TL/Editor: raei
Schedule: 5/week
Illustrations: None
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Ian glared at Pael.
No, he glared at the naless necromancer.
That bastard was the root cause of this incident.
The one who murdered Eric and frad Maria.
'...But why?'
This was all speculation from here.
Yet strangely, Ian was certain his thoughts were correct.
The reason was unclear.
It was just a wizard's intuition.
"You... planned this from the start, targeting Maria."
Pael (tentatively nad) listened intently to Ian's words with a aningful smile.
"Why do you think that, wizard?"
Ian glanced briefly at Maria.
At Maria, who was glaring at Pael as if she wanted to tear him apart.
There was only one thing that made sense.
"You were attracted to Maria's appearance."
"Kuk, hahaha! Masterpiece, wizard! I orchestrated all this, entranced by so wench's looks? This troubleso affair?"
"If it weren't troubleso, it wouldn't have been aningful."
Ian said in a low voice.
"What you wanted... was Maria's submission."
"..."
"It was a suspicious situation to anyone. Everyone thought Maria was the murderer, and she nearly faced execution."
Pael is the mastermind who manipulated this situation.
That ans Pael deliberately led Maria to the gallows from the beginning.
Why go to such trouble?
Simply wanting to kill Maria?
A necromancer who commands undead minions?
"You wanted to make Maria an 'outcast.'"
Pael's goal wasn't Maria's murder.
It was Maria's 'social' murder.
"Maria is a woman born with the talent for necromancy. She's a future necromancer in the making."
"..."
"But even if Maria learned necromancy, there was no guarantee she would move according to the will of her teacher."
A disciple follows the path laid by their master.
But there's no rule saying they must walk the exact sa path.
... Especially if the master's path is bloody and horrific.
"You're a wizard from the [Golden Rule Society], aren't you?"
Pael smiled deeply.
It was as good as an affirmation.
"Correct. Did Leshach tell you?"
"It's too obvious. A black wizard prowling around here. Pulling this kind of sh*t, no less."
It could only be a wizard from the Golden Rule Society.
- That was Ian's conclusion.
And that conclusion was correct.
Pael bowed theatrically like a jester.
"Then let introduce myself properly. I am a necromancer from the [Golden Rule Society]. [Heavenly Wizard] Bertholdt."
Ian let Pael's... no, 'Bertholdt's' self-introduction go in one ear and out the other.
So what?
What the f*ck is a Heavenly Wizard, you f*cking weeb?
But an unexpected reaction ca from an unlikely source.
"...Heavenly Wizard Bertholdt!"
It was Sir Leshach.
Sir Leshach knew the na Bertholdt.
Ian nodded.
Ah. So that's how it is.
Heavenly Wizard Bertholdt must be like a title from a martial arts novel!
Martial arts novel special - You have to act surprised when a title appears.
Can't resist a cliché~
"Heavenly Wizard Bertholdt!"
Ian shouted, following Sir Leshach's lead.
Bertholdt laughed sinisterly.
"Hehe... Now do you understand? What kind of wizard you're facing!"
"Heavenly Wizard Bertholdt!"
"Yes! That's !"
"Right! You're Bertholdt!"
"...?"
Bertholdt paused at Ian's strange response.
He was giving a killer answer, but...
Sohow, it felt lacking...
"Hey. You do know what kind of wizard I am, right?"
Ian answered boldly.
"Of course! You're Heavenly Wizard Bertholdt!"
Sothing feels off.
"...Besides that!"
"I don't know anything?"
"..."
Bertholdt's blood pressure spiked.
This bastard... running his mouth without knowing a damn thing about !
"Who cares what kind of bastard you are! Plotting sinister sches from the shadows!"
Ian pointed accusingly at Bertholdt.
"The Bertholdt I know is a gloomy bastard trying to drive a young girl to social death by framing her! Only when she's isolated and cast out by the world! Then you can educate Maria the way you want!"
Ian's tone was f*cking pissed, but he was hitting the nail on the head.
So Bertholdt's hands trembled.
That's right. What Bertholdt desired was Maria's social isolation.
Maria, pushed to beco a death row inmate and evil necromancer, would lose her trust in humanity and harbor hatred for the world.
Not missing that mont, Bertholdt would extend a hand of salvation...
'I can nurture your necromancy.'
'Your murder was perfectly justified. Don't you want revenge on those who tornted you?'
Very few people wouldn't fall for such temptation.
Because Bertholdt alone would affirm Maria when she was isolated and driven to death.
... But Bertholdt's plan was completely overturned.
The wizard Ian had uncovered that hideous truth.
"Maria has black hair and black eyes. Golden Rule Society. The traits of 'Imperial people' you guys cream your pants over."
"..."
"Your goal is to raise Maria as a true Imperial black wizard, isn't it?"
Ian's tone was annoying as f*ck, but...
Instead of getting irritated, Bertholdt slowly clapped.
Clap, clap, clap.
The empty applause echoed hollowly.
"Perfect. Everything is as you say, Ian Eredith Raven."
There was no way to deny it anymore.
Bertholdt cleanly admitted to his cris.
Since everything was exposed, there was nothing left to hide.
"Maria. I apologize for playing such a cruel prank on you."
"...Cruel prank?"
Maria murmured blankly, as if hearing an unfamiliar word.
She was shocked by Bertholdt's amazing word choice.
"I bore you no ill will. I simply wanted to show how pathetic, stupid, and easily swayed these 'Holy Imperial people' are."
Ian was dumbfounded by Bertholdt's words.
Sure, the villagers had wavered back and forth. They'd misunderstood and nearly executed Maria by mistake.
But that... f*ck, you intended all that, you bastard.
Isn't it weirder for rural farrs to foil a plan carefully laid by a wizard?
Bertholdt was determined to fra Maria from the start, and he nearly succeeded.
If Ian hadn't interfered, Maria would have easily received a death sentence.
And now what?
He's spouting 'Hehe. Holy Imperial people are stupid for not seeing through my plan~'?
He was clearly a chuunibyou-afflicted bastard.
"Maria. You're different from these stupid barbarian descendants. Noble Imperial blood flows through your veins..."
"Shut- the f*ck up!!!"
She couldn't listen anymore.
Maria clenched her fists and scread at the top of her lungs.
"Don't say another f*cking word! You, you took Eric's... Eric's life...! You played with it like a toy! With ! With the villagers!
We all danced in your filthy hands...!"
"..."
"I swear right here. Even if my limbs are shattered and my heart ripped out..."
Maria cried out.
"I'll never forgive you necromancers! Never!"
Maria's voice savagely raked across the courtroom.
It was a voice so loud and intense, it was hard to believe it ca from a small girl.
Perhaps because it was a cry containing a sincere oath.
Ian looked at Bertholdt and smirked.
"You're f*cked. What now?"
A situation 180 degrees different from the initial plan.
Bertholdt wanted Maria to join the Golden Rule Society. But there's no chance in hell she'll ever beco his comrade now.
"...I see. I've incurred her hatred."
Bertholdt gazed vacantly at the night sky.
At that mont.
Ian felt a chilling sensation crawl up his spine.
'Wait. That's...!'
The most horrific sensation any living being can instinctively feel.
Death.
Death began to gather around Bertholdt, as if creeping in.
The gravedigger Joseph was most surprised by this bizarre phenonon.
"Impossible! He clearly had no power just monts ago...!"
But Ian and Sir Leshach instantly grasped the truth.
"A corpse..."
"What? What?!"
"That's neither 'Pael' nor 'Bertholdt'!"
Belenka, closest to Bertholdt, moved first.
"Haaah!"
Belenka's longsword passed smoothly through Bertholdt's nape.
Simultaneously, Bertholdt's head rolled on the ground.
Thud...
No matter how great a wizard, they die when beheaded.
Magic always requires an incantation to persuade mystery, so if you cut off a wizard's head before they complete the incantation, the magic won't activate.
However, that only applies...
When you've properly 'killed' the wizard.
"Be careful! Ian! Bertholdt is the [Heavenly Wizard]! He's on a whole different level from common necromancers!"
Sir Leshach shouted in Maronius language while drawing his sword.
"[Heavens above! Protect your children!]"
In an instant, the darkness vanished and a beam of moonlight illuminated Sir Leshach.
The heavens had accepted Sir Leshach's holy plea.
At the sa ti.
The mystery of death enveloping Bertholdt erupted skyward like an explosion!
Though his head was clearly severed, Bertholdt kept moving.
The reason is simple.
"That was a corpse from the start!"
Bertholdt is an excellent necromancer.
"Bertholdt was controlling Pael's corpse!"
The 'real' Bertholdt must be hiding sowhere, controlling Pael's corpse.
The reason no mystery of death was felt from Pael's corpse was also simple.
Because Bertholdt hadn't sent the mystery...!
The mystery of death must have only been swirling around the real Bertholdt!
The beheaded Bertholdt.
No, Pael's corpse shouted.
[The childish ga ends now! Maria! True daughter of the Empire! I'll have you by force if I must!]
The swirling mystery of death was ominously dreadful.
Just as mystery of fire raises flas and the mystery of wind stirs up gales.
... The mystery of death can trample and annihilate life itself.
It's not just dangerous in appearance, but truly perilous!
'Ordinary magic won't cut it!'
Ian focused intently.
If exposed to the deathly power Bertholdt had amassed, even Ian couldn't guarantee survival.
The power Bertholdt had gathered was extrely dangerous.
But there was also a clear weakness.
'He's not the main body, but a possessed vessel.'
The one wielding that power is Bertholdt, possessing a corpse.
If we can just destroy that corpse, the mystery of death will lose its focal point and dissipate.
'I'll unleash everything!'
There was no ti to hold back.
Ian prepared the most powerful magic he could.
If we're talking Ian's strongest magic, it's obviously skill card magic.
"[Lightning Spear!]"
[Grand Skill: Lightning Spear (Lv4)]
[Throws a spear made of unstable lightning that will fry everything it touches!]
Fizzzzzz!
One of the 8 skill cards created with the ice god Hrundal.
The power of a great technique unfurled from Ian's fingertips.
Ian grasped an enormous spear of lightning in his hand.
The villagers.
Sir Leshach and Maria.
Even Bertholdt.
"What the... is that?"
They stared at Ian's magic, unable to hide their astonishnt.
And no wonder.
Ian's magic was... a bizarre spell unlike anything any wizard had ever experienced!
The skill card system of magic is an original creation devised by Ian and Hrundal, non-existent in this world.
It's only natural they've never seen it before.
"The mystery of lightning...? But the sky is so quiet...!"
Bertholdt forgot he had an enemy before him, busy analyzing this never-before-seen magic.
He too was a wizard, after all.
But Ian didn't give a damn what Bertholdt thought.
"Bertholdt!"
Without a mont's hesitation, Ian plunged the lightning spear towards Bertholdt.
The lightning spear was so fast. It engulfed Bertholdt in an instant.
Before Bertholdt could even finish his astonishnt-
"Vanish!"
Kwaaaang!
The spear of pure lightning pierced Bertholdt's crown!
An earsplitting roar and blinding radiance swept the surroundings.
A mont later.
"...Heavens above."
Sir Leshach rubbed his stinging eyes and looked straight ahead.
Ian's lightning spear had charred the corpse Bertholdt was controlling pitch black.
The man-sized lump of charcoal that was once a corpse slowly crumbled.
Thud.
Ian breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the fallen corpse.
So much for being a Heavenly Wizard (lol).
Necromancer Bertholdt. Surprisingly underwhelming, huh?
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