Chapter 108: Karma
GAaIK6hThe strike had ended.tlDxIZ
hlkBcpRThe conflicts had also been resolved.8GCrOh
m5UMThe incidents that had occurred in Hestia Village could, for the time being, be considered completely under control.75wNl
kPOOf course, for the people of Hestia, the problems had been resolved.sV1t9I
sWouBut for Perda, much more serious matters still remained.ERAE
FKbk‘The return of the demons.’2PtmRzW
JevOT0In the end, the prediction of Bernard Wayne, the rector of Escolea, had been correct.uCFR
8DfgrTZIt had been confirmed that Curved Demon, one of the former members of the Seven Evil Stars, was still alive.FxyO
AlXyu‘And he’s strong.’a0Yr1ju
qhxRwThe amount of magical power he displayed was not particularly large.R6HBO2n
IEMBut its depth was different.YfQhId
Ez5ANThe ability to open a subspace with a simple movement of a finger.VyL
UqkPThe power to distort and destroy a designated location with a mere snap.MrY
ijdQAll of that exceeded Perda’s capabilities.blMzpwC
ov0Fm‘If I were to face him again, could I win?’FrOk
2YPt5The cards Perda possessed.zTZ
0zvQFAnd the data he had obtained from observing Curved Demon.dhYOMM
cXtHe replayed that battle hundreds of times within his mind.jST7
nxB‘The chances of victory barely reach the decimal places.’kmD
XQZL3IAnd even that favorable prediction assumed the appearance of an unexpected miracle.22m
q43pgMoreover, the Curved Demon in his simulations was limited only to the abilities he had managed to identify.qOap
V1dOWmNIf they fought seriously and he revealed hidden cards, Perda would have no way to respond.q9S
IqIIn other words.yZMM1j
3qgKqWDPerda’s probability of victory was practically approaching zero.zkPqNTR
QuQUN‘I need to become stronger.’AiqYT
Po0K3He needed to reach a higher level.zm0f
7hwA power capable of crushing him.CaRBa
zpSK4‘But is that even possible right now?’DVIym
MfaHe had obtained a territory.VFaf
SHdlAnd he had to coordinate everything that existed under the Grand Duchy.2l8kO
66mNIf the workload was already abundant, it would only increase.fW5
PR9And the busier he became, the more he would neglect both his magical training and his responsibilities.TZiqQT3
MlEa‘Perhaps I should train even harder precisely now?’z4v
gAHWBut if things were that simple, life would be much more comfortable.wN8
SgJr8The Red Circle moves according to emotional fluctuations.v62
zWpPcThey say that love and hatred are separated by a single sheet of paper.B6PyY
8lFThat is why the term love-hate exists.Ww07D
SjnIf he fell into the wrong emotions, he would end up walking once again down the path of hatred that he knew so well.kJdfb
2uDwOnly through restraint and determination could he achieve proper growth.YFj0
tcptmZ‘But even then, how much stronger could I become?’5CReP
6GUHe had a lamp.fUigzMN
0LqBut it was absurdly insufficient to dispel all the fog.iNe54
gjR4JPerda did not know what lay at the end of the path he was walking.oD8WTz
wP0M29‘If I could use that power again…’iILCQ
yveUJThe Red Circle driven by rage.zKEvgBf
YwFm4BIt was a path he knew.6P1k
I1siWvAnd he also knew how to walk it.YCyk
ZpjTsPerhaps with that power he could easily defeat someone like Curved Demon.YyvtGv
MjrPerhaps.PJXVq3
kRAzThen he shook his head as if he had just awakened.TcxM9U0
De9s‘…I’m truly desperate.’dYOwKz4
HMXXFe5He never imagined he would end up considering such a foolish idea.e47d
uEsqqYThat power must never exist again under any circumstances.qiGq
Opgz47After all, it had been the emotion that ultimately killed Valdrova.6m6
Wj2CqHe must never believe he could control it.eXWBG
JtZ3LLWPerda had lived deceived for ten years precisely because he thought that.FGkmN
8795KjCAs if fleeing from those thoughts, he moved on to the next topic.Znc
4qY‘Then I need tools…’R8NZ
ZC2oA staff imbued with mana.bNu
Q3n0FScrolls covered in magic circles.HVVQ
UqHIqNOr even products created through magitech.vkvOFaa
Ihyh2oZAll of them could become his weapons.C5pg0
2RDy‘What I used in the past…’vvjCR
D8fCIt was the staff known as the Sixth Element.qVn0
Tc3LThe ultimate weapon obtained after an entire week of combat inside the Tomb of the Immortal King.Mt4H8B
iMf‘That cannot be used.’z9ML
cvbX6vKIt was a relic of the Immortal King.HM6
bOU5X6A public enemy of the continent during the era before the Dragon-Demon War.Rz2
ZMotbSAt that time, Perda was alone.Mwl7b
7yTHe was practically a criminal.PPM27fR
KrFWhether he used it or not did not matter.1KpEA
dITONWThe only thing at stake was his own reputation.xOy6T
uKLGXZNow it would be different.LUuK4l
Yiw6BWHHe could put Valdrova in danger.ePyT3M
gC7T‘But there is something comparable.’P0Gw4
bGL5Fg3The branch struck by the Heaven-Defying Lightning.2smA
iWp1kEThe reward he had received for his achievements during the monster crisis in Hallim.tvXJgT4
Ss1yOY8Until now, he had simply stored it away without showing it to anyone.p1VrE
zqXhxssIf he made a staff from it, he could wield the immense pure power of the Heaven-Defying Lightning.5QNi
XCx503‘But making it won’t be easy either.’g36J5
g7PoThe more powerful and efficient a spell is, the greater its difficulty.ifqS
rmxQPerhaps a hundred years ago it would have been possible.XvnujX
bFiBl1But in the current era, there were no enchanters or blacksmiths capable of enduring such power.yNmCSuk
YndTAEven the dwarves of the southwest would reject anything connected to a witch.5b0
Pik5mxAnd if he went to the elves, they would probably feel insulted.A1FWkw
7WeJ‘I’ll have to persuade the dwarves.’1w4gMj
Lu4DPerhaps, if he insisted enough, they would eventually agree.scqC
fiMIt was then that a visitor arrived.3owa
m78Knock.nx5
qKXKKnock.xOjeU
1W5QCE1Slow and hesitant knocks.S2cb
MQX1sJust hearing them conveyed a lack of confidence.Wfc0d
7rJ8XThe door opened carefully.FlkQGtc
nuW0cG3“Lord Perda? Are you busy?”DrG
a4qRZThe terrifying head of a dragon appeared.UjEv
e796FsjIt was Valdrova.OMH
QWA“No. I’m free. Do you need more mana?”jt9aB
qg8u8“Yes. A little today as well…”3Yy
foN1hn4“Understood.”HqEFj1
JJuThey were already so accustomed to it that they no longer needed lengthy conversations.Cum227l
h2b2FatShe was wearing the Dragon Knight armor, which easily exceeded two meters in height.IWi3l
VzS10DThe only exposed part was her right hand.ie9S9
A7KPerda placed his own hand over it and let his mana flow.qScX8
aOZVRu‘It’s still warm.’XRO
MjF2j4The mana that entered her chest soothed all anxiety.wnLW
5DASgShe had felt it countless times.E9aqeAi
9IWCua2And yet she wanted to feel it again and again.F0bw
OktebpAThat sensation calmed her deeply.B1xgNaf
pZMxSo much so that she even forgot why she had come.c2K
CJoYxEu‘That’s not why I came here!’QF1ZSp
nioShe had gathered the courage to come because she had made a major decision.bFqvJ
6KY‘I want to try leading the conversation myself today.’lkb10rF
mPKpbyAfter all, that was precisely why she kept doing this.OeZzk
7tALFfIAnd there was something she truly wanted to know.qVwo6
aSW‘What does Lord Perda think of the Armored Knight?’BhiNVS
89ddHer heart pounded violently.IZH
w3bThinking about it, that question was not so different from asking what he thought of her.dna
ImwSyzY‘I’m going to ask.’KiG0Uj
mjGTOXValdrova suppressed the violent beating of her heart as best she could and opened her mouth with difficulty.7P6
edCTU“L-Lord Perda!”Gjf
jmDbcC“Yes?”gMk1MLc
98CP“Um… Ruri told me something a little while agooo…”Jgr
GZnThe words stumbled out awkwardly.03Pq
wXqeGTBecause of the voice modulator, it sounded to Perda like a melancholy echo.7p3
VYlUSHe responded calmly.UMSCtA
pId“What exactly about?”hm1zEe
pHiEjf“W-Well… t-that the Armored Knight did something amaaaazing…”0HwaP
sdCXu0eShe ended up biting her tongue.j5Z2
wUqiggHer momentum vanished instantly.OvnR
OwC“I… I heard about it…”aFkjH
pZAHOx“Ah. You mean that person?”EwN8
ks1LPerda seemed surprised.ywY6F2
SSCHe did not understand why she was suddenly interested in such a topic.0GIqU
LpXes2eValdrova desperately held back the truth that was trying to escape from her mouth.cgxTiH
PqC“Ruri said that… he’s someone who cares very deeply about the village.”Oli
bY6dwrE“That’s true.”5B1hjd
lZdK8WThat was true.XN70kH8
NudAAnd hearing it, Valdrova’s anxiety turned into excitement.6iN7slT
yWno“Really?”iSe
7PylamU“Yes. At the beginning, when we had not yet received support from Hallim, his strength played an enormous role. Thanks to him, we were able to put up many buildings much more quickly.”cqDd
W8uqE“I-Is that so?”6gHLo
kM5Z9oSo he thinks I was helpful.ybFzzT
Wu6sI0kA sense of pride involuntarily arose within her.GXDMv
VGllmZ“At first I was worried he might be some rebellious element with traitorous tendencies, but…”5F3
YWWeafO“But?”Lasr
FKVIb5“It turned out I was mistaken.”LoWfdS
H1j1HTkA voice that had found a small hope.BYFz7
Ajz“Does that mean he’s a good person?”v0Pm0kr
S5j“Yes. He’s a good person.”2JU3maH
umR0D68Valdrova felt as though she could spread her wings and fly away at any moment.Rb8Os
82sRgTs“But he has quite a few problems in many respects.”LQJ
ru8Jfib“…Huh?”Jmqjnxx
nGZXThat happiness did not last long.XjVJ
5TFbThe higher you climb, the harder the fall.JjI0
mWF“I think he’s a rather foolish person.”Z2abrji
M0horH“F-Foolish?”84aN
KUjFH“For heaven’s sake. He wears a knight’s armor and maintains a Vow of Silence. More than anyone else, he should rely on writing, but his handwriting is terrible and he doesn’t even know how to spell properly.”kzWBrBJ
MGty“……”oaAb
mMe“Someone like that, if he crosses paths with the wrong people, will end up ruining his life. Frankly, I’m a little worried about him.”9uCgkE3
3I9Zs“……”MDuVX
M7zqvLPerda discreetly glanced at her hand.dslsnVU
DxgBU“Are you alright?”aRxn
lF0xdt“M-Me?”6uTEo
Phj“Your hand is completely red.”a4G
YeHThat hand, which looked like white jade, had turned red as a carrot.s1f3jk
WvFValdrova noticed it as well and hurriedly pulled it back.gJDSm4X
b67“I-It’s nothing…”v8HdyvR
7L7k“It looks like some kind of rejection reaction. Perhaps I should examine it more closely…”jh9VcEb
rJiLjp“I-Really! It’s nothing important, so you don’t need to worry!”dduLdu
64VValdrova jumped to her feet.QZtB74P
MrH1k7Perda was startled by the sudden reaction.nWlekqh
nln“I think I’ll leave a little early today.”c2mONLO
G6i“Is it already enough? It seems to me that I’ve given you less mana than usual.”4PJ
JEo“Yes. It’s just that I need a little energy for something else.”5CEQS
fr9vIisHaving said that, she practically fled.61OZ
C9eNYa7Watching her leave, Perda realized that he had made a mistake.r77h5ya
GoJEkIG‘Speaking badly about someone is definitely not a good idea.’JIwlXRy
dcFQu3lHe had tried to soften his words quite a bit.kbYLj
6MK5WIBut apparently it had not been enough.uafF
tKzShe had brought up the topic with effort in order to talk to him.z5ukUD
7ECbUMAnd he ended up making her uncomfortable.ssJ0M
OXFNAD5‘Next time I should avoid it.’sGY
bdRWith that thought, Perda decided to leave it for another occasion.vD4
wZd***LwTLWDQ
iJmZ69Valdrova returned directly to her lair.QZQH4ol
LhVMrfShe stepped out of the armor and collapsed onto the floor.YaCgS
GFCUnlike usual, she hugged her legs.WvlG5gB
lsQSe“Uuu…”zcH
TccA small whimper escaped her.Hd05QXw
Mruwp2Her body trembled slightly.6Ii
YokaUb“My Lady, it’s Ruri. I’m coming in.”W5Y1Kze
io6dyRuri entered the room.NSYa
Tvyp24The first thing she saw was Valdrova transformed into a genuine human cocoon.1cCkKP7
dgX2i“…What are you doing?”AGvju
Huf7ro“Ruriii…”aZYUbqm
LD8Ala3Valdrova lifted her head when she heard her name.C8p
ZpNjHer face was as red as her hair.tlb7Lm
A9ua“……”GWkSG
QLR0phJRuri knew perfectly well what was happening.Pyj
gMivAfter all, she had listened to the entire conversation.LYKN
yEgUWith tears gathering in her eyes, Valdrova buried her face against the chest of her small servant.RhQW
NlZu“Tell me.”DNj
AWv1gY“Lord Perda… Lord Perda says I’m foolish…”EsVusdX
MPV“……”GvY
8jVYEo“Couldn’t you at least deny it?”YlSTSOL
3rNvShe looked at her with teary eyes.fxm4
VwFnXBut Ruri did not react at all.Bai
nGw“Didn’t I always tell you to study a little more?”DBEyUK
xDSF“I did study… I did study, buuut…”S2qODec
UgS1LY“And besides, it’s something you’ve heard countless times. Is it really worth reacting like this?”UCi
ZeHUIs“Of course Lorga told me too. And lots of other people as well…”xkN3M5h
xRuValdrova hugged her legs even tighter as she complained in a sad voice.e3DV6T
idl“But it hurts more when Lord Perda says it.”1am4c
dxK“He didn’t even say it directly to you.”TG8Jblo
hd1GJe“That’s why it hurts even more! He’s always kind to me, but deep down he must think I’m unbelievably foolish.”macYsrd
GyYf6“……”Owa4
u8LJx5“Please contradict him. I’m really going to cry.”QT6
1WVcRuri’s lack of response only made Valdrova feel even more miserable.pUy
h7WiyV“You have nothing to worry about. If you make an effort, My Lady, I’m sure he will recognize those qualities as well.”lQI1IB
OaQncek“Really?”iFf8
IBoDt“That’s why…”5lY
eIjJBRuri held out two books to her.PJft5F
9w7Od[Easy Spelling for Children]rAME5
XfoBLhV[How to Become an Elegant Lady for Children: Let’s Learn to Write Beautifully!]S6SMK
5z8Valdrova alternated her gaze between Ruri and the two books.uGK
CwJ6i0CFinally, she spoke with difficulty.2EG33U
9WBtMo6“…Yes.”Pnc
eclIt is never too late to learn.3GG3Nd
DUrj***Gb2r
fRDThat night, Perda dreamed.3qWGxf
eyGValdrova was there.n7Ntqv
crlW0GBut they were not in the castle.7H4cp
V9ZUVIt was a small house.vdqN3
9uLQA humble home, similar to the ones Perda had lived in after he was expelled from the castle and lost all his money.8oae
tLqMHKO‘It’s a dream.’p3k4mT
vKc9It did not seem to be a nightmare.DwrLY
KOB3DSo he decided to simply remain seated until he woke up.QS5E
9qZtbRn“You’re awake already?”OLLgxA
Gm7RA gentle voice caressed his ears.rbrS3
HvwFfxPerda had heard that voice only once.pGT
ncyzHe raised his head with suspicion.9oxQ
u99Long red hair.Vxqh21
7iRQWVFGolden eyes.8DKR
fxNoubShe had no horns and no slit pupils.LuebBf
HZeShe wore simple clothing.ZNeST
6WnerABut Perda knew perfectly well who she was.w8Z7gI
QmBrD‘There’s no doubt.’RagK
qLiGYIt was Valdrova.oqTM8rR
7abBa“What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”tkB
Oy6yxeVHer hand gently caressed Perda’s cheek.A2qs6CQ
ekOj3A warm and comforting sensation enveloped him completely.pQBhJV9
gCJMI85As if he had returned home.pH8G
RN0OYWhen she saw Perda’s expression relax, Valdrova smiled sweetly.w3WmqD
1hYxmPerhaps because she was holding his hand.A91XWL
zTwOq0The sensation felt so real that he even found himself thinking he would not mind being trapped in that dream forever.gW0159
58xeLd9“Shall we do that?”acAxPq
Nxb“That…?”6s9x
Fw7toPerda reacted without understanding.v8fCE6
56AqN9WValdrova looked at him with an amused smile.N9go6qC
H0EKThen she leaned toward him.jjUsKX
Gik3Rk“What you do best.”nx6
cm3Her soft hand took Perda’s.oOlVUAB
iFKSiFVHe could not resist.hllBaF
VdKHe was simply dragged along.28DhML
xe7She guided his hand to her neck.yJ3ttOB
hMfMXUWPerda was strangling her.592NWZ
yvEuAcD“Come on. Kill me.”jVrJ
ifCdVD6Perda flinched and tried to pull his hand away.qEr
TB7jXBut he could not move it.2Su
fRCHis hand remained firmly fixed in place.t7zmlDL
eDB1OxAnd the more he struggled, the more force it exerted.6Jh
uUN4pBlood began to flow from those golden eyes.IScTfKq
XTdValdrova’s figure began to melt and distort.8Vu
UzI— Why?X8Z
TqIPBA heartrending scream came from her mouth.i7FHdw
acIBs— Why did you kill me?AEv
Cq5viZkCountless voices swam through Perda’s mind.7IA9
pGYSmMGThis was karma.i2aCO
wGeThe karma of all the acts he had committed.AZK8bnB
OWnMXaA karma impossible to avoid even if he returned to the past.J9ipGKD
s9cgEThey say that karma always comes back to strangle you.hvbNBKX
PGV3But Perda’s karma did the exact opposite.jtAbI
M9B1EIt forced him to strangle.Q4Ymb
XOFdoPXTo strangle the neck of the person he should love most.9tr6
uhk7Because karma knew perfectly well what Perda’s greatest pain was.eNAjK
5Jtv— Why? Why? Why?HLLD5a
QjRS— I didn’t do anything…xwDxF
xXVL— Give me back my father!AJfzgLq
ZEoHfeThe chaotic voices grew louder and louder.3VbfB
vzwThe pressure on that delicate neck increased.VPnS
RbB8mAnd at the end of that chaos.IsNggwj
JlYAbsolute silence arrived.XEvQQ
Fg7znhnHad he awakened?qWO1U7
qeZftRNo.QRu
AfYKAKHe could still clearly feel the touch of that neck beneath his fingers.lR7m
WP6Perda.0o75Xh0
RNPwxzThen he heard a voice.Vw4i
3sPpNow, listen to my voice once again.pvPboIt
PzahSIt was an incredibly sweet voice.02YZQGS
CcxVRemember who you are.Rj5
w0CjuEAh…WEEN
wAhkBfI am…b1Uv
KfhQw4Crunch—Z3Z
dJei***1bB
Y3ke5SWith the sound of something cracking and breaking apart, he opened his eyes.ZMrAol
SPTQLCold sweat ran all over his body, leaving behind an unpleasant sensation.W6trsw
LsdCBut there was something even more unpleasant.aMNMx
H7mbI9n‘The circuit…’rLlwI
0JAThe Red Circle was spinning violently.y4sQwL4
1bQ4fAgain.nXEJ6
OldlAlthough it was not related to his feelings toward Valdrova, the circuit in his chest was rotating ferociously.XFp
2ebAPerda forced himself to sit up.WLNnoOF
7THHe emptied his mind.mRb
dnuUn3He left it completely blank, with nothing remaining inside.epLzJ
iVntA short while later, Perda’s circle calmed down once more.5I0Q
Zg3It was even easier than he had feared.p8byB6U
CmLRBut that very ease was what disgusted him the most.Epjeaf
Aj6FBecause it meant he already knew the answer.Y9aK21
peK‘Why…?’QP9TD
keHIt led him to a feeling of déjà vu.f2W306h
P0Vi4tA feeling that should never exist within Perda.8rsT1DG
kZ9DJsJ‘Why is there still hatred left inside me?’HWP5naW
GRgangoBecause that had been exactly what turned Perda into the Nine-Circle Calamity.QNqvNpN
8XueByj***BUqv
Q8t6q7DPerda’s mind was in chaos.ng0bYjC
17JQIlThis was not some absurd theory about the fate of mana.FPrK1w
PJMqThis was real.O2wnRQ
C9lHe could feel it.QfZraar
vYYbNAnd it was truly happening.GKXa
MNmanDeep down, Perda had already suspected it existed.RkW5MaR
KwO‘So that wasn’t just my imagination.’2reV
bOEafZWAbel Silverwind.MGRZ
DDOpXldThat third-rate villain who threatened Ruri.CZTX0gM
RcBJ5bA man whose name was not even worth remembering.yQGa
QuGloAt that moment, Perda had made everything within the darkness his own.bTEkk
NGdo1And in doing so, he penetrated Abel’s body and killed him instantly.2624
ihzl9TThat was not something a 4-Circle mage could accomplish.980HA
02aNNot even Perda would normally have been capable of it.d8r6
JFxwzGPPerda revisited that sensation.UzGDUi
XTrVI9qHe went back to the moment before that death.zxNudu
mKtfQ4As if slowly rewinding time.ddT5pYT
CrEfhz3— Are you just going to stand there and watch?BNEKV
XIxUngt‘The voice.’wEKs88Z
ATzIt was a sweet voice.AaDrDOz
NaDWrtThat voice stirred something inside him.5OhPLv
8gZAnd drew out power.XSBzubq
iCr6PlUThe same power fueled by rage that had once belonged to him.o1fOjJ
K8E8Kk3‘Are you telling me that even after going back in time, it’s still inside me?’hIhtjxe
0jCzUdFThe power that killed his family.VgLnUW
vu33NThe power that killed innocents.jK8Nq
Qsy7And the power that even killed the person he now loved.P577R
OqXMWaxThat power still existed within Perda.2QgqVN
pGxIA6rHe was confused.lWY16
tgiOb6This was completely different from merely worrying about the fate of mana.vV6GHOJ
046SBack then, it had been a vague concern.8ya8lm
Tu5zNow he had proof.d75a9VE
dMd7qReal proof.WBzNRgS
RBYSaOKnock. Knock. Knock.QPWx
8FvtA series of knocks sounded at the door of his bedroom.w27J6B
dOxRuri entered.Ji1MPYB
HMe“Lord Perda.”vnMPWq
PFeT“What is it?”oa69
PcJkWithout realizing it, his voice was filled with irritation.lK0w2
1oN“You have a visitor.”czKpy
I7nQ“I’m not receiving anyone today. Send them away.”2URxaj
PLHR“I thought I should ask because it’s someone you know.”y3gtmv
1kyfH9s“Someone I know?”5jAkxmX
8T5CJWho would come all the way here to see him in person?x5GK
LwjBAs countless names ran through his mind, Ruri spoke a completely unexpected one.Wvy
AIJQMP“Eremvalt Rosnova, Lord Perda’s father.”PzB
oEBcThe origin of all the hatred he carried within him.IursS
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationHis father why now out of nowhere?
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationWhat?
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationPardon me
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationShe’s have to start from the basic huh. She have long way too go.
Fernando
Qi RefinementCoincidence? I think not.