Translator: Wan ED/PR: Fan
[A walk…?]
Russell swept a hand over his face right away.
[Did you forget that you vomited blood a moment ago?]
Russell’s voice became a bit sharper.
“What should I do sitting here? I feel nauseous even now.”
[You can return to the villa.]
“And when will I be able to come back here?”
[Is there any reason why you wouldn’t be able to come back?]
“Will Father allow me to come here again after he hears about what happened today?”
Russell couldn’t reply to Lucion’s following words.
It was possible this time because a deal was made between Lucion and Novio, and the two’s goal of having to put rumors to sleep aligned.
‘And it’s not like this will be solved with just finding the bombs.’
Lucion knew who was holding the bomb switch.
But why was the bomb switch with the priest?
Lucion found this too strange.
***
— Latta feels very good right now!
Lucion heard Latta’s mumbling from his shadow.
It seemed she was energized after eating meat.
Lucion slowly walked, following the red thread connecting to the priest with the bomb switch.
Perhaps because he was walking at the outskirts, he didn’t see any people as he followed the thread.
Lucion moved his eyes around and then called Hyum.
“Hyum.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Are you good at stealing perhaps?”
“… By stealing do You mean the action of taking the possessions of others?”
“Yeah. Quickly, without being noticed.”
[Lucion…?]
Russell reflexively called Lucion.
Wasn’t his conversation with Hyum too strange?
“I’m just saying, don’t worry about it.”
Lucion said with an ‘it’s nothing’ expression.
But unlike his words a moment ago, Lucion urged Hyum.
“So, the answer?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never done it before. If You teach me, I’ll try to do it right away. Steal anything.”
Hyum clenched his fists, highly motivated.
“No. That would be too careless. Then what about sniffing things out?”
“I’m not sure. I was always locked up in a small room, and when I got out, I lost control of my body.”
Though it was quite a heavy story, Hyum brought it up calmly.
Hyum thought for a moment, then said with an expression full of enthusiasm.
“Butler Anthony-nim said that I’m clever. Then wouldn’t I be good at stealing and sniffing things out? I’ll give it a try.”
“No. Those two things are different from using your head. They’re techniques.”
Lucion shook his head.
He thought that as Hyum was a monster, his physical abilities would be better developed than a human.
It could be true, but because there were unstable factors, they weren’t good in the current situation.
‘If we fail, half of the Grand Temple will come flying.’
— Latta can do it. Latta has a good nose.
“I wonder if it isn’t limited to food.”
The corners of Lucion’s mouth rose.
— No. Latta can really differentiate things.
[Lucion.]
At Russell’s call, Lucion stole a glance at his eyes.
[Are you trying to find a bomb?]
“Well, it’s similar.”
[What are you trying to do?]
“I want to find a bomb switch.”
He couldn’t deceive Russell’s eyes, so Lucion brought it up honestly.
Lucion already knew who the culprit was.
But he couldn’t find a proper way to naturally approach him and snatch the switch.
“Is there a way perhaps?”
[There is.]
Russell replied as if gritting his teeth.
“There really is?”
At the unexpected answer, Lucion looked at Russell with surprised eyes.
[You’re a warlock.]
“But this place is…”
[And I’m an ill-fated genius warlock.]
Russell pointed at himself, and the corners of his mouth rose.
[I know the place is not good.]
Russell tapped the ground with his foot.
This was the Grand Temple, which could be said to be a representative of all temples across the Tesealla Empire.
[But if there really is a bomb as you have said, and if we don’t stop it, even though it could be stopped.]
“I hate it.”
Lucion firmly replied.
It wasn’t some absurd sense of justice.
He just didn’t want to betray his conscience, and decided that he would cut off this damn fate.
[Okay. I know that my disciple would be like this, so how can I, his master, stay quiet?]
Russell smiled at Lucion’s endlessly serious gaze.
A master was someone who pushed the disciple’s back.
The disciple said he wants to run, so shouldn’t he push him forward?
[There is a magic that you can’t currently use. And it’s somehow dangerous. So I’ll help you just this time.]
Lucion understood what Russell meant.
He meant that he will use his Darkness.
It was the Grand Temple, so talking about using black magic was crazy nonsense.
But what does it matter?
Lucion spoke up without hesitation.
“I permit it.”
The moment he gave permission, Lucion felt his Darkness move.
The Darkness, that was so truly thin that he wouldn’t be able to notice it if not for his body, penetrated the ground in the blink of an eye.
Lucion examined his surroundings, startled.
But he couldn’t see priests flocking over, like Heint said.
“How could it be?”
Lucion lowered his voice and urgently asked.
[That’s not surprising. Among the powers possessed by humans, Darkness is the quietest one.]
Lucion’s eyes grew wide.
Russell right now showed him that the power held by Darkness was much greater than he expected.
[Didn’t I say it clearly before? That the life of a warlock is speed?]
Something was happening under his feet.
But the surroundings were as tranquil as before.
[If the Darkness moves at this speed, even some decent bastards wouldn’t be able to notice. But in exchange, you have to hold onto the Darkness’ shape, like now.]
Rumble!
Lucion felt a chill rising from his feet.
— Heup!
Then Latta in Lucion’s shadow trembled.
[Hold your breath.]
Following Russell’s instruction, Lucion held his breath.
In a second, black water appeared from somewhere and swept over him.
His body didn’t sway because of the force of water, but he felt a surge of chilliness.
His body automatically tensed.
[It’s not real water, so don’t struggle and slowly take a breath.]
Lucion breathed in and opened his closed eyes.
Bubble, bubble.
Bubbles come out of Lucion’s mouth as if he really was in water.
‘This….’
Round beings were floating aimlessly in the black water, emitting fluorescent light.
[Everything disappears into the ground when they die.]
Russell pointed at the ground.
[So the ground is a bridge connecting to all deaths.]
— Latta knows this place. This is the place Latta was before!
Latta shouted, hurriedly climbing Lucion’s shoulder.
[This is the border of life and death. It isn’t a place where the living can come.]
‘This is… the border of life and death?’
No voice came out.
Instead, the thoughts in his head rang out like a real voice.
[It’s a place that only a warlock, who can communicate with death, can be invited in. But as it’s not a place to stay for long, we should hurry.]
Russell pointed at the round beings around.
— Darkness-ah, hi. Latta is also Darkness.
Latta waved her front paws, as if saying ‘it’s a pleasure’.
‘That is the… Darkness, You say? How can it glow?’
[It’s not light. Originally, you wouldn’t be able to see Darkness, which is darker than death, but you’re a warlock. Did you forget that you received the blessing of Darkness?]
Russell picked up the round things and handed them to Lucion.
[Darkness exists everywhere, it sees everything. Grab it. Darkness will do you, a warlock, a favor.]
Lucion momentarily hesitated.
But he seemed to hear a muttering voice, saying it was okay.
Lucion caught his breath and grabbed the Darkness.
In an instant, the locations of the bombs installed in the Grand Temple and the location of the bomb switch flashed into his head like pictures.
‘No way…’
[It’s done now.]
With Russell’s words, announcing that it was the end, he felt his Darkness being cut off from this place.
Bubble, bubble.
Following the last sound of the bubbles coming out, Lucion returned to reality.
Suddenly, his legs gave out and he sank to the ground.
“Young Master?”
Hyum hurriedly grabbed Lucion and asked, flustered.
“Do You feel okay? Are you… dizzy?”
“… How long has passed?”
“Yes?”
“How long was I standing here?”
“Five seconds? Eight seconds? I don’t know for certain. You suddenly stood as if Your soul had left your body, and then collapsed like this right now.”
At Hyum’s answer, Lucion looked at Russell.
[Right. It took you this long to go and come back.]
‘Only that long has passed?’
It actually felt like a few minutes.
[Anyway, this is one of the magics I created, named the ‘Sea of Death’.]
Russell smiled proudly.
“… Were You really a genius?”
Lucion didn’t even laugh.
Everything he saw was real.
He really went and came back from the border of life and death.
[Then did you think I was lying?]
Russell stretched out his hand towards Lucion.
[That’s a story for later. Don’t we have things we should do now? What are you going to do? Aren’t you going to move?]
At those words, Lucion recalled the number of bombs he saw.
132.
He didn’t know their power, but it seemed like they really could split the Grand Temple in half.
Lucion walked fast, following the red thread.
Through the Darkness at the border of life and death, he saw where the bomb switch was on the priest.
It was a decoration-like pendant hanging from his belt.
It was the bomb switch.
“Hyum.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Can you steal the decoration hanging from his belt without the other noticing?”
“I wasn’t able to try it before.”
“Then try right now.”
Lucion pointed at the belt decoration hanging on his belt.
“Where is the decoration?”
Hyum tilted his head and asked.
“Here…”
Lucion looked around for the whereabouts of the decoration that suddenly disappeared.
Latta wagged her tail and held the decoration in her teeth.
— Tada! Latta did it!
[Latta is a perfect option.]
Russell stroked Latta and said.
“… That’s right.”
Lucion looked at Latta with a faint smile.
***
“Priest-nim.”
Lucion called out to the priest wearing gray robes, and approached.
Looking at the red thread tying all the people he passed, Lucion clicked his tongue.
‘He is involving everyone indiscriminately.’
The priest flinched at Lucion’s call and dropped something.
‘A piece of paper?’
Lucion didn’t miss that moment.
The priest urgently picked up the piece of paper and looked at Lucion.
He looked at him with a face full of confusion.
“So-son of Light. Do You have something to say to me?”
‘…uh?’
Lucion noticed something strange.
That so-called priest made him much less uncomfortable.
It was almost like he didn’t have any power of Light.
But Lucion concentrated on the matter in front of him first.
‘What I have to do is simple.’
Lucion stopped five or six steps away from the priest.
“I truly apologize for disturbing You when You’re busy.”
Before stating his business, Lucion first slightly bowed his head towards the priest.
It was a natural action to buy time.
“No. Whatever it is You have to speak with me about…”
The priest stopped talking for a moment.
He thought he saw him somewhere numerous times, but wasn’t it Lucion?
The priest suddenly took a step back.
As if he hated to have something discovered.
“What’s the matter?”
Lucion asked with a dubious face.
As he thought that, he glimpsed a black tail at that moment it disappeared.
But Lucion’s expression was undisturbed.
“No. Th-that, I’m just busy.”
The priest suddenly hurriedly shuffled away.
Lucion, who watched his back, raised the corners of his mouth.
Ting!
The red thread connected to the priest became taut.
— Latta got it!
Lucion pretended that he was picking something up for a moment, and received the decoration from Latta.
“Well done.”
— Hihihi. Latta is praiseworthy!
The disguised as a decoration bomb switch was two fingers long and had a mana stone embedded in it for conductivity.
For safety, he took out the mana stone right away and handed it to Hyum.
“Crush it to pieces.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure to break it.”
Hyum grasped the mana stone in his hand and then unfolded it.
Even though it was as strong as steel, it turned into powder.
Hyum moved from the place he was tightly holding it in his fist and sprinkled the powder.
Snap.
Hearing the pleasant sound of the red thread being cut, Lucion took a deep breath.
The bombing was stopped.
The flow of the story had changed.
No matter where this event would lead to, Lucion had no regrets about preventing the bombing.
Lucion looked at the Grand Temple.
And he smiled.
“Thank You, Master-nim.”
[It was your doing, Lucion. But of course, I helped a little.]
Russell shrugged.
[But have you felt it?]
“You mean the priest?”
[Yeah. That priest.]
Russell’s eyes turned slightly fierce.
“On the note that the priest dropped was the word ‘Darkness’.”
Hyum spoke up.
*~*~*
Translator’s note: Latta learned to do crimes. *sniff sniff* So proud of her.
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