Chapter 158
gcrMMaybe because of the lingering demonic magic rattling his mind, Verian let out a groan at the stabbing pain that pierced through him, as if his head were about to explode.x2Bgm
3s07qPY“You filthy damned corrupt! You think I’m easy?!”fE6czrx
Nv4eIEven so, he clenched his teeth and raised his aura.OHO
JCAbYAn uncontrollable fury boiled inside him.BUnWFZ
dBJelWhy was he the one who had been attacked twice?hQi
NoSOYNyWhy did he have to face it a third time?1uRtKW
kKt“How dare you try to brainwash me…?”2dq
05H“I hate your kind!”yPYBrH
VVGThe first time he was contaminated by demonic magic, he ended up as Fernan’s servant.ViOkFfv
8y79The second time, he was tortured with water by that so-called saint.fIZ7VL
XtqAnd even though it all eventually led him to meet Fernan and Aint, it wasn’t like he could be thankful for it.ax6Z
IqSHSBesides, it’s not like the corrupt had done it for his sake.QGLM
mImxyA gray aura burst out around him.vRu9
ik2Tmi“Die!”0vW
6PIoKaKThe blow went straight for the corrupt’s neck.WX8NU
Z0VwBut just then…r0iW
ztz“……!”xmBT
GLaAn overwhelming pressure filled the space.NZR
0QWWnsBoth Verian and the corrupt froze in place.NSdxe
Fxce“Well done, student Verian.”dnb8c
9pTACreak.zsmZ
kSYEbVThe old shop door opened.pA8r
KHBQ“Thanks to you, we were able to detect demonic magic.”gU1
V7KH“…Mr. Rector?”9SIrE
p7uIt was the rector of the Academy.322oP
YRrDH“What a pain. No matter how much we hunt them down, there are always more hiding. They’ve got more lives than cockroaches.”YrVx3
WcabM5jHe extended his hand.sq728
H8reNThe corrupt’s body was dragged toward his palm like drawn by a magnet.Xt8A6G
MriqW“Kh…!”R5N
y0399DyThe corrupt groaned in pain.c93VuBm
sPVJEW“Come on, tell me. How many more like you are inside this Academy?”KBLmelt
xewLv“You think I’ll answer you?”mnk
1R1q“You will. Or you’ll die.”N5CxQjg
o0n8“This is a sacrifice for the sake of the Great Ones! I do not fear death!”0NatH
nekFSuddenly, the body of the supposed shop owner—the corrupt—began to swell.zFtWloH
j9DoMv“They say corrupts tend to commit suicide through explosion. Looks like Fernan was right.”Ej0AJ
0Za9MZBut tell me, do you really know who’s standing in front of you?TWL
hLtFThe rector’s magical energy burst forth violently.acD
Zzj52SHis brutal mana crushed the demonic magic and forcibly interrupted its flow.TB0v
1VnThe corrupt’s body, which was about to explode, returned to its original form.9jzXglF
uOWzI“I didn’t give you permission to die.”cejuZg
iLbJezUThe rector smiled.h0qY
6zD“…Foolishness.”5e8
8eZpSThe corrupt sneered.7KG
I2NSKR“The Great Ones have granted me that permission. So what if you don’t? What can you do about it?”0JsCk
YA1d4L“I can stop your suicide, for one…”tR18
ilvwP7But at that moment, the book Verian was holding in his hands began to burn.Qm1Bgo
t2Q088Z“What…?”ULK
Zy4eStartled by the black flames, Verian threw the book.7Swr
qBUViBut it was too late.eWU
VFxVzXYFrom within the flames, a massive surge of demonic energy burst forth, distorting the rector’s spatial control.cr1y
gVHXJqThe corrupt’s body began to swell again.nbj7
C2lk5sKAnd this time, the process was twice as fast.MoKYbC
7w3Tmyx─！0Xln
gqnThe explosion was instant.dcIcX2X
TLPGThe rector didn’t manage to stop the suicide.rpsI
b20qy5He barely managed to contain the blast so it wouldn’t destroy everything around them.RrC
3klQlThe corrupt’s body left no corpse, only disintegrated into black dust carried away by the wind.GCLbaG
Mq8“…He beat us. And the book?”IDM1
QRsThe rector checked the charred remains of the book but found nothing useful.v9x2
pMEH“Are you alright?”bDD
rXp2“…Yes. Thanks to you.”sFS
4MbsNbVerian was panting, trying to catch his breath.a1wb
JYNC***SnlKRl
bY8Z“Stay away.”6J9
06IHis body was trembling.jAV3J
HDHDMwIt wasn’t fear. Verian didn’t get scared by something of that level.1ZW2F6
fcOpXA“Don’t come near me!”Km06
Nty0y1TIt was pure instinct. A reaction etched into memory. And no wonder—it wasn’t exactly a good memory.IqxcZTp
jS8L“Sorry, but that won’t be possible.”dYgIa6
y8wiJace approached with a gentle smile.JeFpr
UbCj“You yourself said that demonic magic entered your body.”T5gw4
iaT5M“But I expelled it with my aura!”S7W6k45
xKGy“Are you completely sure about that?”jyFIyQ4
Z9Y9g1P“I am! Of course I am!”n6lLZG
uVjvHA“Many people make the mistake of thinking that what they believe is always true.”XZw
KT5ui“It’s not a mistake!”hZhl
UbJn0hT“Then you have nothing to fear, right? We just need to check.”5UQeSuv
1kgpypcJace brought out a demonic magic detection artifact.9ama
2e1gBut Verian’s eyes weren’t on him.vyN3t
B56RThey were on Fernan and Aint, watching from the back as they sipped tea, completely indifferent.LzJNPP
stxLEe“I just have to do this?”JgWUI8
oqOWaG0“Aint will personally verify it.”C03hZc
JagHt“Show him the inside of my body…?”mFyLCnq
YSLU“There are corrupts who can’t be detected by the Church’s artifacts. You know that well.”XZzq
zLqjT“No, I didn’t.”lHMbuIF
3lw“Then consider it a lesson.”3wggKO0
88cdX‘Damn it…’cb62
MzfvVerian cursed silently, but there was no escape.E4zgy
vsoz9It deeply unsettled him that Aint would be the one to inspect his interior, but he couldn’t deny he felt a bit uneasy himself.tx0u
GeQPpkcHad he really expelled all the demonic magic?ex8UMa
SpCyYSBIn the end, he held out his hand.IytrVQ
FeEVKX“Just do it quickly.”U5j
ssRezKE“Don’t say it like you’re doing me a favor.”FqCT56
eKuAint’s energy entered his body.XpIE
JkKJVWNHe felt immense disgust at the foreign magic coursing through him, but he clenched his teeth and shut his eyes.wBVzP
4iHWO4ZThe result didn’t take long.gtjaqP
g7Mv84“There’s not a trace of demonic magic.”Rsjlo
6JGO“Are you serious, Aint?”v2Z0
hja“Yes. It’s true.”Dse07y
dgKdHearing that, the saint sighed in disappointment and put away the vial of holy water.BqpB
KjG“…What’s that face of yours supposed to mean?”2gnAQT
VOpPU“My face?”kPIsbiC
kOaThe saint kept smiling gently.jqI
IMbId0A“But beyond that—Verian, congratulations.”GO1JJB
hfGLPx3“Eh? What are you talking about now?”eNgEqec
zS4K“You’ve broken through the barrier.”daUq
hVWrpdSAt those words, Verian frowned.l5D
sA69“I’ve broken… what?”dFom
TVDUQ4He looked at himself.Ac9okXY
jl7QmuKAnd then, he understood.O79EJ
YTyH1Aint’s words were true.CQAiE
2pqU‘When did it happen?’pUvElom
omWHe could only think of one moment—when he resisted the corrupt’s mental manipulation with all his strength.7DnHii
48tVHis body had been a mess, but through sheer will to not be possessed again, he had unified his aura and consciousness.6KAlgL
QU9IH‘Was it then…?’Dvo8Ey
XxhKHe’d been so wrecked inside that he hadn’t been able to analyze his condition until now.sEV4R
y6ov2k‘I feel an overwhelming power.’2WspPnz
rW9E5His understanding of swordsmanship and aura control had become far sharper.1wcy
nCLA strong wave of competitiveness surged within him.H13fxFQ
cqeTy9H“Aint, let’s go.”92botQ
d0y8KHe wanted to test it. To see what his new level was.B4FekcI
W34kN2cMaybe, just maybe, now he could fight on equal footing.DGfD4M9
1q7“Whenever you’re ready.”xVnu
aeO5hAint didn’t decline.MMA
avNk2O“…Damn it.”6lri
3cQ5Q3Verian added three more defeats to his record.WzDH
V9QQ***rGIBj
0sLo“There’s something strange.”apkHH
si5sWg“I think so too.”Jke8N
xTxKZOkAt Aint’s comment, Fernan nodded.uau2
yWogThe corrupt were experts at concealing demonic magic—to the point that even the rector had admitted his limits and consulted Aint in the past.TMs
s8jyfFrom that perspective, too many things were off in this case.Atr
KPlgLL8That they had approached Verian, someone with a direct connection to Aint… That they exposed themselves just when the rector was more alert than ever…jcRoXu
Tq6af7“Do you think they did it on purpose?”7l7d
eeEBut even if it was intentional, some things didn’t add up.cT3c
KRpGi“If they did it intending to be discovered, what would they gain from it?”QJe6
JdC31Nothing.90nsXp
OYvUsually, when you sacrifice something, you expect to gain something else in return.dJryi
i6VGive meat to get bone, as the saying goes.WEmLTm
kds6ZddBut this time, the corrupt self-destructed without getting any bone in return.VYR
NpJCTIYThat only made things more confusing.hGo5UIX
WN3y“What if we think in reverse?”N9eGO
628h“Reverse?”FCiwP
RtZeJace, who had been listening silently, proposed a different possibility.8utc
TVDBxn“It’s not that they wanted to be discovered.NDZ
boSuEEIt’s that they tried not to be, but failed.”kdyAxl
GsHWNRyAnd from that perspective, everything made more sense.ORv0S
omYaVerian Kalburdern was the direct heir of one of the Empire’s most prestigious houses.FuQq
IHpRonBAnd he had direct contact with Aint and Fernan—the two most feared targets by the corrupt.b7CH
fHQtUbIf they could turn him into one of them, it would be the perfect infiltration.8sBuQ
AS6w“Verian was already corrupted once, and they failed. If they could turn him again this time, they would’ve achieved the impossible.”hCZUXx
Tu3DxFernan had explained to Jace that Verian had once been corrupted.3ppB
AmWWlDhMaybe that’s why Jace wasn’t so surprised. He had purified him once before, after all.6qiYC
IYA“Right. If they turned him again, it would be a direct blow to our core.”3IH
yCoXL“And they failed this time. Since they’d succeeded twice already, maybe they thought it would be easy. That they could do it quietly.”i4Vn9
AzHvcVerian, who had been listening silently, suddenly exploded.T5w
qVLumC“I didn’t even become a corrupt that one time!”gTz
qYqDS“Shut up, you were used twice already.”xXO
USJcO“You damn maniac! People should know you torture innocent folks with water!”REfIy
rPGiaEv“I purified him. It was just a minor discomfort in the process.”aAN
yXN4The saint made the sign of the cross and murmured a brief prayer.ieCN
HeG“Luina, what do you think?”uFU6xBe
BWw“The saint’s theory makes the most sense. If not, why would the corrupt self-destruct? They got nothing out of it.”Vyt
F7p7“And you, Aint?”jLb
ZotfT“I think the same. It’s the most probable explanation.”HIVTc
uSxIH“I agree.”0Ah4
k7mT“Me too.”KYGk8
NOsThe truth was, they couldn’t think of any other possibility.zCTCkBA
BQHFATAnd when that happened, the simplest explanation was usually the right one.9uF7usk
dGkD“The corrupt might try to approach you after this. Stay alert.”DbDx
9wj8U“We will.”IrD9
Xhk“Yes.”1yKwTT
VkWJF“Of course.”cvOR2v
FKcsaThe meeting ended, and one by one, they began leaving the secret room.OCD4D4
wf8As he watched them go, Fernan remained behind with a certain sense of emotion.jOLHA
SvFLuina, Jace, Aria, Verian, and Aint.WAijG8
XZNpNot long ago, it seemed like all that awaited him was ruin.QFDY7gp
eHnUTAnd now, he stood shoulder to shoulder with people whose names were already appearing in the prophecy book, fighting against demons.miC
0MY9A year ago, he wouldn’t have imagined it.8pcLsq
I6Ae‘But it’s still not enough.’fBw
DmQEdEven though Timon Baertz, that weirdo, had recently joined, it was still too little if Aint wanted to form a real force.0VLC8A
oef‘We need to gather more.’sij4
ujT57Especially those named in the prophecy as the strongest.HC9n8w
SKaAL‘First, Varus.’4HoIc
fOuVarus was one of the companions named in the book.cn8
xdJpA trustworthy mercenary—straightforward, greedy, but principled.WPrexs
Q0pL“Aint, when is Varus coming back?”pQP4mR
oIz“He said he’s returning next semester.”35vy7F
0As2Not bad, but not ideal either.qDd9t0K
MShEEt‘Varus will become his companion anyway. He saved his life, so that won’t change.’Q8n4ZL
jKSuXMfBut Fernan wanted more.tnfM
vkOcTHe wanted allies who, even if they weren’t in the book, were worth it.I7xiz
KXMMKPfLike, for example—GbbtD6I
rKvqr‘Someone like Ludger…’T4Qf
b36MsPZSchwaben and Armian couldn’t coexist.sJnUZy
don8zSNBut only because both wanted the throne.r8bfZ
lWrbWhat if Ludger gave up his interest in the crown?NH0c1LF
dgb‘What if the Grand Principality of Schwaben directly supported Armian?’znxVJMD
YyBBw8Schwaben was the most powerful of the seven electors.KG4C
fbpkShIf Ludger lent even part of that power to help Aint, the situation would shift drastically.93kYUU
gr0xwq‘For that, Ludger needs more pressure. Maybe if the first prince asserts himself a bit more at the prince-elector meeting…’WBs
9h182At that moment, Hyde entered the room.r48KZkt
PRSFW4v“Young master.”kGezuf
ZqmBa“What is it?”UZkoEK
ELuD“You should see this.”TgExqd0
xz2ZgXIt was a newspaper.5nB6VG
D2Ngn【Discovery of the century! Rosalia Vienderk develops semi-permanent magic stone — shakes the Continental Research Conference!】pGS
Z3hl【Duke Yvon Pellenberg declares: ‘Magic stone combinations are worth studying. They will affect many fields.’】C9snvLG
Iwmroy【Rosalia’s magic stone shows surprising efficiency!】zUt9cP
xpn“…She did it!”Xi6ZnPs
7b9R2gFernan jumped to his feet, pushing the chair back in excitement.D2gi
CEmiC“Yes!”W98eT
sTIHRosalia had finally done it.rrF0N
5hpr“Now it’s time to make money!”qXYT
b4NLQvaAt last, his long-term investment was starting to pay off.qQwk
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