abcnovels
Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Chapter 157: Black Blood Clan (1)
A magical stone emitting dazzling iridescent light.
However, the face of Regens, the leader of the Garam Magic Society watching over it, was darkened with deep concern.
His gaze was like a statue, unmoving and unblinking.
The only movement was his fingers, showing traces of agony.
Amidst this, a member of the society came to report to him.
“President Regens! As you instructed, we have apprehended all the traitors within the society listed on the roster!”
“Did you capture every single one without exception?”
“We are investigating any additional accomplices that may be connected, but at least those listed on the roster were indeed traitors affiliated with the Auram Society. It’s astonishing how everything falls into place like this…”
Whether conscious of Regens’ gaze or not, the society member couldn’t bring themselves to meet his eyes.
“It seems even a mouse hiding in the house can nibble away at the pillar.”
Who would have known that foolish beings, disregarded and ignored, would swell in size over time, seizing control of every nook and cranny of the house?
Regens felt more disappointment than joy.
“They were targeting Luna?”
“Yes. It’s a bit embarrassing to mention, but it has been said that one of the Auram members who was expelled stated something akin to a curse, claiming that we would never fully unleash her abilities and potential anyway.”
Despite feeling disgraced, Regens’ expression remained unchanged.
“…I can’t deny it.”
He knew that the current situation stemmed from his own ignorance and indifference.
Perhaps he would have continued to be unaware if she hadn’t spoken up.
That child had been peering into everything about the society from within the narrow confines of her room for quite some time now.
But even knowing, she hadn’t uttered a word all this time.
Why?
Even if she hadn’t spoken about it, what was the reason for speaking up now?
He knew better than anyone that her talent was exceptional.
So he had provided almost indoctrination-level education to contribute her talent to the society’s development, but she hadn’t even blinked.
Surviving the mana of Karun up to the seventh rank was not enough; she even escaped the ruins using spatial translocation when she had no strength left?
Unless a god helped her, such a miracle was impossible.
Even if it wasn’t a god, it was unbelievable that she could achieve such a feat without any assistance.
Yes.
There must have been someone.
Although Luna explained that she received help from a senior at the academy and the prince of Spania, Set Shaharkan, Regens didn’t believe her words.
She must have been hiding some important secret from him.
He thought that only by unraveling this secret could he finally relieve his current curiosity.
“Summon the society members.”
Three members of the society, who had been summoned immediately, bowed their heads towards him.
Already, upon their return, along with the list given by Luna, they reported everything that had happened in Nodeli.
Nevertheless, they had to report the incident once again in front of the president of the society, whom they would most likely not want to face at the moment.
“You should know why I called you here without me having to explain.”
“Yes. President…”
“Confess everything you saw there truthfully, without omitting any detail.”
The society members took turns reporting everything that happened in Nodeli to Regens.
Since all three of them were not part of the group visiting the ruins, there was no significant difference between what they reported and what Luna had said.
After hearing all the stories, Regens asked with a bold gaze.
“Regarding Luna and Set… Did you not see any academy students other than them?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“Can you swear on the name of the society?”
“Is there something suspicious in our report?”
None of the three society members dared to respond.
“You should think carefully about what is in the best interest of the society.”
Regens issued a warning instead of a response, creating an atmosphere as if giving them one last chance.
“…!”
For a moment, they glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.
Then, one society member, who had been nervously biting their dry lips, finally broke the silence.
“T-There was one more!”
“One more?”
Regens immediately interjected as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Yes! The one we’ve been watching all along…!”
-Zap!
Suddenly, sparks flew from the society member’s body, and with a bang, they collapsed.
“…!”
Everyone present was speechless at the sudden turn of events.
The society member, who had been about to say something, fell unconscious with foam forming at their mouth.
“What… what’s going on…?”
-Identify!
Regens, who had approached without anyone noticing, examined the unconscious society member’s condition.
At the moment when they tried to utter something they had kept inside, mana, concentrated within them, erupted like an explosion.
This wasn’t their own mana but mana injected by someone else, causing the explosion.
Regens’ confident gaze subtly flickered.
“Covenant magic!”
A magic that injects a small amount of mana into the opponent’s body, causing it to explode when they utter a specified taboo.
“When… when did this happen?”
The faces of the remaining society members, bewildered by their sudden shock, turned pale as if drained of color.
From their expressions alone, it was clear that they had never anticipated such a magic being cast on their bodies.
“…..!”
Regens stared at the fallen society member with a calm gaze, neither angry nor surprised.
What could they possibly have done to resort to such an unexpected action?
No, perhaps there was something characteristic of her in her words, but now even that was in doubt.
Furthermore, Regens realized that any further vague suspicion and speculation would be meaningless.
-Humming
As the leader of the society and a 9th-level archmage, Regens’ mana surged, causing a fierce whirlwind to arise around him.
Simultaneously, resonance occurred in the iridescent magical stone at the center of the space, and soon a massive magic circle began to form on the ground.
* * *
It’s not uncommon for the Mist, the continent’s foremost assassination group, to miss their target.
However, it’s not something that happens every day.
Despite missing their mark, the Mist doesn’t abandon their assassination missions.
Therefore, they diligently tracked Boris’s whereabouts every single day in pursuit of him.
They searched through the Empire’s major cities, including the Imperial City, various magic guilds, and even the frontline region of Velias.
Since they couldn’t predict when, where, or with whom Boris might make contact, they devoted several days to intensive surveillance to find his trail.
During this month-long search, they unexpectedly discovered his trace in a rather surprising location.
“In the slums?”
“Yes. We found someone suspected to be Boris in the slums on the outskirts of Axilium, a northern city of the Ushif Empire.”
The furrow between the leader’s brows deepened like a steep valley.
“Axilium? Wasn’t that his old haunt?”
“Yes. It was one of the suspected locations, so we kept a close watch on it. Although we couldn’t confirm if he had been there from the beginning, the operatives who sent the report generally believed it was him.”
Despite hearing the long-awaited news, the leader’s stern expression remained unchanged.
Me too.
“Becoming like a cat staring at a mouse hole…”
When people think of slums, they often envision dilapidated and crime-ridden areas where heinous crimes are rampant.
However, it was different there.
After Emperor Dionne’s ascension, Axilium’s slums were the only remaining impoverished village in the empire, to put it quite drastically.
The residents there were treated worse than slaves; they weren’t even considered human.
Why weren’t they treated as humans?
The reason was simple.
They possessed something widespread among the people of this land—a thing known as the Black Blood.
It was the very same unknown black blood that flowed through the veins of the inhabitants of Axilium’s slums.
It was the kind of unknown black blood that, if you closed your eyes, you couldn’t see anything.
Other than that?
Nothing special.
Having black blood flowing through their bodies didn’t grant them any special powers or abilities; they had the same bodies as us.
But what kind of country was this?
It was a nation that worshipped the God of Light, Lumendel, and fundamentally rejected darkness.
Would such a country view the Black Blood people favorably?
Certainly not.
Their mere existence made them objects of aversion, and the slums were where such people gathered.
And that’s where Boris was hiding.
You could say the cat had finally found its mouse hole.
To be honest, at this point, even I have my doubts.
It’s been a month since the incident in Luwen.
He must have hidden well if he managed to evade capture for an entire month.
It’s not common for the highly skilled members of the Mist to not find a trace for a whole month.
What’s questionable is whether he needed to hide for a whole month in the first place.
Whether he went to the Imperial City with the First Prince or to Velias with Aschel, I bet he was itching to speak out about the successor of the Demonic Sword in this peaceful and boring academy.
But he managed to hold it in.
Well, wherever he appeared, I would have rushed over myself, but…
He wasn’t a hero who had accomplished his grand quest and returned home to his homeland.
Did he really need to hide?
Whatever the reason, now that his location has been identified, I have only one thing to do.
“I will go.”
The leader didn’t even acknowledge me with a glance, let alone pretending to listen.
“I have already submitted my withdrawal letter, so there’s no need to worry about appearances anymore, right? It’s best for me to go alone.”
“Everyone leave.”
Suddenly, she ordered all the nearby members to leave.
I didn’t think I would be included among “everyone,” so I didn’t even lift my gaze from the ground.
Once all the members had left.
She looked at me with a bold gaze and said.
“You’re really going all the way to the end.”
I immediately understood what “the end” meant.
Along with submitting my withdrawal letter to the academy, she was probably going to talk about the cancellation of my engagement with Princess Arin.
I replied calmly, as usual.
“It’s not something unexpected, is it?”
“Just because you broke off the engagement and left the academy doesn’t mean the attention on you will disappear.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s just something that was bound to happen sooner or later.”
“Do you know what Axilium is like?”
“Of course.”
“Then you must also know that I can’t send you there.”
“But isn’t it true that other members cannot be sent away either? When you sent Lambert for a solo mission, you never seemed so concerned. What’s causing you so much anxiety now?”
“…”
“In times like this, the successor is supposed to be used.”
She, who had been expressionless all along, finally let out a heavy sigh.
Accepting her consent, I turned and left without hesitation.
“I trust that my subordinate will take care of it.”
“Do you really think I’ll take care of you after you caused such a mess?”
“Yes.”
In response to the resolute answer without any hesitation, the leader burst into a wry smile.
“It won’t take long. I’ll be back soon.”
Whether she respected my decision or gave up knowing that I would go anyway, the leader watched my retreating figure with indifference.
And so, I left the space behind.
* * *
“Human beings are creatures created in the likeness and image of the Creator God. It’s only natural for humans to emulate the nature of their Creator.”
Beneath the golden radiance emanating from the pure white statue, a woman bowed her head slightly.
With hands clasped neatly together in a devout posture, she offered prayers to the deity who bestowed light upon the continent.
“Not only humans but also other creatures created to follow the principles of the Creator have always existed. However, it was said that humans were the most ideal beings capable of harmonizing the seven virtues and seven vices. Like you, who always overlook us poor beings beyond the radiant rays of light…”
Raising her closed eyes slowly, the woman finally met the restrained gaze of the statue.
“As creatures created to emulate the Creator, it is only natural to follow the principles of our Creator. However, no matter where you go, there will always be those who oppose and question such fundamental principles. What will happen then? They will be rejected by the masses and eventually fade into obscurity. That is necessary to maintain the existing order.”
With fingers that had caressed the statue’s hand, the woman gracefully touched her lips.
“However, as humans are inherently averse to change, altering deeply ingrained customs and traditions is no easy task. Despite knowing this, did you feel compelled to voice your concerns to me? Is it because you sensed a series of fears that this order might collapse? It’s more intriguing than questioning.”
For a moment, a golden aura flashed in the statue’s white eyes.
It wasn’t a simple phenomenon.
It was a kind of prophecy, indicating that the successor, who had received the will of the god, had finally found the truth.
“It seems that your successor has finally found the truth. However, for some reason, the light of that truth doesn’t feel particularly strong. Could it be that there is still some truth that we need to find?”
As sunlight streamed in through the window, enveloping her body, it seemed as if the grace of the deity had descended upon her.
Whether she was smiling or crying, it was impossible to tell, as she gazed at the statue with a faint, enigmatic smile.
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