Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Letter
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“Ugh.”
The dean of Lovern Academy let out a sigh as he looked at the business trip plan lying on his desk.
It was a staggering private excursion proposal from Deus Verdi.
He had agreed to allow quarterly personal trips upon signing the contract, but he never imagined it would be used right away.
“Haa.”
On top of that, it was hard to refuse because of the location listed in Professor Deus’s business trip plan.
Graypond, the capital of the Griffin Kingdom.
A massive nest of Griffin where countless kingdom citizens lived and the royal palace stood where His Majesty resided personally.
The dean wasn’t so foolish as to not understand what that meant.
‘He seems to be planning to resolve the matter of being a necromancer.’
He considered cutting him loose like discarding a sack of dirt even now, but anxiety and lingering doubts kept nagging at him.
His brain felt twisted in knots.
When submitting the business trip plan, Professor Deus had said that evil spirits still lingered in the academy but posed no immediate threat, so there was no need to worry.
He had also given such a firm assurance about returning within this quarter.
“Haa, what a headache.”
Normally, the dean’s feelings toward Deus would have been anything but positive. He had even planned to boot him out as soon as the incident was resolved.
But he had witnessed his competence.
While the dean lay unconscious from the evil spirits’ pranks, he had neatly resolved the entire affair in an freakishly efficient manner.
“There’s no harm to the academy side anyway.”
They had signed the contract, but it hadn’t been reported to the royal family yet, nor had his name been added to the faculty list.
Given the circumstances, such tasks had naturally been postponed.
Even if they later claimed the academy was a victim and cut ties, it wouldn’t be an issue.
“For now, I’ll have to approve it.”
He pulled out his seal and firmly stamped it onto Deus’s business trip plan.
Once stamped, a sense of relief washed over him.
‘Watch what happens to the academy after I’m gone.’
It absolutely wasn’t because of the grave warning Deus had uttered while handing over the business trip plan.
As a dean, he was simply keeping on a necessary asset rationally.
“Ugh.”
As he consoled himself like that, a massive rumble from outside made the dean clutch his face with both hands.
* * *
With every step the golden-armored inquisitors took down the hallway, the nearby evil spirits fled in terror.
Even evil spirits were ultimately former humans.
Before overwhelming intimidation, even the departed had no choice but to bow their heads.
[Hoo.]
Even the black necromancer beside me tensed up, straightening her posture. To a mage, the Magic Inquisitors were no different from natural predators.
“Stick close to me.”
Worried she might fall behind, I cautioned her, and the black necromancer stepped even closer with an incredulous look.
[You’re not scared? See how the space around them shimmers? That’s because they’ve layered protective barriers of mana.]
“……”
[You’d need something like a ballista to even scratch that.]
I didn’t bother replying.
I already knew how strong the Magic Inquisitors were from the game.
There was only one story battle against them, and it was practically designed for you to lose.
The Magic Inquisitors soon reached me. The man at the front asked in a heavy, rigid tone.
“Deus Verdi, younger brother of the Count of Northwedden. Is that correct?”
“Yes, I am Deus Verdi.”
Twitch.
The mechanical inquisitor’s eyebrow twitched slightly. Perhaps not expecting such boldness, he showed a hint of displeasure.
I held out my wrists together.
“Let’s go already.”
“……You are under arrest on suspicion of black magic violations under the Kingdom’s Magic Law.”
The Magic Inquisitor fitted mana cuffs on me with a dazed expression. As the others stepped forward to flank me.
“Deus!”
A woman’s voice, breathless, called from behind.
I glanced back to see Erika Bright standing there, shocked.
Gideon, who had followed her, quickly backed away, signaling he had nothing to do with it, as she began drawing up mana as if ready to save me right then.
“Hmm.”
The inquisitor cuffing me noticed her hostile mana flow and glared in her direction.
A tense standoff.
Just before golden magic manifested from her fingertips, I spoke.
“Erika Bright.”
“……”
“Don’t let emotions sway you. Stay calm and keep your thinking cold.”
Grip.
Erika hesitated at my words, bit her lip hard, and dispersed her mana.
The Magic Inquisitor clicked his tongue and turned away, and I silently followed them in custody.
The Magic Inquisitors took me to the academy garden, the same spot where they had warped in.
They didn’t say a word the whole time, nor did I open my mouth.
“Huh? What’s that?”
As we exited through the first-floor entrance, Pindenai caught my eye, smoking outside while chatting with Aria.
“Professor.”
Aria, already knowing my full plan, simply bowed her head briefly in farewell, but Pindenai was different.
“What’s going on? Master, you getting arrested? Need help?”
The Magic Inquisitors immediately glared at Pindenai for her words. As a former slave even in the Clock Republic, drawing attention wasn’t ideal.
“What’re you staring at, you fucking bastards.”
She hurled curses without hesitation, provoking the Magic Inquisitors.
Still heated from my earlier scolding, she was venting on them.
Pindenai looked ready to toss her cigarette to the ground and snatch the axe leaning against the wall.
“Wait! Just wait! Goodness! That temper of yours!”
Aria frantically held back the desperate Pindenai. I hadn’t expected her to try saving me so emotionally.
Despite Aria’s continued restraint, Pindenai demanded her axe and tried to charge.
Our eyes met, and she slowly lowered her hand as if deflating.
She took a long drag on her cigarette and exhaled smoke.
“Jeez, never know what’s going through your head.”
She didn’t know my plan, but she’d intuited that this was voluntary arrest.
As we moved away from the two, we reached the spot scorched on the ground from the warp.
Thud!
One Magic Inquisitor stomped the ground hard, and with a rumble, the warp began.
“……”
In the blink of an eye, we were in a dark underground prison. I’d heard black mages were summarily executed without trial, but I hadn’t expected to be thrown straight into a cell like this.
Of course, right now, the surging nausea and dizziness from the warp were the bigger issue.
Without the inquisitors holding my sides, I would’ve staggered; I forced myself to feign composure.
“Hmm, tougher than expected.”
“Enduring first warp sickness without even a protective spell.”
The ones who had kept their mouths shut to maintain dignity now spoke casually.
With no outsiders watching, they relaxed quickly.
“Lock him in the cell for now. I’ll report to the Magic Judge.”
The lead inquisitor said that and left, while I was shoved into the cell by their rough hands.
There was only one cell, and no other prisoners.
It seemed like a detention facility used exclusively by the Magic Inquisitors.
It wasn’t properly cleaned, with hardly any sign of human presence. They usually dealt with targets impossible to capture or worthy of summary execution, so the prison saw little use.
[Ugh, so this is what it feels like to be caught in mana.]
Having briefly absorbed the black necromancer into me, she poked her head out and looked around.
[A inquisitors’ prison. Definitely not somewhere you’d want to visit.]
It might’ve felt a bit lonely, but it wasn’t.
As I silently watched the black necromancer cautiously survey the surroundings, a shout of loyalty came from outside, followed by heavy footsteps shaking the entire prison.
Just his presence sent chills prickling across my skin. Even the black necromancer flinched and hid behind me.
The pinnacle among the elite Magic Inquisitors, the man who commanded them all.
The Magic Judge.
Tairn All Bellocus.
Despite being a mage, his physique and presence rivaled a warrior’s, and the space around him rippled and distorted on a whole other level from the other inquisitors.
Even breathing felt difficult amid the ferocious hostility, yet my face maintained the same expression, like finely crafted leatherwork.
“You’re Deus Verdi, huh.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah? Heh, I knew you were bold, but you’re even crazier than I thought.”
Crack!
He grabbed the iron bars like snatching prey, black fissures spiderwebbed up with a crunch, and they shattered into powder.
Violent mana manipulation.
A perfect example of what happened if that hand grabbed a person.
“Do you even know where you are, daring to act rude before me? Kneel and bow your head, you vile black mage reeking of corpse stench.”
His words weren’t advice or a threat—they were compulsion. Anyone else would’ve unconsciously knelt already.
Despite the incantation-like force, I replied expressionlessly.
“Did you get the letter all right.”
“Kneel.”
“Hoo.”
Sighing in exhaustion and frustration, Tairn strode forward and looked down at me.
Locking eyes with his glaring gaze—that could kill me with a single punch—I continued after the sigh.
“I’m not some back-alley punk. Cut the intimidation games.”
“Heh.”
“Are you here to talk or just bark? Make it clear.”
“You’re truly insane.”
Tairn pulled a letter from his breast pocket.
It was the one I’d sent via Iluania, stating I’d turn myself in.
Crunch!
Black fissures erupted, reducing it to ash.
“You piqued my interest, but you crossed the line. By the Magic Judge’s discretion, black mage Deus Verdi will be executed here and now.”
As Tairn reached for me.
Commotion from outside made him scowl fiercely.
“What’s going on!”
He barked at the outer inquisitors. One rushed in frantically, but behind him walked two people even the inquisitors couldn’t block lightly.
“Long time no see, Magic Judge.”
A striking old man with a flowing white beard, gripping a staff like an ancient tree thousands of years old.
The king’s right hand.
Archmage Rocfelican Linus.
“Cleaned up at all? The musty smell and dust are unsightly.”
Ahead of the archmage strode a youthful man in his prime, covering his mouth with his sleeve as he pointed out each flaw.
The man seated on Griffin’s throne.
Master of the kingdom’s vast nest.
A ruler with noble yet hot blood.
The current king, Orpheus Luden Griffin.
“Step aside, Judge.”
He smiled, pointing at me.
“The archmage and I have some questions for him.”
A letter dangled from his hand.