The Conductor's Recital (4)
Magi. It was the foundational power that formed the basis of every cultist. Normally it was refined to generate black magic, but among the members of Baob there were those who used it in ways that broke every rule. They fused their own talents with magi to create catastrophes. Performance, song, painting, sculpture—abilities that manifested in only the tiniest fraction of people. The Church called such individuals Katasto. In the ancient tongue, the word meant “disaster.”
The Conductor was the most emblematic Katasto in the original story. The term “disaster” suited him perfectly. He had, after all, produced countless casualties. Anyone who fell into the melody he played could never escape. Their essence would be corrupted by magi and twisted in the same way a person became a chimera.
“Kyaaaaaaaah!”
Corruption belonged to the same category as chimeras. Once the change took hold, there was no reversing it. A shattered bowl could not be mended. Of course, that did not mean there were no methods at all. I possessed Lie, after all. Restoring Anne had proven it was possible.
But “possible” and “practical” were two very different things. The truth was I lacked the resources to save them all.
“I’ll handle every last one.”
Even restoring Anne had consumed nearly sixty percent of my output. For a healthy adult the minimum cost would be at least eighty percent. Save one, and that would be the end of my reserves.
Besides.
I was already in a situation that demanded I conserve every drop. Clearing the Conductor’s stage and rescuing the missing collaborator meant I could not afford further expenditure. Unlike the chimeras last time, these victims were not locked behind bars, making capture nearly impossible.
I had simply chosen the best available option. I could not save everyone. It was a lesson carved into me across three brutal years of survival since my possession. A single life could never weigh less than multiple lies.
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!!”
“!!!Daaashin hake ham wariu seokke shinma!!”
“Uwaaaaaah!!”
So we kept walking. We cut down the banners that had once been pure white priestly robes, now dyed black, and harvested the final breaths of the pitiful lambs who had turned their backs on their god.
“Move the remaining survivors outside. Use Lena to transport them to the hospital immediately.”
Of course death was not the only outcome. Scattered across the blood-soaked floor were those who had not yet changed. The lucky ones who had been outside the melody’s range. Most were unconscious and badly wounded, yet the members continued the rescue work with calm efficiency. Exceptions like these existed.
“The corrupted children do not display violent tendencies. There are only about ten of them, so we will restrain them separately and take them to headquarters. Treatment can proceed slowly.”
“Understood, Master.”
At the very least, I wanted the children to live. When adults abandoned adults the world simply grew cold, but the moment adults abandoned children, the entire world became garbage. It seemed my own world was still closer to winter than to a landfill.
Leaving the dark-red snowfield behind, we crossed the endless corridor.
“Front’s clear.”
The most active participant in the melee had been Irene. The girl swept through the priests rushing from ahead, her flames dancing wildly. She carried out my orders faithfully. Each time she glanced back at me I stroked her head once—a sign that she had done well.
“Front’s cleared.”
“Good work.”
“…You don’t have to pat my head even in the middle of a fight, you know?”
The fox furrowed her brows as if asking what on earth I was doing. Yet despite her prickly tone, the crimson tail behind her swayed gently back and forth. She couldn’t hide it. Irene averted her eyes, then gripped her sword again.
Clang! Crack…! Thud!
The battle continued. Before long we reached the end of the corridor. A single shabby door stood before us.
“Haa… haa… Is it over once we pass this?”
The fox was breathing hard. As I approached the door I shook my head firmly. What happened from this point forward was critical. Any mistake here could endanger not only the cathedral but the entire surrounding city.
That was precisely why I had been conserving my output until now.
“You cannot pass beyond this point lightly.”
I stopped the members from touching the door. What lay ahead was hell itself. The Conductor’s recital was waiting for us—the boss stage from the original work. A space filled with an unrelenting, terrible melody. Entry was nearly impossible without a mental-type passive skill.
I scanned the members standing beside me.
“Hmm.”
Neria, Irene, Lena—every one of them was outstanding, yet none were suited for this stage. Bringing them would only become a liability. There was a real chance they could suddenly turn and attack their own allies.
Nor could I shield them from mental attacks. Using Lie would make it possible, but considering the dangers waiting beyond the door, wasting output on minor matters was a poor choice.
I stroked my chin, deliberately showing a troubled expression. It was for someone to see.
“This is inconvenient.”
There were many people with strong mental fortitude, but few who possessed an innate mental barrier. It was a skill granted from birth.
I clicked my tongue in feigned disappointment and muttered, seemingly to myself.
“It would be nice if there were someone who could enter with me.”
I cast a subtle glance behind us. My gaze met only a wall, as though no one were there at all. I smiled faintly and spoke in a casual tone.
“I need someone with solid combat ability, unshakable resolve, and a mental barrier…”
There was a perfect candidate right here.
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
The single sentence struck its target precisely. A presence that had been hiding in the corner revealed itself, realizing it had been caught. My eyes were drawn to the brilliant platinum hair.
“…You knew.”
Blue eyes blinked slowly. The blunt expression carried its usual doll-like detachment. The dazzling platinum hair declared her identity: Charlotte Little von Staufen, First Princess of the Empire. She was supposed to be at the academy, yet for some reason she had been tailing us since earlier.
I smiled at the girl before me.
“I never expected to meet Your Highness in a place like this.”
“Yes. Nice to see you.”
Charlotte nodded. Her serene gaze showed not the slightest trace of surprise. She greeted me as casually as if we had simply met in the academy corridors. I was the one left slightly off-balance.
“You’re remarkably composed.”
“I was surprised. Quite a lot.”
“Your reaction doesn’t suggest that at all.”
“Doesn’t it…?”
She looked genuinely puzzled and tilted her head. Her fundamentally four-dimensional personality always sent her thoughts leaping in unexpected directions. After a brief pause, Charlotte asked the next question.
“Since when did you know I was behind you?”
“The basement stairs.”
“So you knew from the very beginning.”
“I apologize. The moment I heightened my senses, I ended up detecting even Your Highness nearby.”
“Yes. Regrettable.”
A few light words passed between us. Setting the small talk aside, I returned to my earlier question.
“So, what is your opinion? I would like to hear it.”
Charlotte possessed a mental barrier. From birth she had been protected by the imperial family’s unique blessing. On top of that, her combat ability was first-rate.
Just perfect.
My original plan had been to enter alone, but a companion would lighten the burden. It was probably not a bad proposal for her either. After all, her reason for coming here was the same as mine: investigating the incident and tracking the cultists. Though our motives differed, our goals aligned. This matter would be difficult for her to handle alone. She would need assistance.
A good opportunity.
She was desperate about the matter concerning her sister, the “Rose.” The fact that she was personally running around the scene said everything. I had been thinking it was time to cast some bait; this perfect opening left me genuinely pleased. It seemed I could close the distance between us considerably.
“…Understood. Let’s go together.”
After a moment’s thought, Charlotte nodded. We exchanged a brief handshake. Once the decision was made there was no time to hesitate. The countdown continued even now.
After a minimal equipment check, we placed our hands on the large door covered in ominous patterns. A chill ran through our fingertips.
“Let’s go.”
I opened the door. A vivid red flash swallowed our vision. We stepped across the threshold with steady feet.
Thus we arrived at the boss stage. A bizarre landscape stretched before us.
“This is…?”
A space where dark-red blood surged in waves. An endless vista filled entirely with blood—an immense sea awaited us. The children froze at the overwhelming sight.
Piiii—.
The melody that had been faint until now rang out with painful clarity. It was a dissonance that seemed to rip straight through the ears. Following the source of the noise, we saw a figure standing amid the dark-red mist. It was playing a violin while standing in the middle of the sea of blood.
“……”
It was a familiar face. As expected, she had fallen to the Conductor’s melody; her essence had been corrupted and forgotten. I watched the woman continue her fierce performance and murmured.
“Ms. Medro…”
The church’s chief representative and the person responsible for this Licht branch. At the same time, an ally of Astro. She was the target we had come to rescue. Just as anticipated, the woman had become the Conductor’s puppet, waiting for an audience to arrive at this crimson stage.
Medro’s rolling pupils found us.
“Kyaaaaaaaaah!!!”
The woman screamed at once. I kept my composure and gathered Lie at my fingertips. Charlotte drew her sword as well.
“Shall we begin?”
“Yes.”
It was the opening act of a terrible recital.