◈ Episode 330. Disaster Level : Claudi (3)
Senior of the Black Magic School, Mattis Dean Karl.
Suddenly, his words come to mind. In Mattis’s office, looking at the magic tools stained black by the compatible mana I was giving off, Mattis cautiously opened his mouth.
—“Black magic is paradoxical. Magic ought to pursue the truth of the future, yet the very source of black magic—compatible mana—is bound to the past. I wouldn’t dare presume to lecture you……. But I hope that you, Lord Head Student, will be more lenient with yourself.”
I had never told Mattis about the past.
That is, I had never spoken about the Claudi family.
It’s not like I was crazy; I had no desire to humiliate myself.
Mattis had merely guessed from my compatible mana and issued a warning.
—“I wouldn’t dare measure it, nor do I wish to. If by any chance you were to fall into Blackening…….”
When I first heard of [Blackening], I thought Mattis was simply trying to scare me. Like the kind of thing a master teaching a secret technique commonly says to their disciple, right? I had taken it simply as a warning to steel my resolve before learning black magic.
But……[Status Ailment, ‘Blackening’ occurs.]
It was a delusion.
My vision, my thoughts, the voice ringing in my ears were clearly different from usual.
I realized it immediately.
Why Mattis had warned me so much about ‘Blackening’.
—“Your past and background will flow backwards, Lord Head Student. I haven’t the confidence to face it. Such vast compatible mana is something no one could endure except you, Lord Head Student. This…… I’ve spoken out of turn. Please forget my words, Lord Head Student.”
Mattis stopped there and bowed his head.
But they say experiencing something once is better than hearing it a hundred times.
Even without hearing him to the end, I came to realize the danger of Blackening.
With every breath.
The compatible mana permeating my flesh.
The past.
I felt it gripping and shaking my body.
But if there was one thing different between me and Mattis or other black magic users……. The source of my vast compatible mana was not the past of me, Ihoyeol, but the past of Grandfell.
Damn it. They don’t say “a blessing in disguise” for nothing.
If I had been coasting along thanks to Grandfell’s settings all this time, now it meant I was suffering even more severe Blackening because of Grandfell’s settings. The effects of Blackening layered over Grandfell, who had existed only as ‘settings’, and now he was beginning to feel like another ‘personality’.
Let’s see, if I trace it back…….
Acknowledging Claudi must be the root cause of the current situation.
Acknowledging Claudi meant.
It also meant acknowledging the Claudi family’s cruel final fate.
“Are you prepared for mocking my sister with that vile mouth?”
Grandfell’s voice ringing in my ears was colder than ever.
It felt as though I’d freeze over just exchanging words.
I could feel the weight of the past that Grandfell was bearing……
So that’s how it was, Kichi?
The Shadow Mercenaries who carried out a Great Evil’s request related to Claudi.
The specific details of that request must have been to assassinate Grandfell’s blood kin—precisely, his sister. I had thought I was making a fuss over something already in the past, without even knowing…….
His sister’s hair wandered the auction house, and the family’s hound became crow feed. If one learned of that horrific end…… I could fully understand Kichi’s feelings, unable to show himself before Grandfell.
And at this moment.
The Arcana Continent being covered in compatible mana as well.[The Empire’s capital, Antonium, is engulfed in endlessly deep darkness.][The Empire is engulfed in endlessly deep darkness.][The Arcana Continent is engulfed in endlessly deep darkness.]
As well as the Blackening that came out of nowhere.
I’ve had no choice but to watch it all this time, even when I couldn’t stand the sight, haven’t I?
What blood kin meant to Grandfell.
Thanks to that chatterbox who never forgot to call his sisters ‘younger sister’ and ‘elder sister’ even to enemies who were love-hate relationships to me.
“Aah…….”
I hadn’t manifested any black magic—not even the Black Crown.
The Family Head of Maxima.
Ignite was already suffocating in compatible mana.
“Urk…….”
His unfocused pupils were wandering incessantly, his tongue that had spouted rash words was paralyzed, and the spot where he knelt was drenched.
In truth, it wouldn’t be wrong to say his fate was already sealed.
Ignite’s condition was no different from the demon worshippers I had seen in the Abyss.
But I—no, Grandfell—did not stop.
As if to claim the price for insulting his sister with Ignite’s life. He was interfering with compatible mana, preparing to manifest black magic.
I could intuit it.
At this rate, Grandfell would end up killing Ignite.
I fully understand the sentiment. Beyond sympathizing, I even felt somewhat refreshed in a way. Because Ignite’s remarks had been infuriating enough to make even my teeth chatter.
Even so, I couldn’t just stand watch.
‘How far do you intend to take this cruelty, Grandfell?’
I know that pain-in-the-ass personality better than anyone.
Yeah, that damned thing called noble pride is complicated, isn’t it?
If it were you, you’d no doubt try to bear even the aftershocks of Blackening alone.
But I have no intention of sitting through that spectacle……!
In the end, it’s because it’s my body that suffers?
Of course, it’s an irrefutable reason.
But the biggest reason is that I can no longer pretend ignorance.
Of the Claudi family’s end, which I may have brought upon myself.
Grandfell’s endlessly dark past.
So don’t think of shouldering it alone.[The First World Tree’s Blessing rejects ‘Blackening’.][Status Ailment, ‘Blackening’ occurs.][The First World Tree’s Blessing rejects ‘Blackening’.][Status Ailment, ‘Blackening’ occurs]…….
Between the messages flickering without rest, my hand twitched. In the end, the cause of the Blackening was compatible mana so dense I couldn’t control it.
If only I could do something about the compatible mana covering the Arcana Continent……. I could save Grandfell, consumed by the past, and me, swayed by a dark history.
And just then.
I knew a suitable method.
To be exact, a newly acquired skill.[Absorption (Item Skill): The parasitic creature Envy absorbs a target. Depending on the absorbed target, Envy acquires a new unique effect. The number of unique effects that can be stored varies according to Envy’s hunger. Current Satiety of Envy - 0%][Neutral Parasite Envy (Envy)].
The Great Evil, the Seven Deadly Sins: Envy.
The legendary-grade item it dropped.
Under the influence of [Aesthetics], I looked at Envy, whose appearance had been changed into a jewel. Envy stayed perfectly still, as if it had been a jewel sewn into my jacket from the start.
You were obeying the order to watch quietly. Good job.
But I’ll have to ask a favor of you now, Envy.[Skill, ‘Absorption’ activates.]
When I activated the skill, Envy’s appearance changed from a jewel into that of a snowflake.
Like taking a deep breath.
Envy puffed up its body several times, and my vision flickered.[Neutral Parasite Envy (Envy) absorbs ‘compatible mana’. Current Satiety of Envy - 1%]
1 percent.10 percent.50 percent…….
Envy’s Satiety rose at a frightening rate. It hadn’t been long since it was purified through an exorcism ritual, so I hadn’t been able to properly check its performance, but it’s a legendary-grade item, isn’t it?
I had already confirmed the performance of legendary-grade items several times through Gwicheol. So I thought that even if it were dense enough to suffocate, Envy could neutralize it to some extent.
But.‘!’……
Was it not even close?
Compatible mana originating from the past.
The past of the Claudi family.
was apparently something that even a legendary-grade item could only treat as ‘trivial’.
Brr![Current Satiety of Envy - 100%][Envy digests the ‘compatible mana’ it absorbed.][Digesting - until new unique effect creation: 0.1/100%]
Envy shuddered and trembled, then returned once more to being a jewel.
To think a legendary-grade item couldn’t even make a dent.
Damn it, just my luck to be betrayed by my own lifeline……?
Clack─
With the steps moving on their own, stray thoughts disappeared on their own.
Ignite was gradually drawing near.
“Guhhh…….”
Endlessly deep darkness.
What was he seeing within the compatible mana?
Ignite’s eyes rolled back.
He writhed pathetically on the floor made filthy by his own shame.
It wasn’t just Ignite.
“Kuhk.”
“My head feels like it’s going to split……!”
“Kuh, can’t breathe anymore…….”
The soldiers of the plains groaned in agony.
No, it wouldn’t be just them.
The system does not lie.
Such system messages had clearly stated it.
The compatible mana was spreading across the entire Empire, beyond the Empire’s capital, Antonium.
Beyond the entire Empire, across the entire Arcana Continent.
However, my sight remained fixed on Ignite.
At this point, I wanted to ask in earnest.
Do you really want any further punishment than this, Grandfell……?
‘If we go past manifestation here, the Arcana Continent will…….’
A disaster immeasurable.
It might fall into a great catastrophe.
But there was no answer.
Not even once.
He didn’t blink.
With the same gaze as always.
He stared at Ignite.
“Kuh……!!”
Finally, was this the final convulsion?
It was the moment Ignite’s body flung up violently.
Only then did my mouth open.
“I believe you understand by now.”
As composed as if nothing had happened.[The First World Tree’s Blessing rejects the status ailment, ‘Blackening’.]‘……!’At the same time, sensation returned to my body.
In an instant.
‘……What?’
The compatible mana covering the Arcana Continent as well.
disappeared without a trace.
The usual chatterbox continued speaking.
“Family Head, Ignite Maxima. Since you have paid the price on behalf of the four families, I shall postpone the punishment of Ugric, Cansel, and Akamond. Of course, to have your blessing returned, you must prove pride befitting of it. Just as your predecessors did.”
“……!!!”
The Family Heads excluding Ignite answered unanimously.
“We shall take it to heart. To Claudi.”
“Cansel shall follow your will.”
“Akamond pledges loyalty to Claudi.”[You have acquired command authority over Krenz Ugric.][You have acquired command authority over Smite Cansel.][You have acquired command authority over Retel Akamond.]
It was sudden, but I tried to sort out the situation.
Whether it was because of pride or because of the punishment, I didn’t know, but for now, the situation had been drastically concluded.
The old me would have recalled Grandfell’s settings about now.‘The first thing Grandfell trained himself in as the next Family Head was not to waver over trivial matters.
The seat of the Claudi Family Head was one that tolerated not even the slightest agitation.’
But Grandfell, you.
You may deceive the whole world, but you can’t deceive me.
Yes, across both reality and the Arcana Continent.
The only one who can understand your convoluted yet tightly-knitted true feelings.
is me.
So I had no choice but to ask seriously……
Are you really okay, Grandfell?
But now that Blackening has been dispelled.
There was no way an answer would come from mere settings.
Tap, tap─
I simply adjusted my attire out of habit.
The usual posture.
Hiding an inner self as wretched as could be behind a pride that could crumble at any moment without seeming strange.