in terms of physical power. It was difficult to pinpoint
her location because she lived in hiding, but her actual power
doesn’t compare to the others.”

That
was true.

Aside
from the disgusting mental attacks, Karelos’ combat power was only
slightly higher than that of Cleassia, her subordinate.

“Well.
Even so…”

-Pat.

Something
soft landed on top of my helmeted head.

Idelbert
put her hand on my head and stroked it vigorously as if she was
proud.

“Just
for today, you may be as arrogant as you want.”

That
voice mixed with laughter made me smile too.

The
recognition from a master who had taught me for a time that was short
yet long…it was truly sweet.

“Thank
you for conceding to me.”

“What
concession?”

Idelbert
chuckled and turned her head.

Seeing
that, I became more certain that Idelbert had suppressed even her
desire for revenge and conceded Karelos’ head to me.

Whether
it was because I had taken a place in Idelbert’s heart similar to
Serif’s level or as she said, because Karelos had shown the worst
hallucination.

[The
Curse of Rejecting Lousy Dicks]

Or
perhaps it was due to another goal that remained for Idelbert after
punishing even the one who had brainwashed her sister.

[Nam
Soo-jin LV.51]

[Stamina:(17+18)
Strength:(17+11) Agility:(17+11) Wisdom:(8+14-3) Finesse:(21+16)]

[Free
Points: 8 points]

What
mattered was that the status window that appeared showed evidence of
new growth.

‘I’ve
exceeded level 50.’

That
enormous number felt unfamiliar beyond imagination.

This
labyrinth expedition had steep growth because I fought such creepy
enemies.

Getting
stronger in this perilous labyrinth city is definitely a good thing,
but that doesn’t mean I should be dragged around without properly
wielding my power.

‘I
need to strengthen my foundation for a while.’

With
that thought, I followed Idelbert and subdued the unconscious guards
by binding them.

“What
happens to them now? Will the brainwashing be undone?”

“I
don’t know. It’s my first time killing an Envy Worshipper.”

Idelbert
spoke as if she didn’t know either.

“In
the first place, there have been hardly any successful eliminations
of demon worshippers in recent years. Even when we occasionally
caught underlings, we often lost track of the source and let them
go.”

“Is
that so?”

“Yes,
disciple. You’ve done something more remarkable than you think. You
might receive a reward at the kingdom level. No, I’ll make sure you
get rewarded.”

I
smiled bitterly at Idelbert, who spoke as if she would uproot a
pillar of the royal palace, and hoisted the guard on my shoulder.

Since
they were also high-level explorers and paladins, they could become
useful human resources if their brainwashing was undone by Karelos’
death.

With
that thought, when we joined Diana and Serif who were supporting from
the rear.

“…Serif?”

We
realized that we had been making a far too hopeful assumption.

~15th
Floor, Temple Eden Branch, Private Treatment Room~

“……”

Senior
Priest Coolid, who was looking at the snow-white cat beastman Serif
lying demurely on the bed, swallowed and shook her head.

“Explain.”

-Grind.

Idelbert,
who was grinding her teeth, spoke while keeping her gaze fixed on
Serif lying in the hospital room.

“Give
me…a proper explanation.”

“……”

“Why
is she just lying here with her eyes closed?”

Idelbert
gently stroked Serif’s cheek with trembling hands.

Despite
that warm and careful touch, Serif didn’t respond at all, continuing
to breathe softly as if in deep sleep, with her eyes closed.

After
searching for words for a moment, Coolid finally sighed and answered.

“She’s
being stubborn.”

“What?”

“That
Envy Worshipper bitch was being stubborn until her dying moment.”

Having
roughly heard the situation, Senior Priest Coolid also seemed
troubled as she rubbed her face.

“Everyone
lives with their own mind in their heart. The collection of
unconscious thoughts, will, beliefs, desires, wishes, and so on is
called the mental image.”

Coolid’s
words reminded me of the space I fell into when I first gripped
Bunny.

It
was a space that had become empty because endless hunger had consumed
everything, a space that was like a blank canvas with only myself
remaining alone.

Bunny
had called that place his mental image world.

“I
know from seeing victims of the Envy Worshipper several times.
Fantastic dreams…the Envy Worshipper either plants false fantasies
in the mental image to break a person, or completely subjugates the
mental image to make them their faithful servant.”

Karelos
had the ability to corrupt that mental image through miraculous
grace.

Like
falling into a trance, the upright mental image becomes polluted and
twisted by the turbid demonic energy (magi).

“Lady
Serif is still fighting the vile fantasies left by the Envy
Worshipper.”

That
was why Serif couldn’t regain consciousness and remained asleep.

“What’s
the possibility of recovering? When can she wake up?”

“…I
don’t know. It’s a matter that Lady Serif must overcome herself. She
might wake up tomorrow, or it might take…several years.”

Coolid,
who glanced aside, turned her eyes to the other guards. Those who had
been completely brainwashed were in similar situations.

No
one knew when Serif would be able to wake up.

“…I’m
sorry. I should have protected Serif more firmly…”

“……”

Diana,
with a grief-stricken expression, carefully placed her hand on
Idelbert’s shoulder.

Idelbert
bit his lip because it couldn’t be said to be anyone’s fault.

‘Since
Serif cast mental barrier miracles on everyone…’

Serif
had continuously bestowed the miracle of mental barrier during the
battle.

From
me and Idelbert who were closest to the influence of Karelos’ mental
attacks, to Diana and Serif herself who were in the rear.

Though
she didn’t handle fancy equipment or directly participate in battle,
it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Serif was the MVP of this
subjugation.

Moreover,
at the end of the battle, the fact that I could escape the
brainwashing hallucination that squeezed all of Karelos’ demonic
energy wasn’t just because my mental strength was exceptional.

Just
before delivering the final blow, I felt the mental barrier miracle
becoming even stronger.

Serif
would have withdrawn even the mental barrier protecting herself, and
in that brief moment, poured her strength into me.

I
couldn’t lift my head due to the rising sense of guilt.

Clench—

The
strength in my fist wouldn’t release.

“Don’t
blame yourself, disciple.”

Idelbert,
who glanced at me, patted my shoulder.

“My
sister may seem fragile, but she has a strong mind. Fortunately, she
grew up to be that kind of child. She’s not one to be broken by false
hallucinations.”

Though
she must be the most saddened, Idelbert’s expression was as natural
as possible, as if trying to ease our worries.

“…You
really worked hard today. Go back and rest now.”

Idelbert
said she would stay at the temple for a while to monitor Serif’s
condition.

Diana
and I, who returned to the inn, went to our respective rooms to
organize our belongings and finish the exhausting day.

“Bunny.”

While
lying on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling, I suddenly had a
thought and asked the axe placed at my bedside.

“Like
when you helped me, couldn’t you help Serif?”

At
the sudden question, Bunny immediately clicked his tongue.

[I
have no intention of helping such insignificant creatures. It’s
difficult to do so anyway. It was possible with you because we are
connected by a contract. She can’t make a contract in that state.]

“…Then,
can’t you save Serif like when Ellie and Denshi were being possessed
by the succubi?”

[…Hmm…]

To
my desperate question, Bunny reluctantly seemed to be thinking.

[It’s
different from the succubi case. They invaded the dream world, not
the mental image.]

“Are
they different?”

[They
are. The mental image is located much deeper than the dream world, so
if you touch it incorrectly, you’ll become a vegetable. Very few
insignificant creatures among succubi have reached a level that can
touch the mental image.]

I
sighed as even Bunny, a demon who had lived for ages, said there was
no answer.

Is
it really impossible to do anything but watch Serif lying asleep in
hallucinations?

“Wait.
What did you say?”

[Huh?
What, what do you mean?]

“What
did you just say?”

[Oh.
Very few insignificant creatures among succubi have reached a level
that can touch the mental image…]

“Does
that mean, succubi can enter the mental image?”

[Y-Yes…Oh.]

As
Bunny stopped speaking, I hurriedly opened the closet in the room and
looked in the mirror.

Near
the temple of the man looking in the mirror, there were small,
reduced horns.

When
I focused on them, the shrunken horns eventually returned to their
original size, becoming the symbol of a mighty succubus.

[◆Curse
of the Nightmare]

– You
gain the power of an incubus.

– Your
breeding and regeneration abilities are greatly increased.

– You
are currently in a [Sexually Frustrated] state.

The
man in the mirror gaped blankly.

“…I’m
a succubus right now.”

My
mind cleared as if struck by lightning.

—There
was a reason the master ordered me to find that man! He is the real
male, the real incubus…!

—We
will awaken you as a true incubus. From how to use that power to
techniques that will make all females kneel before you.

What
came to mind simultaneously were the suspiciously friendly succubi I
had met previously.

“…Perhaps.”

I
might be able to find a way to save Serif from the hallucinations.