episode_0005

“Uh…?”

In the flash of light bursting from her fingertips, Edith’s thoughts slowed.

Could this be the life flashing before my eyes they only talked about?

-Whoosh

The sphere burst, and her palm burned away.

Even as her palm turned jet black, the pain didn’t bother her.

Because now, that explosion would turn her body to ash.

‘…There were many things I wanted to do.’

I wanted to be happy.

Since my parents passed away, living through countless hardships and pain had made it fade, but.

Still, I wanted to be happy.

Eating meals in a warm home like others.

Having happy considerations about what I wanted to become later.

…Living together with someone I love.

Such an ordinary.

I just wished for an ordinary, yet happy life.

‘Edith, go ahead first. We’ll follow soon.’

As death approached, her parents’ last words came to mind.

They said we must survive together. Yet they left first.

They probably already knew they were going to die.

…Because as soon as I heard those words, a headache swept over me.

Well, now these are all meaningless thoughts.

-Fwaaak!

This life flashing before my eyes is longer than I thought.

While various thoughts kept flashing by, she mulled over the feelings she’d had while here.

Come to think of it, I think I felt happy while I was here.

At first, I just thought I’d been caught by someone utterly suspicious, and all I thought about was escaping this place.

Because I couldn’t even guess what the ‘task I had to do’ was, and I thought it would be something bad.

But Owen never once lied to me.

Plus, seeing that his worrying words and words for my well-being were genuine, my feelings changed.

What on earth did he see in me, meeting me for the first time, to take care of me like this?

I think I kept staying out of curiosity.

…And being with him made me feel at ease.

Gradually, the vitality in her body disappeared, and her vision blurred.

What she saw through it was Owen approaching her with a hurried face.

‘What…is that…?’

It’s different from usual.

From between eyelids that seemed like they would never open, irises emitting a yellow gleam were revealed.

Like a snake’s eyes. Between the vertically split pupils, an ominous energy flowed thickly.

“Malso.”

Owen, who had approached instantly, grabbed my hand and shouted something.

Despite the urgent situation just before death, only Owen’s form was visible.

‘He’s someone who can make a face like that too.’

While a feeling of wonder struck her anew, her eyelids gradually closed.

The vision that held Owen’s face in her two eyes.

-Slurp

Soon flickered out.

*** The condensed mass Edith created was all sucked into a hole that appeared in the air.

The hole, which gaped ravenously, closed only after absorbing all the mana.

-Thump

“…That was close.”

If the sphere had burst completely just now, it was a power that might have made this entire area disappear.

Because I hadn’t imagined mana would be poured in endlessly, such a great catastrophe almost occurred.

-Zap!

“Ugh…!”

With my eyes open, a burning, intense pain swept over me.

It’s natural for there to be recoil after eliminating a condensed mass of that much magical power, but having opened my eyes for the first time in years, the pain was considerably greater than expected.

After observing Edith for a moment, it seems no more problems will occur.

-Swish

Opening my eyes slightly again, I carefully laid the unconscious Edith down on the floor.

Her hand is severely burned, but there seem to be no other issues.

“Whoooooo-“

Only then did a long sigh of relief escape me.

When I noticed that the form of her Circle was different from others’, I should have been careful.

Because it was something that happened due to my carelessness, my expression hardened.

-Hiss -Sigh

Her breathing is stable.

It seems she’s fallen asleep.

For someone learning magic for the first time to draw out that much mana, this is a natural sequence of events, I suppose.

‘First, I need to teach her how to control output.’

If a problem occurs, it is desirable to ensure it is not repeated next time.

The only self-defense technique I can teach here is magic.

To teach swordsmanship, I don’t know anything, and there are no talents here who can teach swords.

The best method would be to receive direct instruction from an excellent knight… but how could such a thing happen?

“Ugh….”

Just then, I heard Edith tossing and turning in her sleep.

Just a moment ago, she was sleeping peacefully.

Just in case, I checked her physical condition, but there were no problems.

In that case, it’s a mental issue.

“It seems you’re having a nightmare.”

Could that be the reason she hasn’t been sleeping?

Considering what she’s been through, it’s impossible that it hasn’t become a trauma.

-Tap

I carefully placed my hand on Edith’s forehead, where she was groaning with a furrowed brow.

Some of the power gained from opening my eyes remains.

This much should be enough.

-Shuuuruuk

As I slowly flowed energy into Edith, her expression gradually began to relax.

Even if it’s manipulated, she should be able to have happy dreams.

Before long, Edith’s expression became gentle.

A small smile was on her lips.

“Haha, hope you have good dreams there-“

-Burst open!

“Owen!!”

Just then, someone burst into the residence.

Turning my head, I saw someone looking at me, catching their breath.

Mirnan, with red hair and wearing a white gown.

Her eyes held confusion.

Does she have some business?

It just so happened that I was about to call Mirnan to treat Edith’s hand.

However-

“You…what have you done…?”

There was fear in Mirnan’s eyes as she looked at me.

Why is she acting like that all of a sudden?

*** Mirnan, heading towards Owen’s residence, muttered obscenities out of frustration.

As if I wasn’t busy enough to die, they say the leaders of the organizations have to hold a meeting.

I had a hunch ever since Owen killed the Wax Doll Collector and one of the Jackal’s organization members.

That Kronak, the leader of the Jackal, would gather the other leaders soon.

“I really hate that bastard.”

He’s a motherfucker who sells off young children.

And how greedy he is.

Mirnan shuddered recalling Kronak’s gaze looking at her with lecherous eyes.

Goosebumps rose on her arms.

“Whooo….”

Although stopping him from selling off the children felt refreshing, the irritation was separate.

Originally, I had absolutely no intention of attending, but since that meeting was happening because of Owen, I couldn’t miss it.

What kind of talks would happen.

What Kronak was trying to scheme.

Because I had to let Owen know.

Just as she was taking steps filled with such irritation-

-Kuuuuu!

Something like a massive power stirring was felt from the direction of Owen’s residence.

“Wha, what?!”

Mirnan, flustered, stopped right there.

Something unusual is happening.

Grains of sand on the ground trembled, and the air settled heavily.

Since it was late, only Mirnan was on the street, and only Mirnan noticed this phenomenon.

-Tap -Tap -Tap

Because the direction where that power was stirring was where Owen’s residence was, Mirnan’s steps became hurried.

No matter how much I say he’s suspicious or like an idiot, it’s not how I truly feel.

I said it because I disliked being misunderstood by speaking strangely, and because I disliked being treated with hostility by others. It was never my intention to speak ill of him.

Because I owed Owen a debt so great it could never be repaid.

‘Please, let nothing have happened…!’

As I was running at full speed like that, the stirring massive energy disappeared.

Like a sudden downpour that pours violently then disappears in an instant.

It vanished abruptly.

However,

“This is demon energy…?”

After the massive energy disappeared, an ominous demon energy began to be felt.

“Crazy.”

There’s a large number of demon worshippers in the back alleys.

Although there are occasional individuals who succeed in contracting with demons, even those are limited to lower demons.

The demon energy they emit.

The unpleasant energy that evokes instinctive fear clearly reveals their origin, regardless of the demon’s rank.

Mirnan’s face, who had faced demon energy in the past, twisted in disgust.

“Damn it…! What is this!!”

Mirnan ran at a faster speed than ever before.

A moment later, she reached the residence where Owen lived with Edith.

“……”

Horrifically strong, terrible demon energy flowed out from between the door crack.

If it’s this strong… it’s definitely not the demon energy of a lower demon.

‘At least a High Archdemon.’

Her instincts screamed not to enter here, but despite that, Mirnan grabbed the doorknob.

-Click

“Owen!!”

Mirnan burst into the residence where Owen was staying.

However, the interior of the room was unexpectedly intact.

What was visible was…

“Haha, hope you have good dreams there.”

Owen uttering meaningful words, and Edith who had collapsed with her hand burned away.

And the thick demon energy filling the room.

Her thoughts reached one conclusion.

Mirnan, trembling, pointed at Owen.

“…You…did you make a contract with a demon?”

Only then did Owen look towards the entrance.

It should have been the same smile as usual.

For some reason, that smile was nothing but terrifying.

-Swish

“You came at just the right time, Mirnan. I was about to call you anyway.”

Owen removed his hand from the forehead of the collapsed Edith and approached Mirnan.

“…O, don’t come!!”

At Mirnan’s scream, Owen stopped for a moment, then-

“Haha.”

He continued speaking with a cheerful smile.

“Shall we try to resolve this misunderstanding through conversation?”

Mirnan, who had come in a hurry out of concern for Owen.

“Get lost!!”

Ran away at full speed.