Chapter 22: The Witch of the Maple Tree, ‘Vivian Astraia’ (3)
Confusion and shock.
The emotions Vivian was feeling at that mont were utterly unfamiliar and strange.
And understandably so…
Her opponent knew about her—down to every minute detail—as if gazing into a mirror.
‘That’s impossible.’
It was unthinkable for anyone here to know her true identity.
Why else had she deliberately stuck to low-ranked dungeons?
Why had she been building up her strength so slowly, step by step?
It had all been to avoid drawing attention.
Yet now—
Soone had appeared who made all those efforts and years of caution aningless.
“Who… are you? How do you know all that? A new moon will rise within the Grand Witches’ Assembly—you said. What does that an?”
Vivian unleashed the questions she had been suppressing.
Then—
“Vivian Astraia.”
The man spoke her true na with an emotionless face.
Vivian flinched. Her body trembled once more.
“How continuously disappointing.”
The cold words made her clutch her staff tightly.
She needed to know sothing—anything—to continue this conversation.
But the man rely clicked his tongue, looking down at her in disdain, leaving her unable to speak.
If she dared to ask another question…
…she felt certain that disappointnt would soon turn into sothing else entirely.
‘He didn’t even flinch after seeing my Greed.’
The ‘Greed of the Apocalypse’—a unique ability so dreadful that even those who had ascended to the constellations of July and August shunned it.
It was an authority that displayed overwhelming might not only in duels, but also in large-scale wars.
Moreover, this place was her stronghold, where her Maple was in full bloom.
That alone should have given her at least a thirty percent advantage in victory.
Even if one of the ancient witches of the Grand Witches’ Assembly herself had co, they would not have been so confident.
Then…
Could it be?
‘Is he soone who has ascended even beyond that level?’
Vivian’s eyes narrowed.
She couldn’t grasp it at all.
Though the amount of magic within him was almost nonexistent, that aura alone—
—it was no different from that of an absolute being who had crossed countless lines between life and death.
＊＊＊
A bluff.
In truth, pulling such a stunt before Vivian was closer to a mad gamble.
After all, she was a monster who had monopolized every single Opportunity that even Seo Changhee barely managed to contend with near the late stages.
At the mont, she was at her peak in the constellation of July, yet her potential could easily reach into the realm of December.
‘Definitely not sothing I’d want to do twice.’
It was terrible for ntal health.
Yohan suppressed his pounding heart so that its sound wouldn’t leak out.
The dice had already been thrown.
Fortunately, the first roll had landed high.
Thanks to the White Fla Lighter doing its job splendidly.
It wasn’t often one got to see Vivian hesitate like this.
‘I have to keep this montum going.’
He needed to maintain the persona and continue to shake her.
After all, he was the one with the informational advantage here.
Yohan slowly raised his hand.
“The fog is too thick. I don’t enjoy ddling in another’s den, so allow to clear out just a bit of space.”
[Hidden Piece ‘Core of Fla’—Seal Released.]
Crack!
As the sealing sphere shattered, scorching Karma Flas erupted forth.
As expected of a Hidden Piece, the fire was intense and wild.
But on his finger was a Sacred Relic specialized in devouring such flas.
Fwoosh!
[‘Ring of Crimson Lotus’ absorbs the new fla!]
The area of fire spread outward slowly.
Within Vivian’s domain, a ring of fla ford.
Inside that circle, not a single trace of her mist remained.
In truth, it was the result of squeezing out every last drop of magic and Hidden Piece he possessed…
…but he didn’t let that show.
He simply looked as if he’d done sothing light and effortless—like breathing.
“Would you serve so tea? I’ve heard that tea brewed from your maple leaves has quite the fragrance.”
“…Understood. For such a guest, I can manage that much.”
Vivian walked toward the maple tree.
Though she hadn’t yet dispelled the Slaughterhouse of Living Spirits, the rate at which life was being drained from people had noticeably slowed.
If they wrapped this up within twenty minutes, no one would die.
“Here.”
Vivian handed over a cup of tea that shimred with a faint golden hue.
Yohan savored the aroma and took his first sip.
[Magic Recovery Rate increases by 800% for 3 minutes!]
[Magic Absorption permanently increases by 1!]
[Demonic Energy begins accumulating in your body. When using dark magic, its power will scale with your Demonic Energy stat!]
Status windows appeared one after another.
This was no ordinary tea.
Though not comparable to an Elixir or Nectar, it held nourishing effects invaluable to witches and black magicians alike.
‘Just this one cup makes the risk worth it.’
Sip.
He lifted the cup carefully to his lips, ensuring not a single drop spilled.
Now then—
It was about ti to move on to the real ga.
—Co out.
Yohan whispered inwardly.
The Knight’s Token glowed faintly, transmitting his thought to its target.
—I know you’re watching. Co out already.
There were countless incidents occurring simultaneously throughout Gangdong District, so it was impossible to monitor all of them.
But this ti was an exception.
A man bearing the Knight’s Token was eting soone as significant as Vivian—there was no way she’d miss that.
Indeed, Priscilla was here.
She was rely hiding, frightened of Vivian’s presence.
However—
—So you’re saying you don’t need the Spirit Herb?
At Yohan’s growl, the long silence finally broke.
—W-wait! I’m here! I’m here, okay?! You always start with threats every single ti we talk!
—Enough. Put pressure on Vivian right now. Say that this dungeon is connected to the current Episode.
—B-but that woman is…
—Crazy, right?
—…Yeah.
They say the law is far away, but fists are near.
Rules and systems only restrain normal beings.
If you wanted to teach soone like Vivian about the greatness of the Administration and the System, you’d need at least a high-ranking mid-level Administrator—soone like White Spirit (Baekryeong).
But here, the only one present was a low-grade Administrator—and even among those, one of the weakest—Priscilla.
“Haaah…”
With a sigh, a cute little fairy popped out of thin air.
“An… Administrator?”
Vivian’s eyes widened as she sipped her tea.
“Ah, g-good day, Lady Vivian. It’s been a while.”
A mouse before a cat would probably look just like this.
Priscilla rubbed her small hands together nervously, completely stiffened with fear.
“I'm in the middle of a rather important conversation right now, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt unless it’s truly urgent. Is it that pressing?”
“T-that’s the thing. This place has been designated as a region where the Knight’s Token is awarded before the current Episode begins. I’m terribly sorry, but could you please refrain from any further indiscriminate slaughter? Among those present are candidates who have drawn the attention of so rather high-ranking individuals.”
“This is my hunting ground. aning I claid this place long before that precious Episode of yours even started.”
A chilling gleam returned to Vivian’s eyes.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku!
Black energy slithered up around her, and a suffocating demonic aura spread through the air, freezing it solid.
“Enough, Priscilla. That’s far enough.”
Yohan waved his hand lightly.
Imdiately, the two won reacted very differently.
Priscilla’s expression scread, “You told to pressure her, and now you’re playing the good guy?”
Vivian, on the other hand, felt sothing entirely new—an unfamiliar emotion—as the man before her so casually overturned the Administration’s ruling.
—What are you doing? Then why did you call out in the first place?
—Just laying groundwork for the concept. Go along with it and use the penalty to demand the ‘Seed of Living Spirit.’ Once we’re done, make sure to send everyone here safely outside.
—Are you insane? If I ask for that as a penalty, that monster will drain every drop of my life force! Becoming fairy juice isn’t on my bucket list!
—Relax. I’ll cover you. You won’t die.
He omitted the words “probably.”
If he had to estimate, the odds were roughly fifty-one to forty-nine. Slightly in favor of not dying—good enough odds for a gamble.
‘The best part is, my life isn’t the one being wagered.’
So perhaps probability didn’t even matter here.
While Yohan entertained such fine self-preserving thoughts, Priscilla clenched her tiny fists, looking as though she’d made up her mind.
“However… violating the rules of an Episode incurs a penalty. Hand over the Seed of Living Spirit. Furthermore, I’ll be taking all the sacrifices here with .”
She looked on the verge of tears.
It was clear she had scraped together every ounce of courage she possessed—and even borrowed so from her future self—to make that declaration.
In that instant, the freezing cold vanished.
Everything seed to fade into nothingness.
“You…”
Vivian’s lilac eyes bore into Priscilla.
“Do you have a death wish?”
This wasn’t a threat.
The scene of her body being shredded apart was vividly playing out before their eyes already.
‘Even I’m a little scared now.’
Yohan swallowed dryly.
But he had been timing everything perfectly. The mont Vivian moved, he intervened.
“Priscilla.”
Clack.
He drained the last drop of tea from his cup and—
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s fine.”
The kind of thing only an absolute being would say.
Calm and quiet—yet impossible to defy.
Though it carried no magic power, it bore the weight of countless encounters and battles he had experienced across many regressions.
“M-my apologies. I spoke out of turn.”
Even Priscilla, who had endured Vivian’s fury, lowered her head in complete submission.
＊
Vivian’s rage had completely dissipated.
‘Could it really be…?’
He knew things no ordinary human could possibly know.
He subdued a lower Administrator with a single command.
He wasn’t drained of vitality, and even dispelled the mist she’d spread throughout her domain with ease.
Nothing about him fit within the limits of reason.
More baffling still was that she couldn’t gauge his level or discern his true identity at all.
Fragnts of suspicion pieced themselves together into one conclusion.
[Champion of the Abyss]
One of the hundred strongest beings in this world.
He might be a November Changwol (畅月)—or perhaps even beyond that, a December Napwol (臘月)—a true Transcendent.
That one of those apex beings would take interest in her…
‘If I were to serve under him, I might even regain my place in the exiled Grand Witches’ Assembly.’
If she wished for revenge, he could grant it.
If she sought restoration, he could make it happen.
After all, such beings were those who turned impossibility into reality.
However—
The brief surge of exhilaration cooled at once.
‘No doubt, he only ans to use .’
The strong were always like that.
They approached in secret, whispering of ascension—while demanding sothing in return.
Surely this man was no different. He must have a reason for being here.
“You’ve been taking my side quite a bit. Do you perhaps want sothing from ?”
After all, she had spent countless years alone, weary of living as soone’s plaything.
If that were the case again, she would refuse—even if it ant earning his wrath.
But then—
“I don’t.”
“As expected… pardon?”
“I rely wanted to see whether a new moon could rise—and whether you possess the worth and right to bring it forth.”
Yohan returned the empty teacup to her.
“So might call its taste bitter, but it carries unfathomable depth. I imagine it holds your share of affection and resentnt alike.”
The maple leaf tea… was a reflection of Vivian’s life itself.
This was the first ti anyone had ever understood the aning hidden within its flavor and scent.
Thump…
Vivian’s heart gave a faint beat.
It had been so long since she last felt it that she had forgotten what that sensation was like.
So this was how it felt—for the heart to beat.
The man who shattered her expectations again and again, moving beyond the bounds of common sense, stirred both awe and curiosity within her.
Yohan rose from his seat.
“Vivian Astraia.”
And then, he added one final remark.
“Do not disappoint again.”
Those words—
—they pierced straight into her heart.
＊
After Yohan stepped out of the Gate, Vivian softly parted her lips.
“Who is that man?”
“I cannot presu to speak carelessly of his true identity. All I can tell you is that he currently goes by the na Kang Yohan.”
The truth was, she genuinely didn’t know.
All she understood was that he was audacious—and frighteningly skilled at manipulating others.
Yet that vague answer was precisely what Vivian wanted.
If a low-tier Administrator like Priscilla knew who he was, then he wouldn’t have been the one she sought.
“I’ll give it to you. The Seed of Living Spirit.”
“A-are you serious?”
“Of course. I’ve just t soone who could beco a new star in my drifting, aimless life. Surely, this much is nothing.”
“O-oh… I-I see. Well, I’m glad to hear that. And thank you for cooperating without resistance.”
“Heheh… You have no idea how I feel right now. I’m so very… very happy. Isn’t that right, Greed?”
“Kiiiii…”
“Keeeee…”
At Vivian’s words, crimson-eyed, black-bodied beings erged one after another behind her, filling the space.
“Next ti, I won’t disappoint him. No matter what it takes, I’ll earn his acknowledgnt. And of course, anyone who stands in my way… will be torn apart.”
The manifested magic roared, shaking the leaves of the maple tree violently.
Priscilla felt genuine pity for Yohan.
The Seed of Living Spirit was undoubtedly a great reward.
But in return, he had gained the attention of a true monster overflowing with madness.
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