Chapter 9: As Deep as a Lake
DScxAfter the death of Tesalos Wolcher, all the lords boarded their carriages and returned home.6GMM
5OOgrzvOnly Luri and Perda remained in the assembly hall.OXO7u
Qvop“That was magnificent.”uGDE3
GsyGxLuri, looking up at Perda, clapped her small hands.BSb2vau
Gbx“Today you clearly showed who stands above. Truly impressive—your political skills are almost an art.”3USeDGX
18L1HdRShe then raised both thumbs in a double-approval gesture.EQATX
0duxPerda was suffering the side effects of mana depletion, with a throbbing headache.y3d3Egj
JwDhB5OWhile gently massaging his temples with his fingers, he replied:2Ru
0WXv7iZ“It was just an unintended outcome.”dS3VgEW
kkXHpHO“Even if it wasn’t planned, that’s how it turned out. What do you plan to do now?”6ih
a3IeX6W“What do you mean?”R4hXP
836kO5Luri furrowed her brow, as if wondering whether that was really a question.SpK
0Hw6“You just killed a noble. Even if you lean on the Queen’s prestige, this will clearly stir controversy.”LZs
Dsa99Z“Really?”nyw
ToIjfPerda recalled the scene around him and asked.yVJG
F7da“For something to be a problem, wasn’t everything far too quiet?”y2tS2rX
9Uo“Who would speak up when someone is dancing with a sword right in front of them? No fool would.”mdGknI
8WGU8“Hmm… is that so?”6OVtv
uIzeXoPerda had overlooked it all too casually, not even realizing he had committed a serious crime.Sd0RM6
iDZJbYaUpon hearing that, he at least began to acknowledge how problematic the situation was.P0zFbf5
s7lLuri, seeing his attitude, let out a soft sigh and continued.kAnD
3hQ“Besides, the victim was one of the lords who showed absolute loyalty to Valdrova. This isn’t a simple issue—it’s something much more serious.”QtTs
PU6WSnE“Was he upright?”bQc4
OEVBiKf“Moderately upright and moderately corrupt. That kind of mediocrity, in the eastern frontier, was considered the highest form of loyalty.”FtT
k78SO“If I personally killed the most loyal one, I suppose that’ll affect the engagement too, right?”dmH
lMMIhs“Of course.”00vASQ
3wb5aWWhich is why Luri’s eyes gleamed.dwzTg
o2LbjuHowever, contrary to her expectations, Perda just scratched his cheek and replied:74a2xk
7aeNzt“The engagement will go forward. If I show there was a reason he had to die, nothing will change, right?”eNYBC
8AY“Well, that’s true in a sense… but where does all that confidence come from?”O0i
tLeAccording to Luri, Perda had only met Tesalos Wolcher today.LiD
gMUtWgAnd yet, he spoke as if he knew him better than the lords who had known him for years.z5QXM
cssgt‘Why? Because he already knew.’VNBpAE
61KAmdZIf his memory was right, even now, Perda was committing a serious crime.1BH0g
7CFk“We need to visit the Wolcher lands.”ho5c
6d3xDw“You’re saying you want to stir the dust, so to speak?”wSi4aa
xSf57A“Don’t worry. It’s not dust—it’s an entire mountain. You’ll see.”kPZ02
eNRq“Very well. But before that…”ERAQVv
waS4PJMLuri pointed a finger at Tesalos’s corpse.XFkk
UPuInstantly, an invisible thread sliced through his neck, cleanly severing it.S2D
wjf94P1Luri wrapped the head in a cloth.XYld8A2
4g6“What are you keeping that for?”v32
ekA7“It’ll be needed. No matter the reason for his death, in the end, it was because he had done wrong.”92lX
wgnvPerda nodded.3YuN
Oukyqhr“Then you’ll display it publicly? Like they do with corrupt nobles?”SzWDabq
NuF“Isn’t that obvious?”MeQMV
idI1EfX“But he was supposed to be the most loyal.”9Obd2Y
bBddt2J“If you want the wedding to be called off, go ahead, be my guest. I don’t care.”J7apSZO
tdXPerda fell silent.fT5SYj9
MmAz7RkIn the end, despite everything, Luri was the one who still supported him.Mec3
BHsBr2***WOA3
X1VNThe Walcher LandsR4F
YlkgJeSThey were the easternmost frontier, right alongside the border army— and also the lands closest to Valdrova’s castle.US9b
BSF2EVF“I see… it’s darkest under the lamp. So it was here?” murmured Perda.TcV69
tktHe had never expected to find Tesalos Walcher in the southern deserts.yB2
1AtsPRUntil now, he never imagined he lived on the frontlines of the east.4zjz1P
tQXsjpAs they arrived before the inner castle, the butler hurried out.OFD
LvrYaCEven so, with the composed demeanor expected of the Walcher household, he greeted them politely.3LN
jYm“Welcome to this humble place. Unfortunately, the lord is currently away, so—”tb0Bd92
vDvj“Oh, don’t worry about that. That lord is already dead.”Qn9UT0
Rs6“…Pardon?”KbHi
5tTgThe elderly butler, clearly confused, asked again.su5Rs9
v8lt“I said the lord is dead. I’m going in. Do you know where Tesalos Walcher’s lab is?”uYMFT
Qejwk“That… but… did you say you killed the lord…?”4tSBiC
ELj9JVz“That’s enough. It’s nothing to be proud of. He likely kept things hidden. I’ll look myself.”qbF
0tsiQCWith that one-sided conversation, Perda walked past the butler and entered.1beg
x05mJKAThe old man, still at a loss, could only stare in astonishment.6URd
HvXLuri, following behind, handed the butler the package containing the head and pointed toward the sky.lvQp1y
PYo“Hang this where it can be clearly seen from the front gate.”CWduC
MLuf3“Pardon? This is…?”hP3
SNgE9And Luri went inside as well.QHv
epmMoments later, the terrified scream of the old butler echoed through the halls.XM6
fCT7K4p***zk9
vp5Tesalos Walcher.gWwh
HPvIBA bloodline of mages, exiled to the outer reaches due to political trouble.7fs
H1MA family marked by rage and resentment, nearly on the level of Perda himself.6A2hE7
Bpj5dcAs they say, “God brings together those alike”—Perda had once seen Tesalos as his first comrade.4bM7jS
rCUvH‘Tesalos Walcher hated the Empire.’RnCJWsO
uZY8He bore a Red Circle, and for that, the magical community branded him a heretic, pushing him to the fringes.QbSGA1d
fQH1fWith one goal alone, he studied magic: to kill all the nobles who had exiled him eastward.CLKE27G
fs41JHAnd what happened?TCr
LxO‘He succeeded, in a way.’nYEok
YoABut that was all he accomplished.BFn7x
helWgb‘I never saw that spell.’mrmUQ
xnnysQFBecause before he could cast it, before it even had a name, he died at Perda’s hands.ARCy8H7
SD6Gu0KJust like today—without knowing how or why.ZVd
vUDbrb4‘Now that I think about it, why did I kill him?’pmPBd
Vh1GQiLNot even Perda could remember.w5aIKp
AVXENAIt wasn’t surprising. Back then, he desperately needed a target to hate.dorL
YWPlTAnd to reach the Sixth Circle faster than anyone else, he had to become a monster—capable even of killing his benefactors.euJeIv
Suia‘It doesn’t matter.’XlK0Mv
bFh5FIt wasn’t because he thought himself righteous. What mattered was that Tesalos was someone who would one day bring sorrow to his fiancée.ytTyj3T
8KD‘Anyway, it must be somewhere around here…’Q5U
gpvGw9Perda began inspecting Tesalos’s room.Tvzm
djOJHe’d said he dedicated his whole life to his research.Zgb
LlTpOdThough he posed as a loyal servant, he clearly harbored twisted intentions.nRb2Laa
HHkcyWhile searching, Perda finally found something.iWLxC
wEjU“Here it is.”hSgEVMT
ZTKzuIt was under the bed.fgSHHp
1aqdtThe tiled floor didn’t line up properly, and a strange breeze seeped through the cracks.Hg0P8
ib7oP“So you hid a secret room under the bed.”d57YL
kzQJO“Are you going to open it?”qqra9
T1eAM“Of course. I’ll look for the mechanism… wait a sec—”9GpZTJ
Nlw1Crash!WkMwkE
hLmwBefore he could finish, a loud crash rang out.PUh9Cc
azNTurning around, he saw the bed split in two—and the hidden hatch destroyed with it.gqIC6Q
ErI1WELuri brushed off her fist and remarked:CC22
Yd5jEEx“What’s the point in looking for a switch?”Bc8B
05pw“………”Apw6
Rk9LkfmIt was, without a doubt, an ignorant method—but there was no real reason not to do it.hJ1e
ipsAnd so, Luri and Perda descended the steps into the underground.RJP
EjqfvsAs they went deeper, the darkness thickened, and a faint metallic stench filled the air.1QOa
1YpxFze“It’s the smell of monster blood.”KnH
skuPEa“You can tell? Wow, you’ve got a dog’s nose.”PDh9Cnq
UBG“Don’t compare me to such lowly creatures.”OGS
4rov“Sorry. But I’d say your loyalty’s pretty dog-like.”RIJYCY
OhHtM7“…Are you trying to provoke me?”pTi
W12Luri shot him a death glare, but Perda didn’t even flinch.hqWsd
TAsSoon, the stairs ended, and they entered a new space.35b
eBi“This is…”iG7qdDh
8xQKCThey instinctively furrowed their brows.WQqIaN4
xZZA mage’s lab was always chaotic, full of strange, indecipherable things, so a bizarre sight was to be expected.cymv
RRBSometimes, one even had to be ready for bloodstained scenes.qM5
KiAXABut Tesalos Walcher’s lab went far beyond that.6ay
Evq6aIt was so brutal and grotesque, it crossed any limit of tolerance.VPuBTG
H46Anyone with a weak stomach would’ve vomited instantly, but neither Luri nor Perda flinched much.QdaH
duM9‘Though I’m still not used to the smell…’QmgPUg
V9mlg8He pinched his nose, waiting for his sense to adapt.dQfmEUT
xX0vlOVLuri glanced at a corpse and scowled deeper.uQwy9B
bA2K7tX“So this is what they meant by ‘it’s darkest under the lamp.’”NhPHxJy
UfXQMLaid out on a gurney were the bodies of a human soldier and a monster.czLAUX
UACFgTheir abdomens had been opened, and their red and purple entrails were sewn together with thread.OwNsWu
Krn“I never imagined that a feudal lord, once considered the most loyal, was actually a demon worshiper.”Jh4G
JwI62LDemon worshipers.5Z5sWRM
XRTfThose who, after the corruption of the black dragon Godwin 150 years ago and the resulting Great War of Dragons and Demons, continued following the path of so-called demons.mkpC4mz
ozzIGPeople who pursued their traces and sought to harness their power.UeYrfo0
kNDx“You didn’t suspect it?”ivA4E2
RWE52P“I know mages tend to be shady. And we tolerate some of it, since the darker ones are usually more gifted. But…”jpn1xTY
1v1Her silver eyes gleamed with deep hatred and sharp betrayal.3MZ
2JJ6R“I never thought he’d have such twisted taste—stitching together human and monster guts.”r35S
YmT5T1Of course, betrayal hurts in proportion to the trust placed.SeAS9e
bb6VXk“All humans are the same.”Abc8G6
LP3nkAs a dragon descendant, Luri had never trusted humans. So she blinked away her feelings coldly and cleanly.TYZvSFr
7aA3What mattered wasn’t the grotesque methods—it was what he aimed to gain from them.yeLxT13
bRm38HLuri found manuscripts scattered across a worktable.FyJgJF
amG7oKdHer eyes scanned them quickly, and she scoffed.wU7lk
b6UStIW“He was a complete psychopath.”wYhMzfn
B2Kn“Why do you say that?”AFn2XzD
ai4“He had the absurd idea of using monster genes to enhance mana—and based all his research on that.”EnSK5JD
7s8IOB“Really?”53J1
9LF“Want to see?”GPj
tP1Perda took the page she pointed to and read the summary.YYq6o
YKJAnd then he remembered.uePUm
I98VtE7‘Right. He wanted to create undead that resembled monsters.’zJoHJ
dIVvIn black magic, necromancy had two main branches:0gqgA
CHpzd3g— Create a single, massively powerful monster.1npGbPM
bDr— Or flood the enemy with hordes of weak ones.YPyII0k
FeogjvXThat’s why necromancers were the easiest mages to counter and subdue.Qfu
x70ct‘He aimed to combine monsters’ toughness with undead numbers.’luaJa
9GAf9oIf successful, it would become the ultimate magic for mass-producing elite soldiers for the Empire.r3Oe5C
iGh‘Though I wasn’t interested in that…’65x7E
LpaKHWhat had drawn Perda’s interest wasn’t the final spell—but the mana refining technique created to make it possible.Q6KtuS
ZxGMonsters generated mana endlessly.dwN
nxMG25N‘But it was always defective and useless mana.’EoziJ5
hMZgX56They became strong by devouring vast amounts of that defective mana.AFPO
Sz2‘But if that production could be reproduced and refined into pure mana…’FTv4
DRT2Even those with no talent could, by learning it, easily reach the Fourth Circle and enter the mage ranks.yqFn
fZ5NThanks to this research, Perda had reached not just the Sixth Circle and the rank of Archmage, but even the Eighth.Druoz3
csx5OdHe looked again at the summary page.61MQyOF
6O7UT‘If I researched this again…’9dTbk
6qqHe could gather the materials needed to reach the Eighth Circle faster—and leveling up would be much easier.IwD8bEs
P8v‘There’s no doubt.’knrEQB
TRTqFhkIt was possible—maybe even several times faster.PpzLfov
S6XAs he studied the paper intently, Luri watched him just as closely.jXV
M3601‘He’s human. Of course he’ll feel greed.’bAsx
1kVI6Luri chewed over her deep hatred for humans.oBwum
62RThat line about “sorrowing the queen” was just an excuse.IwWtI
b79fSurely Perda had killed Tesalos just to steal his research.f6vVBY
EJKRd‘All humans lie.’Tyv
WbbThey’re a foolish race that lives happily and sadly, trapped in lies.KDCh
YBJbKnowing they lie, there’s no point in feeling betrayed.dhufCG6
AfHR‘And yet…’6ydkZu
WEdFRPCWhy was this man different?
Why, unlike with Tesalos, did her chest feel tighter?Tmo2n
FcU‘Do I want to trust this man?’jAkqteG
t4ILuri bit her lip, pride as a dragon descendant wounded.ttrE
H3Wfl8To chase that thought away, she asked bluntly:PWU
Zj8pFcG“So, what will you do?”X2ISSn6
NL7“What do you mean?”auas
5etL“With this research. You could continue it. Isn’t that what all mages say? That letting it go to waste would be a shame.”IJp
AbolA simple justification, needing no long excuse—because for a mage in search of knowledge, it was natural.vi9u
A1QBut Perda’s answer was unlike any other mage’s.YiqCgzo
RW5FX“No.”GGPi
xvs7He handed the page back to Luri.LZO6vM
Lqa“Destroy it all.”j2k
Exl“All of it…?”BaJ
X5IDXFor a moment, Luri’s composed expression cracked.nRPxoxm
R1PgShe hadn’t expected that.U2RxcN
MeJvbAt the very least, she thought he would hesitate—but Perda’s answer was as sharp as a blade.UfR
wRUufIJ“Didn’t I tell you? I don’t like my fiancée having to grieve.”gG0UXRo
UCr“Even so, you’d destroy all this research? The world might call it an unprecedented discovery.”b4Z
ATcbULG“A great discovery, sure.”fvw2
7gX5Perda nodded.6zIlNPQ
zCg“But if it ends in sorrow for my fiancée, what’s the point?”pWVqG3
Qv9B4yYet his eyes didn’t match his words.JGGgyA
RY3A mage’s eyes should never look like that—his blue eyes reflected a calm scene, free of greed, as deep as a lake.gA782yO
oIM“………”3SWFwU
TpYhL“Why are you looking at me like that?”DhlyG
odR“Because I wonder if you can really do it.”MFMc
V7N“Of course I can.”pvRH
AyywQ6Luri summoned a blue flame to her fingertips—a pure fire born of transmuted mana.3OIqoV7
tLxuIf she released it, the papers would burn instantly.8mX1X
BCd0wHNAs she stared at the flame, she turned her gaze back to Perda.iiX7
VzKDN3“…You won’t regret it?”s1KHW3P
FZTl“No. It’s fine.”MRsYKE
xaUAnd so, as he wished, Luri burned all the research.mD2r6
nJt3XThe lab, the grotesque bodies used in the experiments—everything turned to ashes in the blue flames.2ynoUjw
nysH‘Burns well.’asiA
dp3iesVPerda watched silently.WfJeu6a
KbzIf he’d wanted, he could’ve finished it in a few months.OkKhoI
6OMFQeTesalos had already done half the work, and above all, it was a spell Perda had already learned.6XjrrYz
NuSOBut he abandoned it for one simple reason.oxXKy5
YiV‘All magic carries the caster’s personality and emotions.’0b2oPn
ZkGAnd as the saying goes, “Lie down with charcoal, get stained.”
Those emotions eventually seep into the caster, leading to corruption.bHU4
BWlFThat’s why one must never learn black or forbidden magic.gm1h
354q4WX‘This magic was born of hatred and resentment.’rPnD
MmkTesalos had hated the Empire.LJgpZ
WOGGRuIf he practiced it again, Perda would be enslaved by a fury and hatred that weren’t his own.3zum4lp
2EuJh5I‘So it must be discarded.’9XNf
1HlOne shouldn’t cling to petty things. What mattered was recognizing who you were in the present.M493
NNs9Twisted desires crumbled into ash and vanished.qSQS
Q7hpXWith a heart as clear as a lake, Perda smiled.ZbT
hnx“Burns really well.”9uhT4eI
7R3Luri watched him as he murmured that.KUN
XaXoY3Her assessment of Perda was as follows:sWN8
YMdWBo‘An unpredictable psychopath.’MeNK
qkk3And she added one more:CBzDxXp
M3yc7‘Also a masochist.’rbqn
FqlA combination so absurd that Luri didn’t even know how to classify it.nCDQybG
JBfAs her discomfort grew, her scowl deepened more and more.J6UhC
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Noem Cont
MortalHahaha, I like the protagonist’s attitude.