Bishop Firens

Bishop Firens

I couldn’t help but feel confused by Espin’s words that ‘everything was because of Lumi.’

Although I vaguely knew that the Celestial Order was overly obsessed with Lumi.

I hadn’t known they would focus everything on the Academy just because of one Lumi.

‘No, come to think of it, Lumi is the female protagonist. Maybe it’s natural.’

They wouldn’t have made someone with no influence the protagonist.

There must be an obvious reason, that’s for sure.

Around when I was pressing my head while thinking that I couldn’t understand that reason at all, Espin slowly continued speaking.

“So keep watching Lumi closely. Honestly, I find Lumi herself suspicious… but you don’t seem to think so. For now, I think it’s best to operate under the assumption that Lumi is a victim.”

“I understand.”

“Anyway, I’m going to go interrogate more.”

When I nodded, Espin waved his hand lightly and slipped out of the laboratory.

Lumi, you’re a child who shouldn’t be happy.

I couldn’t help but wake up from sleep the moment I heard in my dream the adoptive parents’ signature words of curse, which I had been able to avoid hearing thanks to Dern until now.

“……”

Despite being a maid in status, because I was still being treated as a guest on the surface.

Despite having an excessively warm bonfire and luxurious bed, and even scented candles for stability.

Carefully getting up from the bed, I thought about how the abuse I had received since childhood was impossible to shake off from my head.

“… Deren.”

On the surface, I kept saying I disliked him, I disliked him.

But it was impossible to hate Deren, the only one in this world who not only reached out to me first but also protected me and allowed me to live this life.

‘Of course, lately it’s been hard to see him getting involved with other women to an excessive degree.’

Thinking about it, I’m also just a stray stone that rolled in, considering he has a fiancée named Sien.

Since I wasn’t originally in this position.

I was aware in my mind that I shouldn’t have any complaints.

‘Nevertheless, the reason I show a disappointed attitude towards Deren is.’

Because my mere existence not only harms Deren but also causes massive damage to those around him.

I don’t want to cause any more harm to Deren, who is my lifesaver, first love, and unrequited love.

I was maintaining this attitude on purpose to leave him.

‘Only then will Deren be disappointed and leave me.’

That’s why I’ve been deliberately showing signs of dislike to make him lose affection for me.

Despite this, Deren showed no intention of letting me go and continued to maintain our current relationship.

‘… No, to be precise, it’s not that Deren won’t let me go, but that I’m not breaking away.’

Thinking about it coldly, it wouldn’t be that difficult to leave Deren’s side.

I could just use my unique magical stealth ability to slip out of the mansion.

‘Then escape to the outskirts and disappear.’

Even for Deren, it would be nearly impossible to find me.

This is what they do despite knowing such methods.

It must be because of the desire to stay by Deren’s side even for a little while.

‘… I’m really stupid. While my mind thinks I should get away, my body keeps trying to go to Deren.’

Sighing at the sense of skepticism about their contradictory self, they soon fell into self-loathing and covered their face with both hands.

‘I don’t know anymore.’

What to do, or if what they’re doing now is right.

While they were restless and conflicted.

Suddenly, the ‘kissing scene between Deren and Senior Sien’ they had seen earlier flashed in their mind.

‘… Deren looked so happy.’

Jealousy and anxiety rush in as it was the first time seeing such a bright smile.

He never smiled like that in front of them.

Yet he was smiling like that to Senior Sien.

Their lips pouted a little out of envy.

But they tried to calm themselves down, shaking their head.

‘I’m someone who has to leave anyway… So let’s not pay too much attention.’

It’s too much to be jealous when they’re already being a nuisance.

While they were slapping their cheeks lightly and blaming themselves, thinking they were too disgusting even in their own eyes.

Suddenly, they noticed a black cat outside the mansion looking at them.

‘It’s too far away to see clearly, but.’

Whether it’s a unique sense of déjà vu or a sense of unfamiliarity.

I could notice it due to a strange sense of incongruity as I looked at the black cat.

I realized it looked exactly like the cat Deren keeps.

‘When did it go all the way over there?’

I had seen it playing in the park, but it was strange since this was the first time I’d seen it escape outside the mansion, so I was staring at it.

Suddenly, the black cat starts moving its mouth, conveying something.

[Deren will die because of you.]

It could likely be a simple misunderstanding, and I might have seen it wrong due to the long distance.

But the unique feeling of disgust and anxiety I felt whenever I encountered the Heaven God Cult makes this feel like the truth.

However, no matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like the cat Deren keeps would suddenly do such a thing, so I shake my head and try to brush it off.

– Kwang!

I couldn’t help but freeze when I saw the cat explode in the distance, its flesh bursting in all directions.

That method was usually the way the Heaven God Cult used to destroy their precious things.

‘……’

The moment I realized that everything I had seen before was just my own delusion, I felt goosebumps all over my body.

…Now I truly realized that the Heaven God Cult was targeting Deren.

So, slowly covering my face, I decided to really prepare to leave now.

* * * * *

I frowned as I saw Luna, who was nestled in my arms, suddenly raise her body and give me a light cat punch.

Wondering why she was doing this late in the evening, I looked down.

Luna speaks to me in an urgent voice.

[A seed of negativity appeared nearby and then disappeared!]

“A seed of negativity?”

[Yeah! Judging by how the energy dispersed all at once, it seems like it burst or was torn apart!]

Since the Seeds of Negation specialize in evasion, it would take a pretty strong magician or knight to burst them.

Such individuals wouldn’t bother coming all the way here to deal with the Seeds of Negation.

As I was feeling something strange and wondering about it, Luna curled up again and spoke to me.

[It’s gone now. Luna wants to sleep.]

I chuckled at the idea of sleeping again after having slept all day.

I nodded, thinking that I don’t mind if Luna becomes quiet.

Luna yawns long and starts to drop her head.

‘Is she already dozing off?’

As I was thinking how amazing she is in many ways and stroking Luna’s back.

Luna, who was dozing off with a happy expression, suddenly woke up and said to me.

[… Master. I can feel an incredibly powerful flow of magic nearby.]

Since I had felt this too, I nodded.

Luna gets up and looks around.

[It seems to be coming from the north direction.]

I nodded at those words and relaxed my shoulders.

I thought they would wait at least a month to attack again, considering the loss of troops from messing with Delia not long ago.

Thinking it’s surprising that they’re already making a move, I slowly left the laboratory.

‘I’m not sure how strong it will be, but it seems to be the most powerful among those we’ve encountered so far.’

If such massive magical energy can be felt even here, it seems the Heaven God Cult has played their strongest card among those they can use.

I thought such a fact was somewhat exciting and raised the corners of my mouth.

*

Let’s go north, to see if there were people who felt the magical energy similar to me.

There were a few people with somewhat drowsy faces.

I pushed past them and moved forward, looking around.

‘It doesn’t seem that unusual, to be honest.’

While I was thinking about why the magical energy was spreading so intensely.

Suddenly, the house in front grotesquely distorted and changed its shape, turning into a somewhat eerie form and standing tall in the middle of the city.

‘I’m not sure how to describe this… but it looks like the house was roughly mixed like clay.’

Just as I was frowning at the sight that shouldn’t exist in reality.

The door of that house suddenly opened and began to spew out what was inside.

– Gulp

Red, bloody chunks of flesh.

Those pieces of flesh fell everywhere, soaking the streets and enveloping the surroundings in red blood.

Then they began to writhe and tremble as if they were alive.

As those around us frowned and dry-heaved at the sight.

Someone slipped out of the grotesque house and greeted us with a rather bright expression.

“Good morning!”

It’s late evening as dawn approaches, so saying good morning feels out of place.

Moreover, the human flesh scattered at his feet amplifies this feeling even more.

The people around us were swallowing hard and taking a step back, feeling terrified.

He glanced at me while looking at them.

Then he smiled brightly, waved his hand, and began to say something.

“Hey, I’ve heard a lot about you. So, you’re Deren Lercier, right? I’m not good with names, you see. Anyway, nice to meet you!”

A cheerful voice that contrasted with the atmosphere.

Hearing such a voice, I also spoke briefly to return the greeting.

“Point explosion.”