episode_0035

A street where unpleasant fog billowed.

Grace ran towards me, cutting through the fog at high speed.

Of course, KaiRek was in the middle of it.

But Grace easily passed KaiRek, who had stood in her way.

That was natural.

Because no matter how strong KaiRek was, Grace was superior in speed alone.

She was so fast that my naked eyes naturally couldn’t follow her.

But I could read her movements.

My expanding senses detected Grace’s movements.

[Heavy Blow]

*Thud*!!

A heavy blow landed precisely on the stomach of the charging Grace.

[Heavy Blow], befitting a basic card, had its damage completely abysmal, but.

The fact that it had no warning and manifested quickly made it perfect for catching someone off guard like this.

Moreover, even if Heavy Blow was a weak attack magic, it was enough to break a normal human’s bone.

Unless they were a sturdy explorer like KaiRek, there was no way they wouldn’t take damage from being hit by Heavy Blow.

“Kuhuk…!!”

Grace was slightly pushed back upon being hit by the heavy blow.

Thanks to this, KaiRek caught up to Grace.

KaiRek’s elbow accurately pressed down on Grace’s waist.

*Crash*!

With an attack so powerful it felt like her waist would break, Grace was slammed into the ground.

But even as she fell, Grace threw a dagger at me.

Of course, I wasn’t about to take that submissively.

[This Body Appears.]

A defense golem that popped out of subspace punched the dagger away.

Then, Grace’s body turned into dust and vanished.

My eyes couldn’t see it properly, but I was certain of what she had done.

Because the scattered mana quickly began to gather at the dagger she had thrown.

A short spatial movement, similar to the chains ‘Jay’ used before.

She was probably planning to close the distance like this and defeat me first, but.

“Catch.”

[Confirmed.]

The defense golem, having heard my command, leaped greatly towards the dagger flying in the sky.

At the same time, just as Grace, who had performed a short teleport, was about to throw the dagger at me.

*Smash*!!!

The defense golem’s fist went precisely under Grace’s chin.

Grace’s neck bent back greatly.

It wasn’t over yet.

[Capturing.]

The defense golem continued to punch.

Grace urgently moved her arms to block, but.

No great strength came out from her already broken posture.

Still, every time she attacked, cold air stimulated the golem, but.

The rock mass didn’t freeze at all.

Moreover, since the defense golem could move freely even while floating in the air.

Nothing but a one-sided beating could follow.

[For the sin of vexing the Master. Accept it gladly.]

“…Ugh!!!”

Finally, the defense golem grabbed her head, held onto Grace, and fell straight to the ground.

*Crash*! A strong impact spread outwards.

[Subjugation Complete.]

The defense golem climbed onto Grace’s back, pressing down on her head with its right hand and holding one arm with its left hand.

“Well done.”

[Joy.]

I patted the head of the defense golem, whose eyes had changed to a ^^ shape.

Grace, who was perfectly subjugated.

Even after gaining several cards, she was weak enough to be subdued by a mere defense golem.

So, she’ll have to quietly serve as a guide under me, right?

“Grrrr……”

Grace, moving as if she had lost her reason, like a wild animal.

[Oops!]

Grace’s arm, which had escaped the golem’s restraint.

Just as she was about to swing the dagger at me.

“Here.”

I took out warm meat from the subspace bag and placed it in front of her eyes.

*Gag*!!

Grace, who had stopped attacking, began to gag.

She was so flustered that she even dropped the dagger she was holding.

It works well.

I brought the meat a little closer.

*Twitch*! *Twitch*!!

Grace struggling.

She struggled so strongly that the golem’s body was being lifted.

As if Grace couldn’t even control her own abilities, the surrounding ground began to freeze.

It was truly a dangerous situation, but.

That was now over.

*Thud*!!

KaiRek sat on Grace’s back.

From that impact, Grace moved her arms and legs like a bug stepped on by a foot.

“Ugh…!! Ugh!!!”

Grace, looking like death.

Due to the impact pressing down on her body and the penalty of turning into an elf, she must have been in agony.

Still, I didn’t stop and brought the meat right up to her nose.

“Uuuugh!?!!”

You might think it’s cruel. But this is much better than hitting her to knock her out.

Most importantly, it wouldn’t put a strain on her body.

“Uuugh!!!!!”

Her arms, which had been thrashing wildly.

It didn’t take long for them to stop.

*Squawk*.

Grace unconscious.

It was a satisfying method of subjugation, but KaiRek didn’t like it.

“I think this is too much! Shouldn’t we have just hit her head to knock her out?”

“I don’t have the strength for that. If you hit her, she’ll get a concussion.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

“It’s a thing.”

Grace, who lost consciousness while pouring out tears, snot, and blood.

No matter what, is this a bit too much?

I poured the water from my canteen to clean her up.

Now she looked a bit more like a person.

Even after pouring water on her, she still hadn’t woken up, so I didn’t have to worry about her waking up.

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

I read the structure of the tattoo on her face, the [Brand].

“…Do you think you’ll find out anything?”

“Just a moment.”

I felt the dark mana that I had sensed when fighting Jay.

I had read Grace’s mana many times before. But each time, I felt nothing from the [Brand], so I thought it was just an ordinary tattoo.

Now, however, it was emitting such unpleasant mana.

I continued to read it.

“……”

Strange.

I was able to figure out the structure of the [Brand] magic far too easily.

I shouldn’t be able to read the magic used by black mages so easily.

“KaiRek. Do you happen to know anything about the magic black mages use?”

“Of course I don’t! I only know that they commit all sorts of wicked deeds!”

“Right.”

I hadn’t expected much in the first place, but.

A normal person who didn’t know much about magic would probably think this way.

Just like I did when I faced Jay.

Even then, I thought a black mage had done it because the mana was black.

But it’s strange.

That black mage I met on the 2nd floor, and.

What I saw in the personal request recently.

Black mages’ specialty is dealing with monsters and manipulating labyrinths.

They didn’t have the power to manipulate humans so precisely like this.

Rather, such power is…

“……”

As I completely peeled back the brand, I discovered residual traces embedded deep within.

That mana that the old me would have probably just dismissed as having seen it wrong.

Divine power.

It’s certain. The black mana is divine power that has changed its color.

Is that possible?

I manipulated the scattered black mana.

*Swoosh*.

It moves as I please.

Like the divine power I felt from Ariel.

I reassembled the dismantled magic in reverse.

The brand that reappeared on Grace’s face.

KaiRek, seeing that sight, shouted.

“Did you fail!!”

“…No. I succeeded.”

I quickly released the brand.

The tattoo that was on her face was cleanly washed away.

“You succeeded!!!”

KaiRek, rejoicing, carried Grace on his shoulder.

Now, as originally planned, we would go to a safe place, wait until she woke up, and then.

Either she would forget everything and go back with us, or she would defeat [Mother] and [Father]; she could choose one of the two.

But there’s something I need to know before that.

“…KaiRek.”

“What is it!!”

“There’s somewhere I need to go for a moment.”

The place where Jay and I fought.

I returned to the orphanage.

But now it was no longer an orphanage, but merely the ruins of a burned-down mansion.

I entered through the open gate.

The grass in the garden, unmanaged because no one lived there.

The dried-up fountain.

The ruins of the mansion, where nothing but traces remained after the fire.

“Wait here.”

“Understood!”

After placing KaiRek on the dry fountain, I headed towards the burned mansion.

“……”

The black mana that still lingered thickly.

I raised my right hand and moved the black mana.

The black mana moved as if I were handling divine power.

I tried manipulating it a bit.

I pulled out the color that was infused within it.

The black color of the black mana was pulled out, and it became the clear light of divine power.

I made a wound on my arm and infused divine power into it.

It healed properly.

This confirmed it.

I had naturally thought that a black mage was backing Jay, but.

That wasn’t it.

Black mages have no interest in anything other than labyrinths.

What is involved here now is.

The [Ariel Church].

*

A training ground where blood and screams could be heard.

There, today too, several children were learning how to kill and be killed.

All of them were children brought by [Mother] and [Father].

Today too, [Mother] was whipping the ones she didn’t like.

*Crack*!! *Crack*!!

Ragged clothes were torn, and wounds appeared on the delicate skin underneath.

Bruises formed, and sometimes the rags were dyed red, but.

That wasn’t something Mother cared about.

She was in a good mood today.

Because the ace she cherished had returned.

But before going to sleep, she heard that the children hadn’t earned anything.

Her mood turned bad again.

“This brat! Aren’t you doing it right!?”

*Smack*!!

*Smack*!!!

She vigorously relieved her stress.

This was all killing two birds with one stone.

Relieving her own stress.

And instilling fear in the children.

With this, the children would meet their targets for a while.

Instead, some might die, but she didn’t care about such wretches.

However, this joyful time didn’t last long.

Because Father appeared.

“Mother.”

“Father? What is it?”

“A black mage has arrived.”

“Oh oh. Let’s go quickly!”

Mother casually tossed aside the whip.

“Clean it all up!!”

“…Yes.”

She moved, following Father.

The black mage who was waiting in the corridor.

His back was hunched, and he wore a black robe with a strange staff, so only his white beard was visible.

He was truly the basic image of a black mage seen in all sorts of books.

This was the very person who helped Mother and Father dominate this place.

“You’ve arrived, Elder.”

“Ho ho, it’s been a while.”

“So, what brings you here? We’ve been sending the money regularly. Did J, who was one of our children, do something?”

“Ho ho, it is natural for a young child to make mistakes. He moved just as I desired.”

“Then what is the matter?”

“The [Brand] I created has been undone.”

“Does that make sense?”

“It does make sense. The one who accomplished it is Ivan Arcana. He is also known as the Witch Slayer.”

“Oh no, last time the Elder was considerate enough to let him go without touching him!”

“That is the problem. To come again, not knowing his place.”

“Damn it!”

“Therefore, this time I hope you will use all your strength to eliminate that mage.”

“Of course, we must listen to the Elder’s words! I will relay this to everyone!”

“Ho ho! Then I look forward to good news!!”

The black mage tore open space.

A space stained black.

The black mage entered the torn space, which anyone could see was a black mage’s mode of transportation.

As soon as he disappeared, Mother and Father began to move.

To kill Ivan Arcana, according to his command.

The tattoos on both their necks shone.

The black mage arrived somewhere, having crossed the torn space.

A long staircase with its lights extinguished.

On either side, colossal stone statues displayed their majesty.

*Stomp stomp*.

The black mage slowly climbed the stairs.

He casually discarded the staff he was holding on the floor.

After all, it was just a slightly pretty twig.

When he removed his black hood. His white hair, which was inside, was revealed.

He put the black robe he was wearing into subspace.

He took out a hat from subspace again.

A three-tiered crown woven harmoniously with white and gold.

Wearing it as usual, he continued to climb the stairs.

Moonlight passing through the enormously large stained-glass window on the ceiling illuminated the old man’s figure.

A benevolent face.

Holy attire.

A cross necklace.

Reaching the top of the stairs, a large chair welcomed the old man.

Naturally, he sat in that seat.

“Is it going well?”

The saint, Ariel, who had appeared beside the old man somehow.

“Everything is going according to plan.”

“Ah.”

Ariel put her hands together and offered a prayer to the sky.

Looking at the image of the main deity depicted in the stained-glass window on the ceiling.

“How great our hero will become once he passes this trial…!”

Madness dwelled in Ariel’s eyes.

Not a shred of benevolence remained in the smile on her lips.

And that was also the case for the old man, the Pope.

Expecting the butterfly effect this incident would bring, he smiled for the first time in a very long time.

*

Grace woke up.

“…Huh?”

She, who had hurriedly gotten up, found KaiRek and me and urgently shouted for us to run away.

“…?”

“Haha!! Why would we run away!! From a thief cat who got knocked down by Ivan’s golem!!”

When KaiRek said that with a laugh.

Grace seemed to recall the memories up until now. Her eyes began to spin.

Grace urgently turned her head away.

Judging by her elongated elf ears turning red, she seemed embarrassed.

I took out a canteen from subspace and threw it to her.

“The [Brand] has been removed.”

“…Really?”

Grace looked around at her face reflected in the canteen.

“It’s really gone?”

“Then you thought it was a lie?”

“…Yes. There’s no way it would disappear this easily.”

“So, why didn’t you at least consult me before causing trouble?”

“…Honestly, I don’t know. The day I got the purple card and returned. The thought of needing to get revenge suddenly came into my mind.”

“That’s probably the effect of the [Brand].”

“I think that’s probably it. I was already doing well as an explorer, why would I pursue revenge like a madman?”

Somehow, something had felt strange. As expected, it wasn’t her own will.

*Gurgle*.

A loud sound rumbled from Grace’s stomach.

The sound that rumbled even better because it was night.

Even Grace’s face turned red.

“There’s plenty of grass overflowing here, so hurry up and eat your fill.”

“…Yes.”

Grace seemed like she was trying to save face, but then just dove straight into the overflowing weeds in the garden.

Like that, Grace ate the grass like a cow for about 3 minutes, tearing it off with her mouth full.

She threw the canteen at me.

*Thump*.

I caught it in one go.

“…So what are you going to do now?”

“What do you mean, ‘what am I going to do’?”

“No, I mean, if you want to finish off that Mother and conclude things, you can.”

“It doesn’t really matter. The brand has been erased anyway, so let’s go back.”

“Alright.”

There’s no reason to deliberately quarrel with Mother and Father.

Since Grace is also fine now.

If we just live in the open, they won’t be able to touch us, will they?

We’re not some mediocre explorers, after all.

“Is it all over?! With this, the thief cat recovery is complete!”

“Who’s a thief cat?”

“Then let’s call you the hypnotized cat.”

“Hypnotized?!”

A heartwarming atmosphere felt after a long time.

Grace seems to have become more emotional.

Is it because the brand disappeared?

It would have been nice if it had ended as a happy ending just like this.

But it seemed that wouldn’t be possible.

*Ding*!!

『You have made all organizations in the back alleys your enemies!』

『The battle that will decide your fate begins.』

『Win and move forward!』

『Battle Start. Draw 3 cards.』

『Energy 4/4』

[Water Splash (0)] [Electrocution (2)] [Terrain Manipulation (3)]

*Tap tap tap*.

The 3 cards drawn into my hand.

My sharp-witted party members know what that means.

“Are they enemies?”

“Yeah.”

“Just a moment. I took out all my guide-exclusive cards, so detection isn’t easy, but…”

*Sniff sniff*.

Grace, who sniffed, drew her dagger.

“17 people in the front. 8 people in the rear. I can’t believe we didn’t notice them coming so close.”

“Ha! What do they plan to do with just this many people! I’ll kill them all!”

“It’s not over yet.”

Grace twitched both her ears to listen to the sounds.

“12 on the left… no. It’s increasing! What should we do?”

Grace looking at me.

KaiRek also looks at me.

Seeing that sight, I finally felt like I had recovered Grace.

I wouldn’t let her be taken again. At least not until I drive her away myself.

“What do you mean, ‘what should we do’? Of course, we fight.”

I threw the card.

[Terrain Manipulation]

[Terrain Manipulation], enhanced by [Cat’s Paw].

Thanks to that, much less mana was consumed when lifting the terrain.

To think I drew an utterly broken high-cost power card in the first hand.

Am I lucky?

No.

How much trouble are they planning to cause me tonight to give me such a good hand?

Therefore, I will never let my guard down.

I will use all my strength.

I stretched my hand upwards and lifted the terrain.

What should I create?

Ah, that would be good.

A colossal castle.