Reading the letter with his eyes, Russell thought.
[‘I used black magic. Very big black magic.’]
– You must be questioning. You must be very curious about what the price is. But Russell. If you were , you’d probably think here. I used black magic that cost too much.
[‘Yes, this is the price. But it can’t be the only price. Because Broson said I was cursed.’]
– And the fact that the price wasn’t just the loss of mory.
As written in the letter, Russell was thinking about it too.
– Russell, rember this from now on. This black magic can only be used once. Ah, you know I can’t explain everything because I’m tied to the price, right?
‘…Nonsense.’
Russell grew irritated.
– First of all, you succeeded. You can be proud of that.
He’d already heard that from Broson.
That he’d succeeded in sothing.
He thought that ‘sothing’ might be the black magic ntioned a while ago.
– Darkness is dead in this world. When the darkness dies, the light dies too. I’m not talking about balance or the darkness that you know.
[‘Then what is it about?’]
Russell’s expression quickly twisted.
– But you succeeded.
[‘…?’]
At the word ‘succeeded’ that was ntioned twice, Russell caught on.
That the darkness was saved thanks to his own black magic.
– Fallen, no. I don’t know how to describe this. At any rate, it’ll co after you. It’s aiming for you as well as the darkness. Please don’t die either way.
‘What do you an? Is it similar to fallen?’
Russell couldn’t guess this part at all.
– Oh, by the way, the closed door in the hideout, you know that one? Don’t ever open it. No, I don’t think you’re gonna hear this. All right, open it if you want to know the truth. I’ve warned you.
Darkness disappeared like smoke at the end of the unpleasant words ‘I’ve warned you’.
[‘I… don’t have a clue.’]
Russell clenched his fist and then opened it with an exhale.
He could feel that he was avoiding the price as much as possible.
[‘Darkness is the only darkness that I know… Yeah, I am confused, so let’s call it black. Anyway, this black was originally dead, but he survived with my dark magic?’]
Russell burst into laughter.
There was no black magic that could save people.
No, it was impossible for anyone to go against the law of order.
‘When he said ‘being alive’, it doesn’t always an being revived. Maybe it ans sothing else.’
Russell watched the notebook burn on its own after finishing its work.
Crackle.
Russell took a deep breath and pushed his hair back.
[‘Russell, what the hell have you done…?’]
Russell’s eyes were engulfed in flas and burned together.
But there was no way he could hear an answer.
* * *
Crisp.
Lucion was surprised by the red thread that suddenly got cut.
‘Did Teacher tear up the notebook?’
“What’s wrong?”
Hu asked, responding to Lucion’s movent.
“Are you sick?”
“It’s nothing.”
How could he say that he regretted not seeing Russell’s notebook?
Lucion smiled as he looked at Ratta who was busy looking around.
At Lucion’s request, Hu deliberately rounded the whole floor and went down the stairs.
Lucion couldn’t help but be convinced of the place that looked the sa every ti he looked at a floor.
‘Teacher built an underground building, not a hideout.’
Lucion gradually got imrsed in the modern feeling he hadn’t felt for a long ti.
Crack.
“…?”
Lucion flinched at the unpleasant sound of a broken television.
Lucion’s eyes hastily moved around.
Ti didn’t stop.
However, a room caught Lucion’s eye.
“…Wait a minute, Hu. Stop.”
At Lucion’s words, Hu imdiately stopped walking.
[What’s wrong, Lord Lucion?]
Bethel asked.
Lucion’s complexion was still pale, and there was a slight glimpse of blood on the bandage.
[Does it hurt a lot?]
“No. There’s sothing I want to check.”
Lucion pointed to a room.
―Huh? Only the color of the door is different.
Ratta widened her eyes.
[Let check. Hold on a second.]
Bethel moved to the door.
It was hard to search without Russell’s permission, but she thought this one would be okay.
Bzzt!
[…Ugh!]
However, as soon as Bethel put her hand on the door, she suddenly felt intense pain and hurriedly removed her hand.
―Hop!
“What’s wrong, Bethel?”
Ratta and Lucion widened their eyes.
[It’s protected by strong darkness. …This is Russell’s darkness.]
Bethel clutched her trembling hand with a troubled face.
Not knowing what to do in this situation, Lucion was at a loss.
Can a ghost be cured in the first place?
[Sorry, Bethel. I forgot to warn you because I was losing my mind.]
At Russell’s awkward voice, Lucion turned his head.
[It’s okay. You must have been really out of it.]
Bethel shook her head.
Russell didn’t do this on purpose either.
“Teacher. Is Bethel all right?”
[You don’t have to worry, Lord Lucion. My wound will heal in a little while in the death knighthood. Especially since I signed a contract with Lord Lucion, I might get better faster.]
Bethel smiled at Lucion’s question.
Only then did Lucion relax and slightly lower his shoulder.
“By the way, Teacher. What the hell is that room?”
[It’s a place where my secret is contained. …Well, I don’t know exactly what’s in there.]
Russell replied with a troubled look.
Since he didn’t want to go into that place even if he died, Lucion didn’t ask anymore unless Russell would say it himself.
“Hu. Let’s continue.”
* * *
“Here.”
Hu laid Lucion down carefully.
It was one of the rooms that looked the sa, whether it was the next room or the other room.
Ratta ca down to the ground and rubbed the floor with her front feet.
―It’s so shiny that Ratta can see Ratta. The floor is like a mirror!
At Ratta’s words, Lucion looked down, not knowing what kind of rock it was.
“Can I enter this room?”
Lucion asked Russell just in case before Hu could open the door.
[…Huh? Ah, it’s okay here. It was used as a warehouse.]
Russell, who was briefly srized, replied late.
Then he raised an eyebrow.
[Lucion. Don’t you want to know what I saw in my notebook?]
“I’m curious.”
[Then why don’t you ask?]
“Teacher had a troubled look. If you have a secret that you can’t tell, I know how deep your worries are, so I can’t ask them easily.”
The corner of Russell’s lips went up when he heard the answer.
As a teacher, he was so happy that Lucion, who hadn’t been a human but just a wounded beast, had changed enough to think of him like this.
“…Teacher. Don’t look at with that gaze again.”
Lucion wrinkled his face as if he was burdened by Russell’s expression, which was thickly overlaid with joy.
[Because no matter how I see it, you’re my student. That’s why. You think of too. I’m proud of you.]
Russell even smiled.
He was so proud that he couldn’t stop smiling.
[Lucion.]
“…Yes.”
Lucion replied crookedly.
[Later. When I get my mind sorted out. I’ll let you know then.]
“You don’t have to wait. Teacher doesn’t have to be burdened because I can listen whenever it’s convenient for Teacher.”
Lucion said in a flat voice and nodded to Hu.
Drip.
When Hu put in his strength, the door opened easily.
As Russell said, unlike before, no black magic was applied.
Hu took the lead and Bethel entered last.
―Oh… Oh?
Ratta’s ears, which had been sticking out, folded down.
―This isn’t a secret place. Ratta is disappointed.
Ratta’s eyes lowered.
[I said it was a warehouse, didn’t I?]
Russell giggled.
―But Ratta thought it would have shiny jewels. Ratta saw Anthony opening the warehouse, and there were so many jewels!
[If I had a lot of jewels, I wouldn’t have built a hideout here.]
Russell kept laughing, and Ratta’s eyes twinkled as she rembered that ti.
‘When did you see that?’
Lucion was confused.
It seed Ratta was diligently walking around the mansion when he was doing sothing else.
Lucion turned his head and looked at Hu.
“Is this the right place?”
“Yes. This is the right place. The line gets thicker.”
Contrary to the voice that sounded as though he was looking for sothing right away, Hu stood still.
“Teacher, do you mind if I search this place?”
Lucion asked Russell for permission.
[Do whatever you want. This is a warehouse. No one cos here anyway.]
As soon as he got Russell’s permission, Hu moved.
There was no more hesitation in his actions.
[You sit here.]
Russell kept Lucion still and followed Hu with Bethel.
It was a good thing.
Lucion wanted to ask sothing to Ratta.
“Ratta”
―Hmm?
When Lucion called out to Ratta, Ratta stopped licking her paws and raised her head.
“When Brother stabbed , was it you who stopped it?”
―No. Ratta was working hard to help Lucion.
“Then, you don’t know about the purple darkness that ca out of my shadow and beca you?”
―T-There’s only one Ratta, though? There was another Ratta? Unbelievable…!
Ratta stamped her foot in surprise.
“You really don’t rember?”
―Yes.
Ratta blinked her eyes.
Then she tilted her head.
―Huh?
Ratta looked at Lucion with a confused expression.
―Just now, the darkness briefly whispered to Ratta.
“What?”
―They lent their strength to Ratta. Ratta replied that she was scared that Lucion was going to die, so Ratta said okay. Ratta… did Ratta do sothing wrong again?
“Shh, shh.”
Lucion sat her down on his stomach and patted her as she started crying again.
“Ratta. You did nothing wrong.”
―But because of Ratta…
“Ratta. Listen carefully. I am not gonna say it anymore.”
Lucion’s voice beca a little harsh.
Ratta’s eyes fluttered, and her ears folded down.
“This wound was caused by my stubbornness, not by you, Ratta. Rather, it would have been worse if Ratta hadn’t told what was going on with the ghosts.”
―Are you… Are you sure Ratta didn’t do anything wrong?
Ratta asked tearfully.
“Yes, Ratta. Thanks to you, I’ve saved a lot of people.”
—… Hn. Ratta is nice. Ugh, Ratta is an obstacle.
Ratta sniffled into Lucion’s arms.
Ratta was so sad that she couldn’t stop crying unlike before.
Leaning against the door, Lucion patted Ratta with a smile.
In terms of animals, Ratta was a cub less than two months old.
‘It’s understandable.’
Ratta’s tears dampened his clothes, but Lucion didn’t care.
“…?”
―Hn?
Suddenly, Lucion and Ratta simultaneously looked to where Hu had moved.
La la la.
He could hear soft music.
―Lucion, can you hear it?
“The music sound?”
―Yes! It is calling Lucion and Ratta! Ratta wants to go over there.
Ratta sniffled a little, but her tail was wagging.
Lucion grabbed his stomach and struggled to get up from his seat.
As he followed the song, he saw Hu diligently searching the area.
[Lucion. You sit still.]
As Lucion approached, Russell raised his voice.
If Hu found anything, he would take it. Russell felt sorry that Lucion had to walk with a limp.
“Can’t you hear the music?”
Bethel opened her mouth at Lucion’s question.
[You can hear it, Lord Lucion? Even Hu said that.]
“You can’t hear it?”
[Russell and I can’t hear it.]
Bethel nodded.
As Lucion took another step towards Hu, he felt a tremor.
Brrr.
Even Hu stopped searching.
The pile of books shook, and the dark sparks in Hu’s eyes flared up as if to announce that this was it.
A black bead popped out of the pile of books and floated in the air.
It was quiet and deep.
He felt like he was in an abyss that was difficult to handle, but Lucion found it difficult to suppress his strangely welcoming feelings.
Russell’s eyes widened.
[That’s the black bead you were talking about, Lucion…?]
“That’s right. That’s the bead. The bead that strengthened Broson’s darkness.”
Lucion looked at the black bead and raised the corners of his mouth.
Once a coincidence, but twice a pattern.
A guide.
Hu said that he was referred to as the guide in his dream.
Right.
Hu was a guide who guided soone with the black bead.
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