Chapter 327
Chapter 327
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 327
Chapter Title: Chapter 8-1. The Nation of Dragonkin, Reillysa.
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There are words that cannot be heard. It didn't matter if elves called them barbaric. But he couldn't understand why a dragon would teach magic to a human like him, and for what reason.
It seemed Serion felt the same way. She frowned and stepped forward.
"Wait, what do you mean? For His Excellency the Dragon to teach magic to a wretch like you... "
Mid-sentence, her gaze flicked toward Judah, and she swallowed the word she had been about to say, continuing in a more neutral tone.
"...a human?"
The black sorcerer burst into laughter. He seemed to have noticed Serion pausing to carefully choose her words. Pushing himself up from the shovel he had been leaning on, he reacted with exaggerated amusement.
"Hahaha, that's right. His Excellency the Dragon taught it to me, a lowly human! Ah, no, not just me—He taught it to all of us. He said He had a great task for us and taught us Himself."
The choice of "us" suggested he was part of a group, not acting alone. That made sense. This wasn't some ordinary kingdom; even weakened, it was the kingdom of dragonkin. But beyond that, the involvement of a dragon already exceeded what an individual could handle.
'If a dragon is intervening and influencing an entire kingdom... it wouldn't be strange at all if it turned into a quest.'
Unfortunately, he had no memory of a quest like that. Unforeseen events were unfolding, but he wasn't disconcerted.
He had unexpectedly met Organ in the labyrinth when it wasn't planned, witnessed Metatron's descent right before his eyes, and even encountered an angel from across two continents in the scorching lands out of nowhere.
Because of that, the twisting of predetermined fate didn't surprise him much anymore. In fact, the one who had warped that fate was none other than Judah himself.
He had killed Cain Sabnak, who was meant to carry the story's main thread. He had snatched the fragments Cain was supposed to collect, saved those who should have died, and killed those who should have lived.
The ripples from those actions had affected individuals on a small scale and entire nations on a large one.
Nothing was strange about it. Rather, he was starting to enjoy these unexpected situations, which left him with a strange feeling.
'I've changed a lot too.'
In the past, he would have feared such changes. While he was lost in those thoughts for a moment, the black sorcerer's words continued.
"How about it? Jealous, aren't you? As a dragonkin, it must stir up envy that His Excellency the Dragon taught magic directly to a human, of all people! Hahaha!"
"Not particularly. But I still can't understand it. Why would His Excellency the Dragon teach magic to someone as unhinged as you?"
At Serion's calm words, the black sorcerer tilted his head and stroked his chin.
"Well... no. It wouldn't be fun if I told you everything, would it? There are things even I don't know, but it's better to leave this as homework."
"Homework."
"Yeah, homework. Seeing dragonkin here, you're probably heading to Reillysa, right?"
He curled his lips into a smirk.
"You'll find out naturally. Probably."
"So you have no intention of telling us?"
"Ah, of course. I can't just give it away for free. But there's room for a deal."
"Such as?"
"I'm not short on money. A woman would suffice. A noble dragonkin like you would be fine, or the one in the back who looks like a priest... Ugh?"
Giggling as he lecherously eyed the women in Judah's group from head to toe, including Serion, he suddenly let out a groan. The corners of his eyes twitched in spasms.
"Drag... on... kin...!"
Forcing a smile, he spoke. Meeting the diamond-shaped pupils in Serion's narrowed golden eyes made his body tremble uncontrollably.
Her piercing gaze felt like it bound him in place. At the same time, sharp claws grew from Serion's hand, and red scales emerged on her skin.
"Oh dear."
Seeing Serion posture to swing her arm, the black sorcerer gave a troubled, wry smile. Mana flowed from his body as a defensive spell activated, but Serion moved far faster.
A brief straight line slashed through the air, and in an instant, the black sorcerer's unprotected neck was severed clean off.
"If you have no intention of telling us, there's no need to keep you alive."
Watching the head fly into the air, Serion said. But something was off. No blood sprayed from the cut. A living body should have blood inside, yet only the cross-section of bone and writhing dark red flesh remained at the stump.
"Kee, hee hee hee!"
The flying head burst into laughter, and the stunned body moved to catch it, stepping back. Serion lunged to finish it off, but a spell manifested in an instant, teleporting it away short-range.
"Whoa! That was close!"
Holding his severed head by the hair in one hand, he wagged his index finger at Serion tauntingly with the other.
"Wha...?"
Arhil stared in shock.
"Ah, you there, priest girl. Why the long face? You're taking this too seriously."
At the black sorcerer's words, the group—except Serion—turned to look. Arhil's face was pale. It had to be. After all they'd been through, she thought little could shock her now. They'd seen necks sliced as routine, bodies split in two, even people devoured by monsters or evil spirits. What more could surprise her?
Yet this sorcerer was alive after having his head cut off. Laughing and moving. The sight was too shocking. The cross-section of his neck writhed with red flesh, and a blue membrane visibly sealed it, blocking blood via magic.
Even angels die if stabbed through the heart or beheaded. But this mad sorcerer lived fine with his head cut off.
*Am I seeing this wrong?* She wanted to say, but the sorcerer suddenly asked if she was okay, swallowing her words.
"......"
"Oh, wow. Looks like the priest girl got quite the shock from my appearance. Hey, young man over there, go comfort her properly."
"Cut it out, will you?"
As Judah summoned Altemia and stepped forward, the black sorcerer shrugged innocently. In the process, the head in his hand swung like a pouch. Noticing Judah's foul mood at the sorcerer's antics, Serion moved immediately. Kicking off the ground, she swung mercilessly at him. As her five claws approached to tear him apart, he thrust out his empty hand, erecting a magical barrier.
It was clear he outclassed Lime: the spell's activation speed and power were different. In less than a second, the barrier's thickness was impressive even at a glance. Yet Serion's claws rent it apart effortlessly.
"Eek!?"
Staring at the torn barrier, the sorcerer yelped and teleported back again. Serion's claws sliced empty air a beat late, and she stood still, her eyes tracking him.
Appearing about 3 meters away, he met her gaze, chained spells to stay out of physical reach, and vanished without a trace. Magic was annoying like that.
"Hah."
Serion's eye twitched as she missed her target, and she looked down at her hand.
'My body's not what it used to be.'
It felt heavy and sluggish. At full power, she could have moved faster, but not up to her memories. Her reactions were slower too. Her mind raced ahead, but her body couldn't keep up. She'd thought so before, but dismissed it since she hadn't been serious then. Now it was certain. She couldn't even catch the sorcerer in front of her.
"He's gone."
Even using Shadow Deployment to check, nothing appeared on . The system couldn't be fooled, so he was definitely not nearby.
"...What was that?"
Arhil finally voiced the question she'd been holding back.
A robe with floral patterns, a uniquely deranged personality, skills superior to Lime's without doubt, a sorcerer who didn't die from decapitation and could still cast spells headless.
"A lich... I think. First time seeing one in person, but that's all I can think of."
Lime replied in a grave tone.
"What about a puppet master?"
The kingdom of alchemy, <Ahman>, was nearby. They had the technology to create artificial humans called homunculi. A high sorcerer could control one as a medium. Puppeteers manipulated marionettes, but those handling multiple constructs were called puppet masters too.
"Hmm."
Lime pondered Judah's suggestion, then shook his head.
"No. Even a homunculus with independent intelligence couldn't move or cast spells decapitated. A wooden puppet or golem might be possible, but..."
They'd clearly seen the neck stump: beyond the sealing membrane, no magical traces. The blood, flesh, and bone looked organic, not mechanical.
"Whether black sorcerer or puppeteer, he's our enemy either way. We can confirm next time we meet. Guessing now changes nothing."
Lime was right.
Judah clicked his tongue. In the end, they'd learned nothing.
'No, not nothing.'
They'd learned a dragon was involved and that a group was targeting the dragonkin kingdom on its orders. It was a step beyond the elves' information.
"......"
Judah fell silent for a moment, then gazed at the distant hilltop. Maybe something was left there. Telling the group to rest, he climbed the hill where the sorcerer had been digging.
'Bingo.'
He found a fairly deep pit, beside it an ominous magic stone emanating a vibe like the elves described, and a pendant. Lifting the pendant, Judah tilted his head.
A round-cut red ruby encircled by silver in a Möbius strip-like design.
It looked familiar. Had he made something like this?
No, it wasn't a creator's memory—it was from direct experience in this world. He recalled where he'd seen such a unique pendant.
'Viscount Jinmu's mansion!'