Chapter 9: The Black Magician

The operation was simple and yet got straight to the point. Because of this, no one refused, and soon the information sharing and the meeting were over.

Since there was no intimacy between each other, they didn’t have any friends, so they went back to their lives one by one.

I also left the door after slightly adjusting the lowered hood again.

‘Why is she looking?’

I felt a strong gaze following me.

This weak but clear gaze was from Miriam. I wondered if she had something to say, but I didn’t stop walking.

There was no reason to do so, since she wasn’t holding me back.

The outside air embraced my skin as I left the room.

There were two people in robes standing there.

It was Robin and Vandine, who had left their places first.

After they regained their senses, the first thing the magicians did was to fix their outfits, and unlike me, they didn’t have hoods.

They were delighted to see me.

“Tiamat-nim.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was waiting because I knew you’d come out.”

The answer to the question was given by Vandine.

Looking at Robin, he seemed to be thinking the same thing. It seemed they were waiting for me.

More than that, why do they call me Tiamat ‘nim’? It was also strange that they were indifferent to casual speech.

Magicians would basically be arrogant.

“What’s going on?”

“I wanted to thank you again. Thank you so much.”

“That’s right. If it wasn’t for Tiamat-nim, we would have already gone to the underworld. Moreover, you are cooperating in this matter….”

The polite attitude made me even more doubtful.

Of course, I didn’t have to spit on their smiling faces. Looking down at the two bowed heads, I was about to give them a word of encouragement, but Tiamat’s tendencies didn’t allow it.

“It doesn’t seem to be just that. Am I wrong?”

The two, who were looking at each other with bowed heads, laughed awkwardly. They raised their heads with a bitter smile.

“Haha… You’re indeed keen.”

No, I didn’t think much of it.

Their words were related to what had just happened.

“It’s just a trivial curiosity.”

“Curiosity? To me?”

“We thought about it in our own way, but we couldn’t get an answer. We wanted to ask you directly.”

I didn’t have any things that came to mind right away.

The expected questions. Robin’s question was outside of there.

“Why are you participating in this matter, Tiamat-nim?”

I couldn’t understand the intention of the question right away.

“I don’t understand. Are you dissatisfied?”

“Yes? No. Of course not.”

“Then.”

“It’s just because I don’t know. Doesn’t everyone else have their own reasons?”

Only then could I grasp the point.

The black mage incident that followed from the monster movement. Naelun was from the start in this matter, and the other two priests were also indispensable for the same reason.

Robin and Vandine have victims and the motivation of revenge. Only I had no understandable circumstances.

“The great pig was very strong. Subduing him wouldn’t have been easy.”

“It was strong.”

“The black mage is also likely to be so. Although he has a power that can’t be defeated, there’s definitely a risk.”

“That’s right.”

Because that’s the reward.

As for me, whose growth was the top priority, I couldn’t neglect a single quest. Those who didn’t know it would feel it was unreasonable.

Especially if they were magicians who valued ‘efficiency’.

“And, also… It’s uncomfortable.”

Suddenly, Vandine lowered her voice.

“The priests’ attitudes, and the church seems to dislike that an outsider has achieved results instead of the priest. Even if it’s thoroughly packaged… It’s not strange to be reluctant to get involved with the church.”

“Why do they have to confirm your identity? There must be a reason for not revealing it.”

Suddenly, the church of the scales’ backtalk started.

That’s why they were waiting outside. The relationship between the magicians and the priests wasn’t good in the first place.

That was the reason for the difference in social perception.

Moreover, the dissatisfaction with the coercive attitudes of Bopiro and Miriam seemed to have been revealed.

It would be difficult for the two lower magicians to show their feelings. Although I didn’t get used to the atmosphere of defending me.

‘Honestly, I think it’s necessary to confirm the identity.’

I couldn’t say it frankly, but if possible, I would have liked to have done it definitely.

However, why did Robin defend with such confidence? It was as if he knew my identity.

That would be impossible.

Their backtalk continued for a while.

I cut them off.

“It’s not something you have to worry about.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll take care of it. There’s a reward too. You just have to keep in mind that I’m not an enemy.”

You can’t always know everything about the subject. I stretched out my hand and then hesitated.

Whose hand should I grab?

If I thought about it mentally, it would be the man. Because I was a man. A touch between the same sex suited the awkward relationship.

If I thought physically, it was the opposite.

Tiamat was a woman, and I was borrowing her body. With a moment of contemplation, my hand grabbed Vandine’s wrist.

“Ah?”

“The plan, you know? Get it in advance. Never use it, though.”

“Aah… Yes. If the guy appears.”

I put the black mass gently on her palm, with her palm facing up.

It was a partially filled essence of black magic.

“Do as the plan says.”

When I arrived near Juleng, Alcup’s feet suddenly stopped.

His head turned sideways as if something was wrong, and soon he wrinkled his face.

“A nuisance.”

His plan had been ruined.

He didn’t know when he was far away, but he felt it clearly when he arrived. The signal of the lower monsters who had been bound by the subjugation magic was cut off, and the trap formula he had installed just in case was also destroyed.

A natural phenomenon? Absurd.

He hadn’t been able to exert the skill to deploy permanent formulas, but the duration was still enough.

He also confirmed that there were no threatening monsters around.

“It may be that you can do that… Amazing.”

Then it meant that it was a work of someone.

It was within the expected range.

Because it wasn’t a completely concealed place.

There could be someone who could smell it.

He was truly amazed that even the trap formula was broken.

‘The masterpiece’s life came to an end.’

It was a heartbreaking thing, as it was his first successful work. Before that, alarm rose for the first time as he started this job.

“Who is it? Was there anyone in Juleng like that?”

After a moment of thought, he shook his head.

It was nonsense. It was just a small village, a place with no knight.

He had to become a knight to completely deal with the masterpiece. Come to think of it, he had heard rumors of a priest visiting Juleng.

Was it the priest’s doing?

It wouldn’t be possible for a high-ranking priest to come to this area, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be interested in the forest.

It was a mistake.

“I should have taken more precautions.”

It was an important mission.

From the beginning, the success of the masterpiece wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the ‘organization’. If it wasn’t worth it, his value would drop to the bottom.

Then the ending was already decided.

Because the black mage, who didn’t recognize the mercy, wouldn’t show it.

His stopped foot moved again.

In this case, he had to take revenge on those who ruined the great plan. If it was difficult, he had to recover the essence.

“Damn it. I’m as good as dead if I lose that.”

It would be good if he could get both back, but he had to get at least one back.

Because the owner of it wasn’t him.

He rushed forward while wrapping himself in acceleration magic and secretly hoped that he wouldn’t find the essence.

However, that hope was soon broken.

The head that turned the moment he sensed the energy.

It was clearly a place other than the cave.

“Tsk. Even though I was close by. I’ll make you regret not leaving!”

How could he not know?

One of the two essences, the one he made. He rushed, drawing up the black magic.

He found two robed figures at his destination.

Alcup’s smile rose the moment he saw them.

At the same time, the thorny black magic was fired.

“Khehe, you guys! Die!”

The magicians he had captured.

The tension eased when he confirmed the culprit. They were far inferior to him.

He usually would have felt strange, but he wasn’t in a rational state right now.

The ‘efficient plan’ he had thought of was only to kill them instantly.

So, without any preparation.

He stepped into the trap.

PajiJik―!

A great holy power spread in an instant.

It continued as if it had a boundary shaped like a dome. It was like trapping a mouse in a cage.

Alcup’s jaw dropped as he confirmed that the black magic that had been fired was annihilated.

“Barrier…?”

He heard the sound of regular footsteps in his ear.

A figure in a hood was walking from the other side.

The operation was simple.

Give the essence to the two magicians involved in the incident and make them intentionally leak the energy. Then, draw him to the place where the trap was set, and if that was difficult, use the signal tool given by Miriam.

It was possible because our firepower was superior.

Even so, I thought I would have to struggle to some extent. It succeeded more easily than expected.

‘I am really riding the bus.’

Yes, this is how it’s supposed to be.

Even in a crazy game, there aren’t many cases where you will have a hard time from the beginning.

I didn’t add much to this matter.

It was all about giving a half-filled essence. It was like taking advantage of it to stand in the forefront.

To be exact, it was because of the quest.

It wouldn’t have failed if I had received help, but I might not have been able to play a role.

“Radiant barrier…! This much holy power, could it be….”

The black magician, who was in shock, let out a cry of alarm.

You could tell by his appearance that his state wasn’t high. I smiled under the hood.

With the barrier and the meal set, all I had to do was eat it deliciously.

‘Fortunately, it doesn’t affect me.’

The holy power was controlled to only affect the enemy by Miriam. Even if that was excluded, the basic ‘evil tendency’ existence was damaged by the holy power.

Tiamat’s tendency was chaos.

Close to evil, but still a distinguishable step.

I was worried because tendencies could change depending on the actions, but it seemed to be the same for now.

“High priestess. Damn it, the plan was perfect, but why!”

The black magician was a being who had given up on being human.

He loses most of his rationality due to the price of violating the taboo and only leaves the instinct. He was a clever guy, but it was the same when he was cornered.

His uncontrolled eyes were aimed at me.

I looked at Miriam on the other side.

She was looking at me from one side of the forest, holding the shining Bible.

Was she going to see how I did it?

‘You won’t get what you want.’

Because I wouldn’t use the authority.

I clenched my fist. The beastly nature lurking before the battle was stirring.

This body alone was enough.

“You! Did you cast this barrier?”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

He should have known it wasn’t if he thought about it. It seemed that even those words couldn’t reach him.

“Shut up! Release this right now!”

“I don’t want to? You gave us a hard time.”

“Khehe. Then I will release it myself.”

Black magic exploded around the black magicians.

It seemed that he had forcibly raised it without regard for the barrier’s restraint. He didn’t seem to care about the considerable pain.

“I’ll kill you!”

I’ll call it a fog.

The black smoke’s gathering came to this place. It was an unpleasant movement, as if it had a life.

“Be careful!”

“We’ll stop it!”

Robin and Vandine chanted spells, and the green wind and scattered water drops appeared.

It was the magic that was enough for one person, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.

I passed them in an instant.

“Tiamat-nim!”

An exclamation of concern.

I ignored the call and focused my attention on the front.

The fog that was spread over a wide area. However, as it was an artificial magic, there was a part that formed the base.

When I broke the trap formula.

‘Formula destruction. Special control was needed in the game.’

It was affected by the senses stat, and if it was low, it had to be made up for physically. It was a measure that showed the importance of skill.

I instinctively did it when the trap formula tried to destroy me.

Because they were connected, I could see the flow.

This time too.

Tiamat has high basic senses stats due to the bizarre strength, and she also has a beastly sense.

Kwajijijik-!

The magic, which had lost its reason, was easier to understand.

The greater the gap between each other, the harder it was to destroy the formula, but seeing this, his skill wasn’t higher than mine. The fist with magic smashed the black gathering.

“What…!”

I didn’t use Yoryeok.

There were many eyes to use a force that hadn’t been revealed. The black magicians bloodshot eyes opened wide.

The sounds of holding their breaths were heard from behind.

His embarrassment. A moment of carelessness was enough time to arrive.

“It can’t be… The power of the one is so useless!”

“What happened?”

He shouted to release the magic, even though he was in a state of trepidation. As expected, the opponent of the blind magic was easy.

“You said you’d kill me.”

Honestly, I had no personal grudge.

Just a little hardship, the reward of the quest. Also, a being that would only harm the world anyway. I swung my fist, with the feeling that I was doing what was necessary.

The black magicians, who was hit in the abdomen, rolled back and staggered.

“Cough!”

He spat out blood mixed with coughs.

I’m a man who has never wielded violence in the world. There was no emotional turmoil as I had when I first dealt with the Calvin group.

It was a good thing.

To live in this world.

“Cough! Kugh… This can’t be! Oh, Abracadum. The father of the strict darkness. Please be merciful…”

“You want mercy? I’ll listen to you if you tell me the truth.”

He looked up at me with a cold gaze and said.

“Who are you? Reveal everything related to you.”

The flow up to here was smooth.

However, it was a world where it wasn’t strange to have hidden secrets and dangers. It was more beneficial to ask questions in detail rather than simply eliminate.

His pupils turned murky.

“Are you sure you think you’re safe?”

“You don’t know anything! Only the judgment of stars and darkness will come!”

It’s no use.

I wasn’t willing, but it seemed I had to give him some pain to open his mouth.

When I released my wrist, a hurried footstep sounded.

“You don’t have to do that.”

It was Naelun and Bopiro.

It seemed that they had approached after the situation was over. They had been instructed to help if I was in danger from the beginning.

Miriam had been watching me from a few steps away.

‘Why is she looking at me, leaving the black mage alone?’

Bopiro, standing next to me, made the sign of the cross.

“Because that’s why we have a priest. We will show you why we are in charge of the black magicians subduing.”

The black magician’s frown deepened at the holy expression he received. Bopiro looked down at him with a gaze that was the opposite of what he looked at me with.

“Oh, El Seneca, may you burn the wicked and repel the darkness that whispers.”

The holy spell that spread with the murmur.

The holy order stronger than the one Naelun had seen before wrapped around the black magician as if it was a fact.

He struggled, but it was a meaningless act since he had no strength, and he was under the influence of the barrier.

“Look into my eyes.”

“Kkeuueuk…”

“What is your name?”

The black magicians followed the priest’s instructions with an insulting face. He was struggling to resist somehow, so his teeth were clacking.

“…Alcup.”

“Yes, Alcup. What was the purpose of coming to Juleng?”

“Experiment… and the creation of the essence… and…”

“And?”

“…The annihilation of Juleng.”

Bopiro’s complexion hardened.

So did the others. His disgust deepened.

“Why did you do such a thing?”

“Perhaps… For chaos…”

“…Chaos? You mean perhaps? Who ordered you?”

“A…eueue…”

Alcup’s words couldn’t continue anymore.

Suddenly, he screamed and clawed at his face. He was unable to repeat the order of Bopiro, because the black power burst.

Black blood flowed from his eyes.

The blood did not stop at his eyes, but gushed out from all the holes in his ears, nose, and mouth like a fountain.

“What, what?”

“…Everyone, move away.”

A foul stench.

Alcup’s face dried up in an instant. Even without Bopiro’s words, everyone could feel that something was wrong.

The black magicians who had thrown up the blood, had exuded evil energy as if he was squeezing out his last soul.

The group guarded, but instead of covering us, it spread out into the air.

“Morn…ing….”

That was his last word.

There was no sign of life in the withered flesh. The strange formula that had been floating all over the body was also disappearing as if it was melting.

‘Is it perhaps…’

I frowned, and the others seemed to have trouble keeping up with the urgent development.

Then, a low and cold voice rang out.

“It got away…?”

Miriam, in a rare display of distress, was looking at the inside of the forest.

It was at that moment that the group’s gaze followed.

A ghastly cry resounded. It was a monster. We could quickly tell that it wasn’t just one or two.

The cries, which gradually increased, grew in size as if it would swallow the entire forest. No, it quickly approached as if it couldn’t be satisfied with the forest.

“Nothing is going as planned.”

The tension, which had been relaxed, was tightened again.

Two notification windows blocked my view at that time.