Translator: Wan ED/PR: Fan
[…?]
The ghost blinked with an innocent face, but his body soon started to tremble.
Even though the grabbed-by-the-neck ghost was also a ghost, something was different.
So much so that he forgot the fact that a boy, who couldn’t be approached and lived in great fear, was looking at him.
[Wh-why are You doing this?]
The ghost fumbled with his words, close to tears.
Russell raised his hand to the ghost’s mouth.
At last, the ghost hastily shut his mouth and nodded his head.
[There are two types of ghost domination. One is obedience to the master. The other one could be called ‘proper domination’.]
“The second way seems like it would accumulate negativity.”
[Spot on.]
At Lucion’s words, Russell grinned.
[In black magic, the difference between obedience and domination is whether it’s according to the ghost’s will or not. The negativity is determined by that simple difference.]
The ghost looked between Lucion and Russell with an anxious gaze.
[I think the negativity accumulates according to whether you respect death or not.]
Russell’s gaze turned towards the ghost.
The ghost flinched at that gaze.
[As you know, if a normal warlock attacks a ghost, it falls into the concept of releasing grudges because death is a lower existence of Darkness.]
The ghost was frightened by Russell’s following words.
[I-I still have to stay here! My-my daughter is the owner of this inn. I didn’t support her properly during my lifetime, so I just want to stay at her side to watch her!]
The ghost sobbed.
[Tr-truly! I never harm….]
[Don’t worry, we aren’t butchering you.]
Russell released his hand holding the ghost.
“Then what should I do to make a ghost obedient to me?”
At Lucion’s question, Russell answered as if he was waiting.
[There are two ways. One way is making a deal with a contract. I’ll tell you about the other when we return to the mansion. No matter what, the best way is to learn by practice, right?]
Russell asked the ghost straight away.
[Do you fear a warlock will release your grudges?]
[Co…. Correct.]
[Then make a deal with my disciple. He will block your grudges from being released.]
[Re-re-really?]
The ghost replied as if he couldn’t believe it at all.
[What reason I would have to lie?]
Listening to the two people’s conversation, Lucion asked as if dubious.
“So, the deal is that in exchange for protecting the ghost’s grudges, the ghost will be obedient to me?”
[Right. Anyhow, he isn’t a special ghost, so the only thing he can do is work as an informant. But that’s also pretty good, right?]
Russell grinned.
[Isn’t it not pretty, but amazingly good?]
Lucion opened his eyes wide.
Although a ghost couldn’t touch people, their movement was limited to a certain distance from the center of the place they were rooted at, the pros vastly outweighed the cons.
Information was power.
If he got an informant that couldn’t be found by normal people, wasn’t it a huge gain?
[To prevent other warlocks from releasing a ghost’s grudges, you split your Darkness with the ghost. Your Darkness will repel other warlocks’ Darkness.]
Russell didn’t say anything else, but Lucion noticed straight away why a ghost had to be obedient to him.
It was no different from planting a time bomb in their bodies.
“But can I just split Darkness?”
Lucion looked at Russell as if amazed by this unexpected fact.
[The Light is split between people to raise the efficiency of regeneration, so why would it be impossible with the Darkness? It just stays quiet if there are no orders.]
When Lucion quietly moved his eyes around, Russell corrected him on one fact.
[But don’t get me wrong here. As you know, ghosts are dead. As dead beings, they can store Darkness indefinitely. Besides that, the Darkness will linger only a short while before disappearing into nature.]
“… Ah. Somehow, I thought it was strange. I was thinking, ‘If I can split Darkness without time-limit, wouldn’t I be able to use black magic like a trap?’.”
Lucion stroked Latta while replying.
[Anyhow, as this ghost has agreed, finish it by planting Darkness. Isn’t it simpler than you thought?]
Russell urged him with his hand as if saying to get started right away.
Lucion glanced back at the door and then took out his Darkness.
It seemed that the Darkness, which was moved around for a week, got much faster.
Lucion put a flag on the ghost and told the Darkness to move in that direction.
— Move, quick, quick.
Even Latta’s ears moved around after it.
The instant the Darkness that became like an arm touched the ghost, an uncomfortable coldness surged in him.
It turned into a painful sensation as if the ghost was rejecting him.
[Don’t resist, Lucion.]
But at Russell’s words, Lucion accepted even that feeling.
— Daughter-ah. My pretty daughter-ah. My daughter-ah, who looks so lovely whenever I look, and even lovelier when you smile. How blessed I would be if I could walk arm in arm with you at your prettiest wedding. I’m sorry you have to walk alone.
‘This…’
As the coldness quickly disappeared, the memory that suddenly entered his head instantly stopped.
The ghost also looked at Lucion with surprise.
The Darkness spread to the ghost.
The ghost, whose whole body turned black for a moment, turned semi-transparent as it was originally, and a black star symbol was engraved on the back of his hand.
[See that? That’s the proof that the deal was made.]
Russell pointed at the black star.
[Please give me Your order, Lucion-nim.]
The ghost looked at Lucion with warm eyes.
It seemed that just like Lucion saw part of the ghost’s memories, so did the ghost.
But Lucion wasn’t completely displeased by it.
He naturally gave an order.
“Observe Krone, Shutra, and Hellon. Pay attention to any strange actions or conversations about trying to betray me. Can you do that?”
[I can.]
The ghost nodded and passed through the wall.
“Master-nim.”
Lucion’s heart still trembled because of that feeling a moment ago, that strange feeling.
[It will be strange. And it will feel unfamiliar. But that’s a natural phenomenon. Because you’re a warlock and the ghosts were people before they died.]
“… Yes.”
Lucion quietly calmed down his heart.
But he opened his mouth again because of a question that occurred to him.
“How can I communicate with the dominated ghost?”
Russell’s gaze turned towards Latta.
[There is a way, but according to my observations, I don’t think you will have to use it. Because you have Latta.]
— Oooo.
Latta smiled happily at Lucion and Russell’s attention.
“Really? Can you do it?”
After Lucion asked, Latta thought for a moment then sprung up her tail.
— Testing, one, two. Latta here. If you hear Latta’s words, stretch your hand into this room, please.
The ghost’s hand appeared through the wall.
[… Wow. No way, I said that, but you really can?]
Russell was amazed.
“This is ghost no. 1. Remember that, Latta.”
Lucion gave the ghost a number in order not to confuse them.
— Kay! Latta remembers.
Creak.
At the sound of the door opening, Latta hastily entered Lucion’s shadow.
“My apologies for making You wait this long.”
The expression of Krone, who entered the room, wasn’t that bright.
[He managed to get all of the signatures.]
Russell checked the paper Krone was holding and opened his mouth.
“It’s fine. Honestly speaking, it wasn’t an easy decision, correct?”
Lucion teased him slightly.
Krone handed him the paper first.
“I met all the conditions, so please tell me the next one.”
Lucion smiled at those words.
Krone’s eyes shook slightly at that.
“Don’t try to find out who I am. Any investigation or following traces will be considered a betrayal.”
Lucion certainly hammered it down.
It was a natural condition that had to be included as essential.
So, Krone was put up as a figurehead.
“… Yes. I thought that much.”
Krone nodded his head while replying as if he thought about it.
“Even if You find out by chance who I am, pretend You don’t know.”
Lucion put the contract in his pockets as he spoke.
Then he folded his fingers together again.
[… Wait, Lucion.]
Russell quickly figured out Lucion’s intention.
He should have figured it out from the moment when he said he would try to make an organization without borrowing Novio’s power and his family’s power.
[You have to think about it well. There is no taking it back once you say it.]
Russell nervously licked his lips.
“I know.”
Lucion resolved to it from the moment he met Krone.
Him as a noble, him as a warlock.
Those two things weren’t something that could be given up just because he wanted to give them up, so his only choice was to take them both, even though it was difficult.
Instead, as he couldn’t keep them side by side, it was better for one to hide, avoiding people’s eyes.
He had to hide that he was a warlock.
“I’m a warlock.”
Lucion didn’t hesitate.
At those words, Russell tightly closed his eyes.
Lucion said he would be different, but he didn’t look back just like before.
“…”
Krone stiffened and couldn’t speak a word.
“Inform the two of Your people about this fact. That’s my request.”
Because he felt refreshed after a long time, Lucion’s voice was bright.
“Ah… ah?”
Krone’s head tilted slightly.
Snap.
Lucion watched the cut blue thread.
***
He just wanted to keep staring at his bank account that even after taking out forty thousand Del, he still had three hundred thousand Del left.
‘That’s a noble family’s son’s pocket money?’
If compared to his previous life’s bank account, which had at best ten million won, it was a success.
[What do you mean you took out forty thousand Del but still have three hundred thousand Del more? You aren’t the Border Protector’s son for nothing. It’s the first time my stomach hurts.]
Russell ground his teeth.
Even though he knew that nobles controlled and shook the world’s economy, he couldn’t help but feel angry, confirming this fact in reality.
“It’s at best only pocket money.”
The smugness in Lucion’s voice couldn’t be more infuriating.
[For the first time, I think you’re infuriating.]
“I’m honored.”
Lucion left the bank, while replying in a good mood, and headed to the inn again.
“Here it is.”
Lucion handed a bag filled with money to Krone.
Gulp.
Krone swallowed dry saliva as he opened the bag.
Together with the smell of money, he was greeted by crispy new money.
“… Ha.”
Krone couldn’t stop an automatic sigh.
It was real money.
It was much more money than what they earned by working like dogs for a few years.
“I took out forty thousand Del in case that wasn’t enough, so You can use what remains.”
Even the remaining money would be a few thousand Del. Krone’s voice trembled at those big words.
“What… What should I call You?”
The gaze of Krone, who looked at Lucion, became a bit different.
At Lucion’s remark that he was a warlock, Krone was flustered and looked at Lucion as if he had met an archenemy.
But he couldn’t openly express those emotions.
Because of the contract that became a leash.
Instead of resolving the misunderstanding that Krone had, Lucion brought money straight away.
The effect was extremely good.
‘Money is always good.’
At Krone’s changed attitude, Lucion suppressed the laughter that was about to leak.
“You can call me Hamel.”
The fake name his hyung used in the novel, Hamel.
As he won’t be using it again, he thought of using it instead.
“When it’s only the two of us like right now, don’t forget to add ‘nim’ to my name.”
As the contract was fulfilled, Lucion no longer spoke politely to Krone.
“Yes. I know. I’ll act according to the contract conditions.”
Krone also accepted it obediently.
“You don’t like me, right? To think you got tied with a warlock.”
At Lucion’s words, which hit the nail on the head, Krone flinched.
[Take it easy, Lucion. Look at that guy’s face. He is turning red from all the suppressed anger.]
Russell crossed his arms.
He didn’t know what kind of person would be happy that the person they would have to meet in the future was a warlock.
He thought it was truly Lucion-like, but he couldn’t help but worry.
“But there will come a day when you will be proud of this choice.”
Even though Lucion’s voice was filled with confidence, Krone’s face was stiff like before.
‘You won’t be able to believe it right now.’
Lucion knew how capable Krone was.
Knowing his status as a slave, his opinion of Krone rose even higher.
‘Whatever the process, Krone will lead the organization. I’ll just gain favor while assisting from behind and can borrow the organization’s power only when using black magic.’
Suddenly, Lucion was immediately pleased with putting just one spoon in.
“Then follow me.”
When Lucion headed to the door, Krone asked.
“Can You tell me where we are doing?”
“We have to confirm your abilities, right?”
Although the organization had four members, including him, such an event couldn’t be missed.
Opportunely, there were scapegoats sent out by the Viscount Hellion bastards.
Lucion was extremely excited.
*~*~*
Translator’s note: Huh? I thought that Russell was also from a noble family… I guess not.
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