Chapter 418: Witch of the Curse
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 418: Witch of the Curse
“Bireciel's essence was originally meant to be absorbed by a candidate for one of Malefis's executive positions. I infiltrated Viscount Hessler's family and manipulated Prince Henriot for the sole purpose of finding it.”
“And I just happened to snatch it and run off with it?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps because she learned that I had absorbed Bireciel's essence, Melissa became strangely cooperative.
It was convenient that she answered every question I asked, but at the same time, I felt a sense of unease from the madness flickering behind her eyes.
“But doesn’t that mean I interfered with Malefis’s plan?”
“It's alright. Everything was for the sake of finding Bireciel's vessel, so Lord Malefis will surely forgive you graciously.”
Whether she truly believed it was alright or not, Melissa showed no intention of leaving my side.
“By the way, I don’t know much about this, but the name of your organization refers to the god who fought a war with Lumiel, right?”
“Yes. Although he was caught in the evil god Lumiel's scheme and lost the war, he is the true master of this world who will one day descend again to save humanity.”
“...?”
Melissa’s words left my mind blank for a moment.
Lumiel is the evil god, and Malefis is the savior of this world?
It was the complete opposite of what I knew.
But the moment my eyes met Melissa’s, my desire to point out her mistake vanished.
A blind faith that seemed possessed by madness. She genuinely believed it.
As if she'd been brainwashed.
Of course, it wasn't that surprising. Even on Earth, mages who hypnotized their followers to extort research funds would occasionally get caught by the Hunter Association and end up on the news.
'This doesn't seem like simple brainwashing through black magic...'
I didn't know the details of mental-type magic, but I knew that such spells could be offset by a cleric's blessing or stronger magic.
However, Melissa's brainwashing didn't seem to be of that kind.
It was as solid as a stone building constructed with great care over a long time. Forcibly injecting magic into her wouldn't break the brainwashing; it would only damage her magic circuits.
And trying to heal it with a cleric's blessing would be just as bad. Melissa's dark magic would repel the divine power, causing even greater internal injuries.
I pondered for a while, but it seemed there was no viable solution for now.
“Melissa.”
“Yes, Master.”
“If I were to become an enemy of Malefis, what would you do—”
Vwooom!
Before I could finish, Melissa flared her dark magic, her killing intent surging.
“Even if you are my master, that is the one thing I cannot forgive.”
Her voice was utterly cold.
Her calm, suppressed killing intent was strangely chilling. I didn't know who had brainwashed her, but her loyalty to Malefis bordered on insanity.
“Wait, calm down. I’m not trying to betray Lord Malefis.”
“...What do you mean?”
“The ones I oppose are merely the executives of the organization you belong to. I still revere and follow Lord Malefis. Otherwise, why would a mage like me absorb the power of a great demon?”
“That’s...”
Brainwashing isn't foolproof.
When confronted with a logical contradiction, the brainwashing is forced to create another contradiction to protect itself.
The highest priority of the brainwashing placed on Melissa was likely absolute faith in the god Malefis.
“The current Malefis organization isn't truly working for his resurrection. Some of the executives, in particular, are nothing but heretics pretending to be followers to satisfy their own selfish desires.”
“Heretics...”
“Melissa.”
I took her hand and released my pheromones.
Since I was barely sweating, the effect would be minimal, but it should still be quite effective against Melissa, who had been exposed to them before.
“Won’t you help me bring about his true resurrection? Stagnant water is bound to rot. The current organization has abandoned its noble ideals.”
It felt a bit strange to describe a group of black mages trying to resurrect an evil god as having 'rotted,' but I decided to let it slide.
It wasn't that important.
“Lavinia, in particular, has done things that even the merciful Lord Malefis could not forgive.”
“D-Don't tell me... are you saying Lady Lavinia is a heretic...?”
“Yes. It's unfortunate, but that's what my investigation revealed.”
Of course, it was a lie.
“L-Lady Lavinia can’t be a heretic...!”
Melissa shook her head violently, a look of confusion on her face.
Seeing her act like a child throwing a tantrum, I began to suspect that Lavinia might be the one who brainwashed her.
“I understand. It must be hard to believe, given how close you two were.”
In truth, I had no idea. I was just making a vague guess based on her reaction.
“M-Master... Lady Lavinia isn't a heretic...”
Melissa’s eyes, pleading and tearful, trembled violently. It was a sign she was wavering.
But this was a moment where I needed to be forceful.
“I know how you feel, but this is not for you to judge.”
I spoke firmly, revealing my demonic energy.
Rumble—
The demonic energy that had been coiled in my core for days began to swell joyfully, spreading out in all directions.
“Melissa. Where is Lavinia right now?”
“I-I don’t—”
“Tell me.”
Kiiing—
At that moment, as if reacting to the demonic energy, my demonic eye emitted a gloomy light. Melissa trembled like a hiker who had run into a tiger in the middle of the night.
Her face turned pale, and cold sweat poured down like rain.
“Sh-She's in a cave in the forest to the northwest...”
“Good girl.”
Thud.
The moment I withdrew my aura, Melissa collapsed into my arms.
Her face and hair were soaked with sweat, but I paid it no mind and stroked her head gently. At the same time, I turned my head in the direction she had indicated.
'I never thought I'd end up impersonating a heretic inquisitor.'
I silently prayed to the World Tree.
Please, allow me to become a heretic inquisitor... and commit another righteous murder today.
*
Lavinia Malefis.
One of the executives who sat on the Fourth Throne of Malefis, she was a wanted fugitive designated as a 'Special Grade Dangerous Person' by most nations and religions.
Across the entire continent, criminals classified as 'Special Grade' were rare enough to be counted on one hand.
Lavinia had risen to that rank not simply because of her personal power, but because she had a history of destroying five nations and sacrificing tens of thousands of lives.
Though not the strongest, she was more than deserving of the title 'the worst black mage,' and people called her the 'Witch of the Curse'.
And right now, that very Lavinia was in a rare good mood.
“Hehe, it’s almost time.”
A full twenty years.
She had installed large-scale magic circles throughout the duchy, struck down the Orsia Grand Duke with a curse, and seized control of the noble faction's leadership to incite a rebellion.
And finally, she had even drawn in the Eustaff Empire.
All preparations were complete.
All that remained was one final step.
To conquer the capital, cast a large-scale mind control spell on the army, and slaughter the people of the entire duchy, offering their blood, flesh, and souls as a sacrifice to summon a great demon.
Once that happened, it wouldn't matter if those detestable clerics intervened.
No matter how much the insignificant mortals struggled, they would be unable to stop the great demon.
And the descended great demon would stain the southern continent with blood.
A great massacre that no one could stop would begin.
And so, tens of millions—no, hundreds of millions—of sacrifices would pile up on this land.
“Ah...! If this plan succeeds, Lord Malefis will surely be resurrected...”
Lavinia’s body trembled slightly.
Her eyes, filled with heat, were bewitching, and the breasts she clutched with both hands were more luscious than any fruit.
She was like lust personified.
But the man watching from the side knew. Lavinia's youth was by no means natural.
Generally, mages and knights maintained their youth longer as their realm grew higher.
But black mages were different.
Because they did not raise their realm through normal means, they needed to absorb the life force of others to maintain their youth.
Though she appeared to be a voluptuous beauty in her late twenties, there wasn't a single black mage who didn't know that Lavinia's true form was that of a wrinkled old woman.
Knowing this fact allowed the man to suppress his lust.
But even so, if Lavinia were to use her power in earnest, he would undoubtedly be unable to contain his vile desires.
For all of Malefis's executives had inherited the authority of a great demon, allowing them to wield demonic energy.
While the man kept his head bowed as low as possible to avoid meeting Lavinia's gaze, someone entered the cavern.
“Lady Lavinia, Lady Melissa has returned.”
“Melissa has?”
“Yes. However...”
The subordinate glanced at Lavinia, continuing cautiously.
“She has brought an outsider.”
“...What?”
Lavinia frowned upon hearing the report.
But that was only for a moment. Fearing she might get wrinkles, she quickly smoothed her expression.
“Hmph... So, is it a man?”
“Yes, a handsome one. He appears to be the son of a noble family.”
“Is that so?”
A smile spread across Lavinia's lips.
Normally, she would have punished Melissa for carelessly bringing an outsider, but if it was a handsome man, that was a different story.
“Hehe, how did she know my old toy was broken... How thoughtful of her.”
Seeing Lavinia's lustful expression, the subordinate offered a silent prayer for the nameless man.
Soon, that man would have his life force drained amidst the agony of excruciating pleasure, until he was nothing but a dried-up husk.
A moment later, Melissa entered the cavern with Kang Hyun-woo.
“Lady Lavinia, as you commanded, I have delivered the directive to the eldest son of the Bipolun family.”
“Yes, yes. Well done.”
Paying no mind to Melissa's report, Lavinia stared intently at Kang Hyun-woo.
A rare, genuine blush bloomed on her face.
'His sharp features, the fact that he isn't overly muscular... he's exactly my type. And he looks brimming with vitality, too.'
Lick.
Lavinia licked her lips as she looked at Kang Hyun-woo, gathering her demonic energy. The thought of using her authority to shatter his mind and torment him was already making her excited.
But at that moment.
Fwing!!
“?!!!”
A dagger, flying at an incredible speed, grazed her neck before embedding itself in the wall.
Unable to even deploy a barrier, Lavinia brushed the wound with a trembling hand.
“...”
Red blood came away on her fingertips.
Faced with such an unbelievable sight, Lavinia was at a loss for words.
Kang Hyun-woo looked at her, his killing intent flaring.
“Who does a filthy old hag like you think you're looking at?”