Necromancer Of The Black Bible (66)

Shador’s appearance wasn’t pleasing.

A neatly trimmed dark brown beard and a pale face.

And from his slit-like pupils, a sinister purple aura seeped out.

But that aura carried a familiar feeling.

An aura identical to the one flowing from William’s body.

Because of this, he didn’t feel hostility.

Rather, it felt familiar.

William slowly nodded and replied to Shador.

“I’m William.”

“Oh-ho. So you’re Lord Damian’s chief knight, William.”

William didn’t respond.

Because he didn’t like the attitude of someone who knew about him.

Shador continued in a polite tone to William.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you like this.”

“This doesn’t seem like the time for leisurely greetings, does it?”

“You’re right.”

Shador smiled faintly, and William asked him.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to clean up my mistake…”

Shador trailed off, opening one hand. The white ash fluttering in the air settled onto it, and he continued, looking at it.

“You’ve taken care of everything. I thank you for your efforts.”

“He was your subordinate.”

William finally understood the situation.

The novice demon Vergas was Shador’s subordinate.

He must have reached this place, ignoring Shador’s orders.

‘But Shador, who is this guy?’

William looked into Shador’s eyes, harboring such curiosity.

Then, his memories flashed through William’s mind.

Originally a subordinate of Illinas, he met Damian, swore allegiance to him, and began working for him.

After confirming this, Shador spoke.

“We are connected. So, just as I know about you, you can know about me.”

Shador’s words were true.

William lowered his guard and spoke.

“You should’ve managed your subordinate better. That could’ve been dangerous.”

“I’m sorry. He was such a hot-blooded guy. I told him repeatedly not to cross the city walls, but it seems he couldn’t resist his curiosity.”

Shador took out a small vial, the size of a pinky, from his pocket.

As he muttered something, all the white ash fluttering in the air was sucked into the vial.

Having completely erased Vergas’s traces, Shador bowed politely again.

“It was a pleasure to meet you. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait, Shador.”

William stopped Shador and continued.

“Won’t you be in trouble because your subordinate died?”

It was a valid point.

But Shador grinned and replied.

“No such thing. Illinas is already aware of our master’s power, and a novice subordinate defying orders and getting erased is within everyone’s expectations. It’ll likely just result in a new subordinate being assigned.”

Shador tucked the vial back into his pocket and continued.

“Please give my regards to our master.”

“Tell him yourself. I came here to see our master as well.”

As William replied, Shador gave a slight nod and vanished into the shadows.

Watching the spot where he disappeared, William muttered softly.

“Shador. That guy’s strong.”

He approached without a trace and left without leaving anything to track.

Only someone with considerable skill could do that.

It left a deep impression on William.

‘By the way…’

William turned to look the other way.

A firmly closed door.

About a week ago, communication with his master, Damian, suddenly cut off during their exchange, which is why he had come here to monitor the situation.

‘To lose contact without a word. Has something happened?’

But Damian’s aura was clearly felt.

It was just that he couldn’t communicate with him.

‘Our master’s aura feels unusual.’

Though subtle, it was growing stronger.

It was similar to when he obtained his third Mana Ring not long ago.

Could he have obtained a fourth Mana Ring in just a month?

It was unthinkable by common sense, but Damian’s very existence defied it.

He was already someone far beyond William’s understanding.

William looked down at the wooden stick in his hand.

Adjusting his grip on the stick a few times, he approached the sacred tree where he had been hiding.

He was curious about how his master gained such power and what it was, but it wasn’t his concern.

He only needed to stay by his master’s side and protect him, as he was doing now.

‘Let’s wait.’

William had matters he needed to discuss with his master.

If he delayed too long, both he and his master could face trouble.

But thinking of those matters as his master’s affairs put his mind at ease.

William sat down at the thick roots of the sacred tree Barelian.

Looking at the door, he waited for his master. As he felt his master’s power intensify, a faint smile appeared on William’s lips.

Until now, I had been in a trance.

Because my Mana Ring began to purify rapidly after meeting Pope Lactea.

Gooo-

I had never felt a Mana Ring spin so rapidly before.

Why was it spinning like this?

Was it because of meeting Lactea?

Or was there another reason?

As I was lost in these thoughts, Equinox’s voice came through.

[Lactea uses purified power. Because you absorbed her power during your last encounter, your Mana Ring was stimulated.]

As expected.

It was because of Lactea’s power.

In fact, Lactea is a strange being.

It’s like a demon using divine power.

How could that be possible?

And how did she know Equinox, and what did they talk about back then?

Once again, various questions began to fill my mind.

Unable to bear it, Equinox began to respond.

[Lactea was once an angel serving the God of Light, Kallios.]

[It doesn’t seem like she was just serving him, does it?]

[…You’re right. Lactea adored Kallios. Kallios loved her too. But…]

Equinox paused for a moment.

It seemed he was thinking about what to say.

[Tell me everything as it happened, without holding back. I want to know it all.]

[…Understood. This story is about what happened right after the god created this world in the beginning.]

Equinox began a long story.

In the beginning, the god created three races: humans, elves, and dwarves. But living in the world was not easy for them. They fought and killed each other because they didn’t trust one another.

So, the god created angels, sharing his powers with them to help the three races.

But the angels didn’t do so. They were arrogant and overconfident. So, they decided to use the power given to them to kill the god and take over the world.

The fallen angels meticulously planned to kill the god. They secretly divided his treasures among themselves and waited for the right moment.

The leader of the angels at the time was Eliastra. That is, the current Lactea.

Lactea deeply loved the god but was reluctant to betray her comrades.

While she hesitated between the two, a war broke out, and the god was ultimately killed by the angels he trusted.

Mount Gazpol is not where the god descended but where he was ambushed and fell to his death.

Afterward, Lactea, filled with regret, established the Theocracy here and began to fulfill the role of Light in place of the God.

Equinox’s story was astonishing.

Not because of its content, but because of how his story reached me.

The events he described began to unfold before my eyes as if they were real.

The struggles of the god Kallios and the angels opposing him.

And Eliastra’s hesitation.

And then the sight of the god pierced through the heart by a spear thrown by a fallen angel.

Every scene was vivid.

The face of Eliastra, crying before him, bore a strong resemblance to the current Lactea.

This story of the god’s death brought a quiet shock in another way.

‘A god betrayed and killed by his subordinates. Perhaps this world is repeating that god’s death.’

In my previous life, I traveled across the continent.

Most of the stories I heard there had similar plots.

Stories of rulers betrayed and killed by trusted subordinates.

Whether the ruler was good or evil, their ends were mostly the same.

It was common for those coveting the ruler’s power to bribe their subordinates, incite rebellion, and kill them.

History so far was similar.

Regardless of good or evil, rulers were betrayed and died that way.

Perhaps that is why there are far more evil rulers than good ones in this world.

Comparing the tragic death of the god with the continent’s history I had read, I asked Equinox.

[I understand the story now. But something’s odd. How has Lactea survived all this time?]

Lactea is weaker than any demon king I’ve ever met.

Yet, it’s strange that she has protected this place for over three thousand years.

Because demon kings never leave those weaker than them alone.

[Lactea possesses ancient artifacts that belonged to the god: the Crown of Wisdom, the Pendant of Protection, and the Mantle of Healing. As long as she has them, demon kings cannot touch her.]

It was staggering.

That demon kings couldn’t touch her because of the artifacts the god possessed.

If that’s true, wouldn’t the god have survived if he had just kept those artifacts?

[You’re exactly right. If the god hadn’t entrusted those three artifacts to Archangel Eliastara, he wouldn’t have died like that.]

[Lactea must have felt guilt because of that.]

[That’s correct.]

Equinox’s voice was even more subdued than before.

After a moment, he continued.

[The artifacts Lactea possesses are a double-edged sword. When the god was alive, they could draw infinite energy from him, but not now. That is likely why Lactea is facing difficulties.]

Lactea definitely said she had a favor to ask of me.

If Equinox’s assessment is correct, her request must be related to that.

[Demons inherently cannot wield divine power or purified energy. But Lactea has been using it all this time. There must be side effects.]

Equinox precisely pinpointed the source of the unease I felt.

A demon using divine power.

I had correctly grasped her true nature.

Reflecting on Lactea, demons, and divine power, one question arose.

[But if she stood by the god and adored him, isn’t that an angel?]

[An angel who has lost its light is merely a demon.]

I see.

I focused my mind again.

The purification of the third Mana Ring was nearly complete.