Chapter Index

    “Have you arrived?”

    A vast Holy Emperor’s Palace building.

    Kevin greeted him as he entered a large room on one side of the compound.

    His apprentice, with black hair and red skin.

    Merlin, who had just emerged from the basement of the Holy Emperor’s Palace, responded as if he were okay.

    “Yes… Seeing you this welcoming, you must have something to report.”

    “Yes.”

    Kevin, who hardly ever smiled, answered the teasing comment without a hint of laughter, short and to the point.

    It seemed like all his apprentices were distant from laughter.

    Perhaps this too was fate, or karma.

    “Sigh, how pitiful to keep tormenting an old man… Go ahead, speak.”

    Merlin let out a groan, acting tired as he sat down in a chair.

    He was truly fatigued, but he acted even more tired because that would make him seem alright.

    As usual, Kevin responded to Merlin’s questions.

    “First of all, Yareli has left for Randa, as mentioned before.”

    “I see.”

    Merlin responded blandly.

    Ever since Puppet had informed him of the heavy damage in the Tower of Magic and Randa, Yareli had declared her intention to return to Randa, so there was no special reaction Merlin could offer. He couldn’t do anything immediate either.

    “Please accept this.”

    Despite Merlin’s mediocre response, Kevin handed him a stack of papers in the same manner as before.

    “It’s a report on the damage to the Tower of Magic.”

    Flap. Flap. Flap. Merlin began to look through the papers.

    As Kevin mentioned, the report detailed the damage the Tower of Magic had sustained.

    And it was quite thorough.

    “The damage was significant for all members of the Tower of Magic, whether they were mages or students, regardless of their scholarly factions. Especially the senior members like the Headmasters and Grandmasters.”

    Merlin nodded his head.

    Just as Kevin said, the damage to the Tower’s leadership was severe, with almost half of the Headmasters and Grandmasters affected.

    Considering Puppet’s strategy of targeting those who retaliated strongly, the actual damage must have been even greater.

    The Tower of Magic had never before suffered such large-scale losses.

    Yet Kevin managed to secure this detailed report amidst the chaos and handed it over to Merlin.

    “Did you request this?”

    “Yes, I had to use your name a bit, Master.”

    “Well done.”

    Merlin commended him. It wasn’t sarcasm; it was sincere.

    He had filled in crucial gaps while Merlin was distracted with Oliver’s situation.

    Using Merlin’s name might have been contentious, but since Merlin was the one who taught him this method, he didn’t mind.

    Sometimes, in a chaotic world, small lies could be a virtue.

    Above all, if Kevin, a Red One, hadn’t invoked the name of the Archive, he might not have been able to gather this much information.

    It was a commendable move.

    Kevin, however, remained silent and continued with his report.

    “Once again, the Tower of Magic has suffered severe damage, affecting the entire organization. If it were a military unit, it wouldn’t be strange for it to be disbanded.”

    “So it appears. The leadership vacuum is particularly critical. If mishandled, the factions could dissolve.”

    “Perhaps sensing such concerns, Headmaster Tilda convened an emergency meeting to recruit external personnel.”

    “Emergency meeting…?”

    “It’s a meeting where Headmasters and Grandmasters gather quickly to make decisions when there’s a major crisis in the Tower of Magic. This situation qualifies.”

    Kevin, who knew all of the Tower’s regulations, explained.

    “It’s an old rule that was rarely used, but with so many leaders missing, it was activated.”

    “I see… Were the reinforcements from the Royal Army’s mage corps?”

    “Yes.”

    Currently, a significant portion of the Royal Army was stationed in Randa.

    Officially, they were there to defend against the undead army that had retreated underground and could resurface at any time.

    Of course, the army included military mages.

    With so many vaccancies in the leadership, the Tower couldn’t find more suitable recruits than those military mages.

    Kevin reported this, explaining the whole situation.

    “As a result, not only Randa but even the Tower of Magic has fallen under the Royal Family’s influence.”

    “You sound… suspicious.”

    “Because it is suspicious.”

    Kevin spoke in his characteristic firm tone, and Merlin agreed.

    The leadership void in the Tower, caused by Puppet’s attacks.

    The timely arrival of the Royal Army, who had no difficulty in dealing with the situation.

    And Tilda’s recruitment of a large number of mages from the Royal Army.

    Everything seemed to fit together too neatly.

    As if someone had orchestrated this scenario.

    It wasn’t an immediate concern, but…

    Merlin decided to take the opportunity to ask his apprentice’s thoughts.

    Kevin responded with an unexpected answer.

    “I don’t really have much interest.”

    “…Is that so?”

    “Yes, it’s suspicious and I have a few theories, but it doesn’t interest me much right now. Though I’m a professor at the Tower, I have no emotional attachment to it.”

    “…”

    “Moreover, compared to what’s currently at stake, the Tower’s situation is a minor issue.”

    Kevin accurately assessed the current priorities.

    A very objective evaluation, as expected of a mage who had sought out Oliver’s quarterstaff.

    Under normal circumstances, the events at the Tower of Magic would indeed be a big deal, but not now.

    Compared to the present situation, nothing seemed important.

    “With that in mind, I’d like to ask: How was the conversation with Xenon…? Was everything fine?”

    Kevin, who usually spoke with exact pronunciation and confidence, uncharacteristically hesitated.

    “…Are you worried?”

    “Yes, in many ways. I’m concerned about your condition, Master. You don’t seem well.”

    “…My condition isn’t the best, that’s true.”

    Merlin responded after a brief pause, pointing to his bandaged body and the eye covered by an eye patch.

    These were injuries from standing against Oliver that even Holy Power couldn’t heal.

    “But I don’t feel bad at all. It’s nice that you care about me… By the way, could you fetch the bandages in that drawer?”

    Kevin silently brought a large amount of bandages and some oil to mask the smell.

    This was just enough for one application.

    “I’ll change my bandages. Could you step out for a moment? I’m a bit shy about showing my skin.”

    “Would you like any help?”

    Merlin paused for a moment.

    “…I’m sorry, but I’m a moral man. I can’t go that far with my apprentice.”

    “Are you insane?”

    Kevin responded to Merlin’s joke.

    Merlin chuckled, uncharacteristically playful for his age, and Kevin moved towards the exit.

    Kevin grasped the doorknob.

    At that moment, as Merlin was unwrapping his bandages, he found himself asking an unintended question.

    “…Do you still hate me?”

    Pause.

    Kevin froze. The air in the room seemed to freeze with him.

    The sudden awkward silence filled the room, and a momentary regret formed in Merlin’s heart.

    Why had he asked such a foolish and selfish question?

    Splat!

    It was probably because of the wounds hidden beneath the layers of bandages.

    His cracked skin and deteriorated body, with blood slowly seeping through the cracks.

    His mental strength and patience must have been leaking out with the blood… Or maybe he was simply approaching his end.

    ‘Not yet…’

    Merlin looked at his body and thought. He tried to correct his mistake.

    “Sorry. That was a slip of the tongue. Pay no mind to it—”

    “—Of course, I hate you.”

    “…”

    “I’ll hate you for the rest of my life.”

    Kevin interrupted Merlin’s sentence, speaking firmly. He left no room for doubt.

    “I see.”

    That was all Merlin could reply.

    He didn’t add anything like, ‘Of course,’ or ‘What a pity’. He didn’t feel he had the right to.

    “You may go—”

    —Knock. Knock.

    As Merlin spoke, and just as Kevin was about to say something, someone knocked on the door.

    Both Merlin and Kevin turned to the door to see who it was.

    A familiar voice came from the other side.

    “It’s Armand. I’ve come to discuss something regarding the Archive.”

    ***

    Armand, the Dark Priest.

    A rare Holy Knight among Dark Priests, and one of the leaders of the moderate faction, he was also the Prime Minister of Gallos—a distinguished figure.

    This was a man who had started as a Holy Knight and risen to become the highest-ranking priest.

    As such, he was acquainted with Merlin, the Archive.

    There had even been a moment when they almost faced off.

    ‘The Red Duke.’

    ‘It’s been a while, Archive.’

    Perhaps when he had come to capture Oliver, right after the Pied Piper had died.

    Ironically, Merlin and Armand, the Archive and the Dark Priest of the Pater Church, were now in a cooperative relationship.

    To protect Oliver, that is. And the reason was…

    “Because I somewhat agree with the Archive’s intentions.”

    Once Kevin left,

    Armand, left alone with Merlin, spoke candidly.

    “Dave, Xenon, Oliver—In any case, I believe it’s better for everyone if he isn’t harmed.”

    That’s correct. Armand, who had cautiously held a reserved attitude regarding the End, didn’t intend to harm Oliver despite wanting to capture him. He believed it could lead to an even worse outcome for humanity.

    “In that regard, I am always grateful to you.”

    Merlin replied, having hastily rebandaged himself and applied the oil. However, he added a remark afterward.

    “But it would have been better if he hadn’t been captured in the first place.”

    “Don’t say something so ridiculous. You know that wasn’t possible. With as many witnesses as there were to what he did… If we hadn’t captured him, the chaos would be unimaginable, setting aside the Pater Church’s reputation. Even now, the confusion is significant.”

    Armand spoke with emotion in his last words.

    Indeed, much of the Pater Church’s administrative power was currently being used to quell rumors about Oliver.

    The problem was that the effort wasn’t yielding much result.

    “Moreover, don’t forget he surrendered voluntarily. If not for that, capturing him would have been impossible.”

    Armand knew the truth—that Oliver had let himself be captured.

    As one of the greatest Holy Knights of his time, Armand knew that if Oliver had wanted to escape or harm them, it would have been a severe threat.

    This was why Armand had exerted efforts to protect Oliver.

    “But we are reaching the limit.”

    Armand finally approached the main topic.

    “As you may already know, the Dark Priests are increasingly leaning towards killing him. They know it’s a foolish choice, but they’re also aware that it might be unavoidable. Their fear and anxiety are growing… Soon, they’ll learn of something that will solidify their position.”

    “What might that be?”

    Even before the question was finished, Armand pulled out a map.

    A map of the Chosen Nation’s territory, and two lines were drawn across it.

    Two long lines that spanned from the center of the continent to its edge.

    Merlin had a hunch of what those lines signified.

    “I’ve heard that the Pied Piper turned to dust and died there at a single finger snap.”

    “That’s correct.”

    “This is happening now on a continental scale, regardless of nation or race. Within the lines on this map.”

    Armand pointed to the two long lines on the map. From the center of the continent to the very edge.

    “Everyone within these lines has turned to dust and died.”

    “…Everyone, you say?”

    “Yes, men, women, children, the elderly, rich, poor, civilians, criminals—everyone died without exception. We know this because people in nearby cities or villages reported it to the shrine. Some villages didn’t report it, though.”

    “Why didn’t they report it?”

    “Because the entire village disappeared, turning to dust.”

    Merlin was momentarily speechless.

    “We sent people to investigate. Some were within the range of those lines, but we hadn’t heard a word from them. When our people arrived, they found entire villages empty. The buildings and trees were intact, but the people were gone.”

    Armand trembled with fear as he spoke, and Merlin, too, felt a surge of fear.

    To wipe out the people while leaving buildings and nature untouched…

    There was a malice too unimaginable to comprehend.

    “These lines may seem like nothing on a map, but when you apply them to reality, the magnitude is staggering. The damage is too vast to calculate—and if those lines had veered slightly and cut through a major city like the capital of Gallos or Randa… I can’t bear to imagine it.”

    Merlin agreed.

    If Oliver’s finger had pointed towards a densely populated city, the damage would have been beyond imagination, a crime to even conceive.

    If the Dark Priests discovered this, their fear and anxiety would reach their peak.

    If they didn’t kill Oliver, they might fear for their own lives, turning to extreme measures.

    “When did you learn of this?”

    “We finished the investigation this morning.”

    “When will you reveal it?”

    “We can’t keep it hidden for long. As I said, countless people have turned to dust, and they’re contacting the shrine. National governments are also investigating, and the press has caught on. It won’t be long before the Dark Priests, who are already obsessed with Oliver, find out.”

    Merlin understood what Armand was implying.

    He wanted to help the Archive, but he also needed to maintain his credibility among the Dark Priests, so he had to disclose the information himself.

    Merlin understood.

    It wasn’t something that could be hidden forever; if Armand kept it secret, he would lose credibility among the Dark Priests and be stripped of his influence.

    That would be the worst scenario, so he was asking Merlin for a solution in the meantime. He intended to keep silent in the interim.

    The problem was that even Merlin didn’t know what could be done.

    A single gesture had crossed the continent, resulting in countless deaths. What could any single person possibly do?

    “As I said earlier, once this is revealed, the already anxious Dark Priests will be overwhelmed by fear, to the point where they’ll become uncontrollable. It will be beyond anyone’s authority to stop them. Among them, some might even hire assassins privately to kill him without following legal procedures.”

    “Do you really think they can kill him?”

    Merlin asked unintentionally. No, it was something he had wanted to ask for a long time.

    Could the Dark Priests really kill Oliver if he did nothing?

    Armand gave a bitter smile.

    “Trying to approach this rationally is a ridiculous act. The very situation of the End defies reason. Those gripped by fear are no different. To them, it seems better than doing nothing… Are you alright?”

    Armand asked.

    Noticing the uncharacteristic behavior from the Archive.

    Merlin realized his mistake and corrected himself.

    “I’m sorry. I might be tired.”

    “Well, you did just meet with him underground… Any progress in the conversation?”

    Armand showed a subtle glimmer of hope.

    As a Prime Minister, he wasn’t one to rely on luck, but even he couldn’t help but wonder if there was a glimmer of hope.

    The more a person confronts events beyond their control, the more hope they harbor.

    In response, Merlin recalled his conversation with Oliver.

    ‘I still see it. The sins of all people, including you, are all visible to me. As if they were happening right now.’

    ‘I… can’t do it.’

    Oliver had expressed his refusal.

    He had rejected Merlin’s plea for mercy and forgiveness.

    It wasn’t hard to understand. Who could bestow mercy and forgiveness while seeing the sins of all humankind? It was almost impossible, even for a god.

    It wasn’t simply a matter of strength.

    Perhaps, forgiveness aside, he might already be showing mercy.

    By not destroying humanity and holding back, he was already extending mercy.

    And yet, ironically, discussions about killing Oliver were rampant above ground.

    The ones preventing it were Merlin, the Archive, and Armand and Roderick, representing the two factions of the Dark Priests.

    “Hmm?”

    “What is it?”

    “It feels like someone is missing… Where’s Lord Roderick?”

    “He left, saying he had something to attend to. He mentioned that those they had been watching closely were beginning to react, but what, exactly—”

    —Woooong, Woooong.

    In the middle of Armand’s explanation, a faint vibration was heard.

    A sound that the untrained ear would miss.

    But both Armand, a Dark Priest, and Merlin, the Archive, could sense it.

    The vibration was coming from inside Armand’s robes.

    Armand pulled out a secret Communication Device from his robes.

    It was a familiar item, given that it had been provided by Merlin.

    During their collaboration regarding Oliver, they had shared Communication Devices for easy contact.

    This meant that something serious might have just happened.

    Could it be that someone had already sent an assassin after Oliver? Or perhaps a collusion among the Dark Priests?

    Countless possibilities flashed through Merlin’s mind in an instant.

    Shockingly, the message that came through the Communication Device shattered all of those assumptions.

    [Armand. Quietly bring the Holy Knights to assist. We’ve found traces of demon worship at the convent.]

    Chapter Summary

    Merlin discusses recent events with Kevin, addressing the severe damage to the Tower of Magic. Kevin informs Merlin about Yareli’s departure and the Tower’s growing ties to the Royal Family. They later discuss Oliver, who has caused fear among the Dark Priests due to his unimaginable power. Merlin struggles to find a solution as Armand warns of the impending reveal of Oliver’s actions, which could drive the Dark Priests to take extreme measures. The chapter ends with a sudden message that disrupts the conversation. Armand is asked to quietly bring the Holy Knights as support after they discover evidence of demon worship at the convent.

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