episode_0057

[Until the warlock meeting starts: 5 minutes and 22 seconds.]

After escaping from Snowpil Village, I ran to the warlock meeting with all my might, following the information I got from Carl Bent’s memories.

I have about 5 minutes left now. And even if you sprinted at full speed, the distance was still close.

“Wow…hehe…”

Snow piles up to the ankles all year round. And the fatigue after the battle seemed to be weighing down my body, but I ran nonetheless.

When you no longer feel that it is difficult or that it hurts. A cabin on the hillside in the distance came into my field of vision.

A hut whose location was revealed only to warlocks of the priest level or higher. By the time I get there, I catch my breath and stabilize my body.

‘Falsification. The target is Carl Bent.’

[Modification: Denies the world and projects the target’s voice and body onto the body. (However, it can only be used on targets in direct contact, and the modulation is canceled when detected.)]

Pudduk-

“Ah, ah.”

In an instant, my body changed to look exactly like Carl Bent’s, and even the voice coming from behind the mask was the same.

‘The most important thing is dark magic… I guess it’ll be okay.’

You might be able to tell that I am not Karl Bent due to the difference in dark magic, but surprisingly, the dark magic structures of me and Karl Bent were very similar.

That’s why ordinary believers didn’t realize that I wasn’t Karl Bent, and Karl Bent also said something surprising about it during the battle.

It was truly amazing, but thanks to that, I don’t have to think about dark magic.

As I approached the cabin, a warlock approached me.

“…Show me your dark magic.”

“……..”

Without saying a word, I summoned dark magic and created a small blade, and the warlock quietly got out of the way.

As I expected, it appears that I was not discovered to be Carl Bent. Anyway, I followed the path and entered an ordinary cabin.

Fluttering-

“…….!”

As you enter the cabin with the door open, you get a mysterious feeling as if you are passing through a transparent membrane, and the background changes in an instant.

Completely different from what I expected to see inside the small cabin, a dark and huge space with a nightstand and chairs appeared, like a dark wizard meeting place in the basement of the academy.

….Was even the cabin that appeared from the outside a hallucination?

After greeting those who arrived and sat in advance with a brief nod, I sat down in the seat where Carl Bent usually sat.

Since this is information obtained through Carl Bent’s memories, I think there is probably no room to doubt me.

[Immense dark magic is detected! The total amount of dark magic and mastery increases!]

[Until Warlock Coven begins: 0 minutes 17 seconds.]

Fortunately, he rushed over quickly so he didn’t seem to be late for the warlock meeting.

No one came in after me, and there were no seats left on the chairs, so it seemed like I was the last one to come in.

“Then, the warlock gathering begins today. Carmen. This time, let the report start with you.”

“Yes. Regarding the part instructed by the Cardinal…”

From then on, following the old man’s designations, the warlocks began reporting on their respective missions.

However, most of the village raids undertaken by the warlocks seemed to have failed.

The majority of the reasons were simple failure due to the arrogance of the warlocks and the sudden intervention of mercenaries and wizards.

Nothing was known about the attack, but most of them were warlocks who were subdued by those who happened to be in the village.

“….The attack failed due to the wizard’s intervention.”

“…….Okay, so stop.”

Thanks to this, I was able to use Carl Bent’s identity and say that I had failed in my mission without anyone paying attention.

Every time they heard repeated calls of failure, the veins on the old man’s wrinkled forehead were visible, so the warlocks automatically created a solemn atmosphere.

After a moment of quiet silence, the old man sighs and begins to talk again.

“Yeah… that’s how it happened…”

“”……..””

“Then let’s change the plan. All raids on small villages are canceled.”

The old man instead smiled wickedly and pointed at the map behind the chair he was sitting on with a vicious expression. The map depicted the overall clans, fiefdoms, and villages of the northern part of the continent.

“Snow Feel… Winter Village. You don’t need all the other stuff either.”

An old man draws a large

The warlocks could only see madness and remained silent as they seemed to be angry somewhere.

After the old man put an X mark on all the villages. There was only one village left.

“Do you see this town, Carl Bent.”

“Frost… This is Yeongji.”

“Yes… the heart of the North. That’s where the damn thing is, and that’s where the rotten bitch best suited to be a vessel is. Our goal is here from now on.”

The only remaining village was Frost Territory. Located in the center of the north, it is a territory larger than any other town.

And the giant who protects the north. Where the Frost family head and Ariel reside. The old man declares that he will intensively attack the place.

-Is this… possible?

-There is that Frost matriarch…

-Anyway, the Frost Territory is a little…

“Is there anyone who can object?! If you have it, give it a try!!”

“”……..””

Even the warlocks murmured when the old man said that he would attack the territory guarded by the Frost family head, who is rumored to be comparable to the Sword Master, but no one dared resist the anger of the old man, who was full of blood and even larger veins sprouted from his wrinkled forehead. .

“The time of the attack was 5 days later. Bring in all the warlocks under your wing. No matter what happens, the Frost Territory will fall.”

“”Yes, I understand! For the Demon God!””

“After destroying the Frost Territory, they will destroy the Academy!! From there, our cause begins!!”

An old man who goes crazy like a crazy person, and black magicians who follow him and stretch out their arms towards the sky while also shouting the name of the demon god.

As I intuit the disgusting struggle of insects, I feel my entire body being consumed by anger.

‘…okay. Give it a try. ‘I’ll do everything I can to stop it.’

Tiring-

[Dark Magic Proficiency Lv.6 —> Lv.7]

[New skills have been unlocked!]

I forge the sword of rage in their unsuspecting shadows.

***

Two days have passed since I encountered Venice in Snowpil Village. Instead of going to the academy, Ariel stays in her room and doesn’t eat or drink water or make any sound.

Knock knock-

“….Eriel. It’s me, Kale. There’s also Fria next to me. So… can you come out for a moment?”

“………….”

Cale and Fria desperately knocked on the door and tried to talk to Ariel, but Ariel didn’t even respond.

“Anytime is okay… please talk to us.”

“…Yes. We’ll just go.”

“…….”

Cale and Fria, who are on the verge of crying, look at the broken door of their friend’s room for a moment, then leave, wiping their tears with their collars.

Inside Ariel’s room, Ariel lies on the bed and looks at the ceiling with dead eyes that only feel empty.

“……..”

Even after they leave, Ariel doesn’t make any sound or even the slightest movement.

Like a robot whose batteries have run out. Like a broken toy, I could only breathe in and out a little.

“….Miss Ariel.”

The face of Venice that appeared behind the shattered mask is still clear. His face looks somewhat sad and has a lot to say.

A warlock who was always treated with disgust. Venice was one of those warlocks.

Bugs that attack innocent people and eat away at the world. To Ariel, warlocks were those kinds of people.

Even when she saw Venice wearing a warlock’s robe, and even when he left with a single word of apology, Ariel did not believe it.

I firmly believed that if it were Venice, there would be some reason why they would not have talked about using black magic.

“No… no… this is reality…”

“Giggles…Giggles…. This is a really funny sight…!”

After Venice left. A wounded warlock crawls to the side of Ariel, who was slumped in her seat and denying reality.

He giggled for a while and didn’t stop talking even when Cale and Fria fired attack magic at him. He said he was going to die anyway, so he would say what he had to say and leave.

“Do you really think that bastard was there for you, you stupid bitch! It was all a trick!!”

“Ah…ah…”

Even if I cover my ears with both hands to block the screaming voice while dying, I can clearly hear the blessed body that surpasses human limitations.

Venice came to me not by chance, but for a cause. This is to buy Ariel’s complete trust, then catch her off guard and offer her up as a sacrifice for the greater good.

Eventually, the warlock died from Kayle and Fria’s attack magic, but the words he spoke before his death began to wander continuously in Ariel’s head.

At first, Ariel didn’t want to listen or believe it. Venice… is definitely not that kind of person.

However, the day I returned home without even thinking about going to the academy.

When my father heard the news, he became so angry that he broke the table in half, and my mother also got angry and ran out.

My brothers showed an angry look on their faces that they had never shown me before, and poured out all kinds of harsh words and criticisms about Venice.

And all users and their best friends. Even Fria and Kale.

Everyone talks bad about Venice. Ariel’s heart is slowly breaking as she sees and talks about Venice around her.

no.

Venice is not like that.

…Then why did you hide your use of black magic?

There must be a reason. Because Venice is not that kind of person.

…..Then why did you leave me there without saying a word?

Ariel endlessly questions herself, answers, and denies.

However, as such actions were repeated, the only thing that remained was doubt about Venice.

….What if Venice was really targeting me and coming to gain my trust?

What if what the warlock said was true?

He also saved me from the cave where I was dying without giving up hope.

Even when we defeated the warlock together.

On a snowy day, he smiled with joy over just pancakes.

….and the fact that my colorless world left behind the most intense colors.

What if it was all… to completely deceive me?

As soon as I reach that thought, all the times I spent in Venice flash by like a flash of light.

Meaningless, but not bad times. The times that made me realize, little by little, that it was a feeling I had forgotten all my life.

If all of that was an act for the disgusting warlocks’ cause.

“…………”

It was that time. At the moment when the evil seed of suspicion took root, Ariel’s eyes, which had finally begun to shine little by little, lost their vitality again and became even more dull than before.

doubt. All of Venice’s words, actions, expressions, and habits. His hobbies, preferences.

I started to doubt all of that.

Ariel returned to the room. Despite the questions and dissuasion from my parents and friends.

No, I couldn’t hear it. Because I couldn’t recognize that sound and think about it.

A day passed with endless questions and answers. A day passed with my eyes open and swept away by waves of unstoppable thoughts, but I did not feel tired at all.

-….!!

-…to…

There seemed to be a sound coming from outside the room, but Ariel still couldn’t hear it.

Ariel still continues her thoughts. However, what was different from yesterday was that suspicions about Venice’s actions were sprouting and growing.

Thinking of Venice, the place that saved him. I erase that thought again. However, another small incident causes doubts to bloom again.

Two days have passed.

if. What if Venice was really targeting me and approaching me to gain my trust?

Ariel’s eyes were dying. My heart ached more than twice as much.

The pain comes as if an awl is piercing my heart and tearing it apart.

When I think that all the time I spent with Venice was a lie and that it was aimed at me, my head hurts like it’s going to explode.

Grumbling..

Only small tears quietly flowed from the two dead eyes. The pillowcase was already soaked and damp, but I couldn’t even tell.

I believed it the most and wanted to believe it. The reality that the person I was most curious and interested in may have actually betrayed me.

Even though Ariel refuses, she begins to be sucked back into the abyss she barely escaped from. A hand protruding from within binds one’s body and drags it in.

The life of darkness that I was able to escape through Venice is colored by darkness again.

The monster is drawn back into the colorless garden that it barely escaped from. The door to the heart that has barely begun to open piles up, becoming locked so that it can never be opened again.

“…….”

By the time you reach that thought.

Ariel’s eyes were completely dead, and her heart, which had begun to feel warm, turned cold.

Nevertheless, Ariel, unable to give up any hope, endlessly repeats her doubts and answers again today. Endlessly, without stopping, without even realizing that you are dying…