Episode 82

Truth (1)
2 weeks ago
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Jaekiel felt very strange.

‘I never thought there would be people on the continent who remembered me.’

Despite undergoing countless missions, he was someone who never left a trace in any records. That was who he was, yet there were people who remembered him like this.

Of course, they knew him not as Jaekiel but in the abstract form of ‘Snow Ghost,’ but it wasn’t unpleasant to know someone remembered him.

However, there was one thing he was curious about.

‘I never left any will or message, did I?’

What kind of will or message were they following?

“Did you hear the will you follow directly from the Snow Ghost?”

“We didn’t hear it face-to-face, but it felt as vivid as if we had.”

After speaking, Seina smiled faintly.

“Hehehe, does that sound strange?”

“It’s hard to understand.”

“You know that ice is said to be talkative, right?”

“No ice magician wouldn’t know that.”

Seina nodded as if satisfied.

“Actually, the Blue Tower has taken an entire cliff face from the Demon Realm and is preserving it.”

“…A cliff face?”

“Yes. It’s not just any cliff face. It retains the exact traces of where the Snow Ghost demonstrated his ice magic during battle. It’s incredibly vivid.”

Seina clasped her hands together and looked up into the air, much like a girl in love.

“You can feel it just by looking at the ice. Precision, a sense of justice, yet a subtle kindness…! All of that has become the will the Blue Tower currently strives for.”

By the end, she was even clenching her fist.

“I want to meet him someday! I want to convey my feelings to him and receive praise for my ice magic!”

Her face flushed red, like a girl in love.

Jaekiel’s feelings grew more and more peculiar.

If he had lived a normal life, if he hadn’t been entangled in imperial affairs, would Jaekiel have lived as a magician in the Blue Tower, leading many students?

…He soon shook off those worries. The past couldn’t be changed.

“By the way.”

Seina’s expression suddenly became serious.

“Auditor of the Imperial Tower, you’re quite similar to the Snow Ghost.”

As expected, Seina had found the similarities.

In a way, it was natural. She was a woman with such expertise in ice magic that she held the position of elder. At the same time, it was understandable why she felt favorable toward Jaekiel.

Thinking she had found someone similar to the Snow Ghost, she probably wanted to talk to him and offer various things.

“In what way?”

“It’s like your ice is very free, not tied down by anything. It’s almost like it’s whispering, ‘I want to be free. I want to be free…’”

Jaekiel felt strangely exposed, as if his inner thoughts had been discovered. He changed the subject for no particular reason.

“The presentation is tomorrow, and half the day has already passed. It’s probably best to wrap up this meal.”

“Ah, let’s do that. But wait a moment…”

Seina rummaged through her bosom.

“I have something that might help you, Auditor of the Imperial Tower.”

At this, the old magician beside her widened his eyes.

“Elder Seina, surely you don’t mean that…?”

“Yes. I think it’s right to give it.”

“That cannot be allowed. It must remain our secret weapon to pressure the Black Tower…!”

But before the old magician could finish his words, Seina handed Jaekiel a paper envelope.

“This is evidence that the Black Tower violated regulations by conducting corpse research. It’s the Imperial Tower’s job to administer punishment, so this should help.”

At this, Tether and Anes also widened their eyes.

“This is…!”

“Corpse research? This will definitely help! This alone is enough reason for punishment!”

Jaekiel also nodded.

What Seina handed over was so valuable it was hard to believe she gave it away so easily.

“Thank you.”

Just as Jaekiel reached out his hand.

“But there’s a condition.”

Seina’s sudden statement.

Jaekiel only tilted his head slightly, but Tether and Anes looked quite perplexed.

To present such valuable material and then state a condition—no one could predict what she might demand.

However.

Unexpectedly.

“I want you to become my teacher.”

What Seina asked for was indeed surprising.

“…Teacher?”

“Yes. A teacher. Your free style of magic isn’t present in my ice. Even if it’s just occasionally, I’d like the chance to learn from you.”

Seina’s blue eyes reflected nothing but a passion for learning and kindness. She felt like a very strong yet never harsh woman.

Jaekiel nodded.

“Sure, whenever you like.”

His first meeting with the Blue Tower was this warm.


Night.

After firmly rejecting the Blue Tower’s offer to accompany them until the end, Jaekiel’s party headed toward the altar.

“Ah, Anes. Are we going the right way?”

“Yes. We are.”

“It’s too creepy!”

Tether said, trembling. Indeed, the surroundings were full of trees with eerie, drooping branches.

But Anes remained calm.

“Feeling the eeriness is a sign that we’re going the right way. This altar has been abandoned for a long time.”

“Ah, I see…!”

But, strangely, Anes’s expression was a bit bright.

A blank expression, yet slightly brighter than usual.

Jaekiel asked with a lollipop in his mouth.

“Anes, you seem to be in a pretty good mood.”

“Yes. I’m a bit excited.”

“Is this kind of eerie forest your taste?”

“…Please don’t joke. It’s not a change in mood due to the surroundings, but rather due to progress. Didn’t we gain a lot today?”

Anes continued calmly.

“We confirmed we could gain techniques through the Blue Tower, obtained an elixir, and got evidence against the Black Tower’s true nature… It couldn’t be more perfect.”

There was no denying it.

Among those, the Blue Tower’s contributions were truly immense. It would be good to repay them in some way later on.

“Right. Now, all that’s left is to deal with the cursed sword.”

“Let’s quickly deal with the cursed sword! And then, when the presentation starts tomorrow, let’s crush them! Let’s go! Huzzah!”

Tether hopped excitedly.

Yes, all that was left today was dealing with the cursed sword.

“Ah, I see it. The altar.”

They had arrived at the place where the altar was located.

In the middle of the dense forest was an unnatural space, like a park with a lawn. The altar looked like a bed used for sacrificial offerings.

“Everyone, remember the plan I mentioned?”

Jaekiel said as he took out the cursed sword from its case.

A monstrous object that would consume others with fear just by holding it, yet he handled it as if it were nothing more than a fork.

Tether and Anes nodded simultaneously.

“Yes. I’ll stay still! I understand!”

“I remember. I’ll record everything that happens from now on using the cube’s magic recording function.”

Anes’s cube can capture very short scenes as videos using its magic recording function.

Jaekiel intended to use it from now on.

“There’s no way the Black Tower requested this purification for purely good reasons. Something is bound to happen the moment we place the cursed sword on the altar.”

Snap, Jaekiel snapped his fingers, and the two others were covered by an ice barrier, leaving only Anes exposed.

“Even if it’s just a short clip, capture the situation on video. It’ll serve as evidence that the Black Tower was plotting against the Imperial Tower. I’d do it myself, but…”

“…I’m the only one who can do it. This cube only operates with my magic power.”

Anes nodded as if to say she was fine with it.

“I’ll record as much as I can and then signal you. You can save me then.”

“Even if you don’t signal, I’ll pull you out immediately.”

“Yes. Then let’s begin.”

Jaekiel placed the cursed sword on the altar.

Whoosh.

A black energy began to rise like mist.

Grumble… Save me, save me, save me… Oooo…

Suddenly, the voices of countless spirits began to mix together.

Anes, focusing intently, fidgeted with the cube.

And then, at that moment.

Roooooooar!

The cursed sword began to spew black smoke like a volcano. The surroundings were instantly engulfed in darkness, and Anes felt an unspeakable chill.

Fear.

This entire mist was fear.

Fear had become a gas, covering the surroundings.

─Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive? Why are you the only one alive?

─They said they’d let me live if I cut off my finger… Snip! They said they’d let me live if I cut off my finger… Snip!

─Please don’t hit me, gasp! Please don’t hit me, gasp! Please don’t hit me, gasp!

“…!”

The most terrifying moments in someone’s life began to unfold before Anes in all sorts of forms. Some spirits even charged at her.

─Die with us; you must die too.

What on earth was the Black Tower thinking, doing something like this?

That thought filled Anes’s mind.

Was releasing all the fear from the cursed sword what they called purification?

That would be the literal purification of the cursed sword. Even if the sword became clean, everything around it would have to take on that fear.

And the life that would take on all this fear…

‘…Is sure to die. Certainly.’

In other words, the Black Tower intended to kill them from the start.

Anes calmly began recording as she responded.

─Save me, save me, save me, save me. If you want to live, you must kill.

One of the spirits grabbed Anes by the neck.

Whoosh!

She used strong telekinesis to push it away immediately.

Anes moved as quickly as possible, avoiding all the spirits’ attacks while capturing every scene.

Then, at one moment.

─Please save me! At least my life!

─I have a daughter at home.

─Moooom.

Just as her mind was about to burst from all the fear.

Anes spotted a certain man.

“Is e-everyone safe? Please answer…”

A man kneeling on one knee, bleeding profusely, yet asking about others’ safety.

Anes momentarily doubted her eyes.

Because in the middle of the mist of fear stood Jaekiel.

But Anes knew. That wasn’t the real Jaekiel. It was just a form created by the cursed sword.

Anes couldn’t help but feel flustered.

Jaekiel was basically immune to the cursed sword.

This meant he had no fear for it to latch onto, but could he have had fears too? Did he have a trauma buried deep in his mind?

Was it an illusion, or something that really happened?

The method to distinguish it was surprisingly simple.

Anes grabbed the shoulder of Jaekiel’s form.

“…Auditor?”

She couldn’t feel anything, and there was no reaction.

…This meant it was something that really happened.

It wasn’t a spirit woven by the cursed sword.

It was a real memory from Jaekiel’s mind.

“Are you okay? Your breath… Your breath…”

The Jaekiel form looked extremely urgent. Even though he was about to collapse himself, he was more worried about someone lying on the ground.

Anes suddenly recalled information about the cursed sword.

Fear isn’t just about being surprised or threatened with your life. If something you desperately wished for was frustrated, that too would be considered fear.

The fear Jaekiel experienced as a result of frustration.

That fear was probably about someone’s safety.

Anes cautiously approached.

She tried to see who Jaekiel was worried about.

“…!”

And then she was utterly shocked.

“Gasp…!”

Her expressionless face shattered, and she covered her mouth; unable to withstand the shock, she collapsed on the spot.

“Get a hold of yourself, get a hold…!”

The person Jaekiel was so worried about.

The identity of that someone.

“Your Highness, the Princess…!”

It was none other than the princess of the empire.

Anes gasped for air, her hand covering her mouth.

The cube’s magic recording was still active.

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