Lord's Summons (4)
Caw caw—
In the darkness, the cry of a crow echoed, and Cervantes opened the window to welcome the bird he had sent.
"It's here."
"Finally, Lord Astra's reply."
From the side, a squelching figure spoke excitedly.
Gelatinus, Cervantes's right-hand man who could transform into a translucent slime form.
He was the one who had dealt with all the assassins sent by Earl Oz.
"Shut up and get back to your work."
Cervantes commanded coldly.
"Ah, yes..."
The squelching slime began to coalesce into human form.
The transparent gelatinous mass writhed like living clay, slowly shaping into a human silhouette.
Limbs extended, the torso swelled, and the head rounded out—the process was bizarre and repulsive.
"I still think the slime form suits me better, Lord Cervantes."
"Gelatinus, you forgot your eyes."
Cervantes pointed out indifferently.
"Oh, another mistake..."
The spot on Gelatinus's face where eyes should have been was empty.
Soon, transparent liquid swirled in the void, gradually forming two eyeballs as if reversing the melting of an eyeball.
Now in perfect human form, Gelatinus obediently retreated to the torture tools.
Soon, agonized groans emanated from the corner of the basement.
"Aaaagh... Please... I told you everything, why..."
Cervantes ignored the sounds completely as he untied the small note bound to the crow's ankle.
A smile spread across his lips as he unfolded and read it.
Keep Earl Oz alive. New plan utilizing Crimson Gorge.
Cervantes read the note meticulously once more.
As expected of Lord Astra. The Lunaria Emperor will believe everything is proceeding according to his plan. When the Continental Summit convenes, Lord Astra will attend as per the Emperor's will...
A sinister smile crept across his face.
But Earl Oz is already our puppet. What if, right in the middle of the Continental Summit, it's revealed that this was all a Lunaria Empire self-orchestrated farce? If we pin the Crimson Gorge incident on them too... perfect.
"Gelatinus."
"Yes, Lord Cervantes."
Cervantes continued as he burned the note in the wall torch.
"Bring Earl Oz."
Gelatinus dragged Earl Oz from the torture chamber.
When Cervantes woke the unconscious man, Oz stared blankly into space with empty eyes and began muttering upon seeing him.
"Beltria princess... kidnapping... His Majesty the Emperor's orders... Continental Summit..."
His voice was mechanical, like a broken music box repeating the same melody.
"Kidnap the princess... Continental Summit opens... new captain... Astra... confirm..."
Oz's pupils rolled aimlessly, unfocused.
Drool trickled from his mouth, but he didn't even think to wipe it.
"I told you everything... everything... princess kidnapping... His Majesty the Emperor... Continental Summit..."
Suddenly, his body convulsed, and he began to whimper.
"Kill me... please kill me... or let me live... no, kill me..."
He repeated the same words endlessly, like someone whose mind had completely shattered, unaware of what he was saying.
"Princess... kidnapping... Continental Summit... kill me... let me live... princess... kidnapping..."
"Hm, he's completely broken."
"Yes, Lord Cervantes. His mental fortitude was weaker than expected. He didn't last even a day."
"No choice then. Gelatinus."
"Yes!"
"Devour him."
At those words, Gelatinus's mouth tore open unnaturally.
His jaw unhinged like a snake's, mouth expanding to cover half his face.
"Heh heh... new prey, thank you."
Transparent mucus began flowing into Oz's mouth.
But Oz felt no pain, continuing to mutter even as his mouth gaped.
"Pri...ncess... kid...nap... Conti...nental... Sum...mit... kill... me... plea...se... let... me... live..."
Even as the mucus filled his throat, he didn't stop. His words grew slurred and indistinct, but his lips kept trying to form the same phrases.
"Pri...ncess... kid...nap..."
Finally, with all the mucus inside, his voice ceased.
Gulp—glug glug—
A grotesque sound came from inside Earl Oz's body.
Crack—drip drip—
His body shuddered in spasms as bones rearranged.
Limbs bent unnaturally, his back arched like a bow and straightened repeatedly.
Click—clack—
The sounds of joints dislocating and realigning echoed in the basement.
Then all movement stopped.
"Did it work?"
"Heh heh heh..."
Earl Oz—no, Gelatinus now possessing Oz's body—let out a eerie laugh.
"It'll take a bit more time for perfect digestion... but soon."
Oz's pupils momentarily turned transparent before returning to normal.
Gelatinus was adapting to the body.
"His bones and flesh have become my nutrients. Heh heh... a delicious meal."
Cervantes commanded coldly.
"Enough. Return to the Lunaria Empire now. Fulfill your mission as Earl Oz."
"Understood, Lord Cervantes."
Gelatinus, in Earl Oz's form, bowed his head.
The motion was perfectly Oz's, but nothing remained inside.
* * *
A week had passed since I sent the note to Cervantes.
Of course, I hadn't wasted that time idly waiting for his reply.
Lilia was gradually interfering with the black magic power, and it had been ample time for my own growth.
I sat cross-legged in my room, circulating black magic.
Beside me was Ascaros in his black skeletal form.
Shoooo—
Black smoke-like black magic rose around my body.
It writhed as if alive, forming various shapes in the air.
"This is..."
Ascaros's voice trembled.
A sharp spear sliced the air, a barrier enveloped a sphere, shadow arrows spun like dancers. Dark chains snaked like serpents, black flames swirled.
Everything from the second grimoire manifested simultaneously.
Dozens of black magics orbited me in perfect harmony, without clashing.
"Master, believe it or not... you've mastered every spell in the second grimoire. You could walk around calling yourself a black mage now, and no one would object."
Genuine awe colored Ascaros's voice.
I slowly opened my eyes at his words.
Swoosh—
The darkness filling the room surged back into my body like a massive wave.
Black mists spiraled into my skin, scattered mana fragments converged and settled within me.
"Then the third stage?"
"From the third onward... talent alone isn't enough. You must confront your own origin, which is the realm of enlightenment, not mere practice."
I closed my eyes again, trying to delve deeper.
But it was like hitting an invisible wall—I couldn't advance further. Something deep inside blocked me.
"As expected, no good."
"Master, no need for disappointment. Mastering the second grimoire this quickly is already absurd. Even talented black mages take at least thirty years..."
Red light flickered in Ascaros's skeletal eye sockets.
"You did it in a mere week. A pace like this... I've never seen in my living days."
A week...
To be precise, it wasn't just a week.
I'd laid the foundations bit by bit whenever I had time.
But true focused training was only this past week, so Ascaros wasn't wrong.
Of course, mastering the entire second grimoire isn't because I'm a genius...
◈ Base Stats
◈ Mana Quality Increase
◈ Mana Circulation Speed: +500%
◈ Mana Purity: +300%
◈ Mana Recovery Speed: +200%
◈ Special Abilities
◈ Nine-Tailed Fox's Blessing: Absolute defense against illusions and mental magic
◈ Mana Compression: More precise and complex spells with same mana
◈ Mana Resonance: Intuitive detection of surrounding mana flows
The Frost Flower Gloves are just broken.
Mana quality increase. That's overwhelmingly powerful on its own.
When a normal mage expends 1 mana for 1 power, I get five times the destruction with the same.
Add 500% circulation speed and 300% purity?
My black magic circulates five times faster than normal, three times purer. Like muddy water turning crystal clear, my black magic flows in extreme refinement.
But the real terror is the special abilities.
No matter how strong, a broken mind ends it.
But the Nine-Tailed Fox's Blessing frees me completely from that worry.
Mana Compression and Mana Resonance are equally cheat-level abilities.
At this point, raw destructive power should rival a knight of Haven, even if captains are still out.
Body's still weak, of course, but output-wise, Haven knight level?
Plus, with False Name Imprint, I look even stronger to others, so visible intimidation might exceed a captain's.
As I pondered, a knock came from the door.
Knock knock.
"Astra, may I come in?"
It was Baekseol.
I quickly sent Ascaros back into the shadows and opened the door.
Baekseol's expression was unusually grave.
"What is it?"
"Balderic has commanded all captains. In two days, come to her castle for the Tian Yi Hui."
Balderic's 'command'.
Hearing that word explained Baekseol's serious face.
Balderic never commands her captains.
She always conveys opinions as 'requests' or 'favors'.
That was her respect for Haven's captains.
But this time was different.
Using 'command' meant mandatory attendance, no exceptions.
Cervantes, you succeeded.
A smile spread across my lips.
The Lunaria Empire was moving exactly as I'd predicted.