Chapter 214.
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Translator: Seven ED: Sasha
1.
My Lord. (TL: Or ‘Owner’)
My Heart. My Blood.
My everything in this world.
2.
Ttuk-
The sound of dripping water could be heard from somewhere.
When the drops fell, they landed not on the ground, but on eternity. Ttuk. Ttuk. For a short while, only the sound of dripping water could be heard, then, the surrounding gravity seemingly disappeared, and time continued to slowly pa.s.s.
“…”
I suddenly raised my head. It was only after raising my head that I realized my head had been lowered in the first place.
When exactly did I lower my head?
What time was it now?
I didn’t know.
[Warning.]
[The Subject’s ego is unstable.]
“Ugh.”
My eyebrows rose reflexively.
I had a terrible headache.
The thumping sensation in my brain made me nauseous.
“Baron Gu Won-ha?”
At that moment, I heard a soft voice.
“A-, are you okay?”
I struggled to open my eyes and look to the side.
A child with hair the color of a snow rabbit was looking at me with a worried gaze.
This was probably my first time seeing her, so I didn’t know why
My lips were able to p.r.o.nounce her n.o.ble t.i.tle with ease.
“Yes. I’m fine… Your Excellency the Marquis.”
Marquis Baek Seol-to.
She was only 16 this year.
Due to the sudden death of the previous Marquis, her young shoulders had been laden with the overly heavy cloak of responsibility. According to the rumors floating around the family, there had been thoughts to use her as a scapegoat.
If Viscount Ja Soo-jung hadn’t taken her in, she might have already been a.s.sa.s.sinated by now…
[Warning.]
[The Subject’s ego is unstable.]
[Continuing to reproduce trauma.]
Jiiiing-.
‘Ugh!’
It felt like my head was about to split open.
I quickly called upon my magic power. Forcibly ignoring the bitter taste on my tongue, poetic language began to flow from my mouth.
『Stability— And— Relaxation.』
One poetic word to calm the mind. One poetic word to ease the pain. When the spell that corresponded to the three words was activated, my headache subsided greatly.
‘Hoo.’
I let out a sigh.
I didn’t have the time to make a sublime poem, so I just hurriedly picked words, but fortunately, it worked. It was at that moment that I realized I was one of the twelve best Wizards in the kingdom.
“A-, are you really okay? Your face is very pale.”
“…nothing’s wrong. Thank you for your concern.”
“Really? Are you really not feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
Marquis Baek Seol-to checked my condition several times. While telling the Marquis I was alright, I calmly diagnosed the abnormality within a corner of my mind.
‘I’m having trouble recalling my memories.’
The headache was gone. But there was a feeling of strangeness when it came to my memories.
‘It couldn’t be mind magic, could it?’
It was a difficult possibility to think about.
In the history of the kingdom, there had been very few cases of magic being used on the minds of others.
Not to mention that this place was the Platinum Tower.
A place where all the n.o.bles of the kingdom had gathered to have a serious meeting.
The bodyguards mobilized to protect the council members were simply amazing. They were warriors under the direct control of the royal court who had been stationed to keep even an ant out. If anyone tried to do anything reckless in this place, they would lose their neck even if they were a Dragon or a G.o.d.
‘Perhaps it’s just because I’m tired.’
I quietly cast another spell.
If there really was a problem with my memory, I’d simply restore it.
『Information— Baek Seol-to— Restored.』
For some reason, I felt accustomed to the phenomenon of losing my memory. It wasn’t that strange. As if I was prepared for a situation like this, I even had a plan prepared.
My elaborate preparation floated before my eyes.
+
[Baek Seol-to]
Ident.i.ty: n.o.ble. Marquis.
Relations.h.i.+p: Viscount’s Adopted Sibling.
Danger Rating: White.
Remarks: Head of the Rabbit Marquis Family. Lost her parents at a young age. Was taught to be a successor by her grandfather, Marquis Baek Mi-to.
Unlike her grandfather, who was a renowned genius, Bae Seol-to was a notorious dimwit since her youth. In the winter of her 12th year, she whipped a freeman* child to death. The reason was ‘because she didn’t like seeing the families of people her age smiling so happily’. (*: Freemen were essential tenants who paid rent to the lord of a territory to use their land.)
It is presumed that her grandfather’s teaching was quite strict. She was not praised or shown love. Although she now displays a determined att.i.tude, she still craves for the love and praise of Viscount Ja Soo-jung. She considers Viscount Ja Soo-jung as her mother and elder sister.
Ally.
No need to kill.
Strength: [Self Understanding], [Strong Morality], [Personal Connections], [Capital]
Weaknesses: [Murder of a Freeman], [Murder of a Child], [Guilt], [Lethargy], [Kind Heartedness], [Temporary Infantile Regression], [Extremely low self confidence]
Note: Many n.o.bles are dependent on the Marquis. a.s.sa.s.sination is difficult.
+
“…”
As soon as I was made aware of this information, I felt relieved.
But I blinked as I had a strange feeling.
‘Huh.’
As expected, something was strange.
‘Did I always have this ability?’
This information that I’d thought up were probably notes that I had written myself. After seeing it, I should have had a [Ah, I wrote that] kind of feeling…
‘Strange.’
But instead of feeling a.s.sured, the strange feeling just grew stronger.
Even at that moment, as I thought in my head, there was an uncomfortable feeling in my mouth as though I had a fish bone stuck in my teeth
‘What is it? This…’
Just in case, I’d checked with magic to see if I had been affected by mind magic, but as expected, there was no problem… Wait a minute. Magic? One of the top twelve Wizards in the kingdom? Me? No. I didn’t use crude words like that. I had a bit more decorum, like a n.o.ble…
[Warning.]
[The Subject’s ego has been weakened.]
…That’s right.
Why had I been speaking informally all this while?
Magic was the art of refining language into matter. It was imperative to always be careful with language.
Even if it was just my own inner thoughts, I always had to put myself in a humble position so that I wouldn’t forget the wonders of this world. That was the heart that I steadily walked to the path of magic with.
‘I have to pull myself together.’
A thousand words piled up and became a hundred habits.
A hundred habits built up and solidified into ten behavioral patterns.
Ten behavioral patterns determined one life.
As a Wizard who served closely by the Viscount’s side, I should not take even a single word lightly.
“What’s going on here? It’s so noisy.”
While I was trying to pull myself together, another figure approached.
Marquis Baek Seol-to recognized her first and bowed her head.
“Ah. Viscount Sun Heuk-sin….”
“Why are you here?”
I bowed my head too.
“Today is the last break. Wouldn’t it be better to rest in the lounge?”
“Even if I rest in the lounge, it wouldn’t really be resting. Just by sitting there, the n.o.bles of other factions will stare.”
Viscount Sun Heuk-sin smiled bitterly.
“I feel like I can’t stand it because of the random words that they pour out at us. I’d be more comfortable if they just cursed openly… I should have stayed in the conference hall like the Marquis.”
“Ah. I-, is the atmosphere as you expected…?”
“Mm.”
“Did the Stone Medicine Faction pressure you?”
“There isn’t really any distinction between the Stone Medicine, Inner Energy and Religious Factions. They all treat us like sinners. Well, it’s sad, but it’s not too big of a deal.”
I listened politely to the conversation between the Marquis and the Viscount.
Both of them were senior members of the Mirror Faction.
In particular, Viscount Sun Heuk-sin served as the chairman. It was one of the most important positions in the faction. That was how much she was favored by the Viscount.
…
Umm.
He must be a favored n.o.ble.
But I wasn’t confident in my memory.
Hesitantly, I cast the information spell.
+
[Sun Heuk-sin]
Ident.i.ty: n.o.ble. Viscount.
Relations.h.i.+p: Viscount’s Lover.
Danger Rating: Blue.
Remarks: Head of the Black G.o.d* Viscount Family who revolted 20 years ago. The rebellion was suppressed by the Apathetic Duke dispatched by the royal family. At that time, Sun Heuk-sin was the only one to survive. (*: ‘heuk-sin’ = ‘Black G.o.d’)
In the incident, Sun Heuk-sin lost all of her family and va.s.sals. She vowed vengeance on the Duke and the Kingdom for not showing any mercy.
Afterwards, she disappeared, and went under the leaders.h.i.+p of the Black Witch, the leader of a new rebellion.
She was taught the ‘Ritual of Darkness’ by the Black Witch. The detailed process was unknown, but it was said that more than 300 humans had been devoured by Sun Heuk-sin in the ritual.
She was captured by Viscount Ja Soo-jung just before the ritual could be completed.
Afterwards, she was reduced to a toy of the Apathetic Duke and Viscount Ja Soo-jung, but six months later, she regained her intellect and was freed. Nevertheless, her eating habits have not changed, and even now, Viscount Ja Soo-jung would give her ‘feed’.
Ally.
Can’t kill.
Strengths: [Genius], [Strong Willpower], [Ascendant]
Weakness: [Descendant of Rebels], [Cannibal], [Former Wanted Criminal], [Music]
Notes: Could be a very capable a.s.sa.s.sin if taken as a va.s.sal.
+
“…”
It still felt strange.
I still understood the information, but it felt like reading someone else’s writing.
‘More than that, why did I write something like [can’t kill]?’
Even the information of Marquis Baek Seol-to contained a similar phrase. That one was [no need to kill]. That made me feel like a psycho who determined who I could and couldn’t kill.
I have normal ethical beliefs.
At least that’s what I felt.
It was hard to understand why those phrases were written.
“Of course, we shouldn’t just sit around and lament on a day like this.”
Viscount Sun Heuk-sin sighed and tapped me on the shoulder.
Suddenly, an unpleasant feeling pa.s.sed through my mind.
‘So annoying. Please stop pretending like we’re close. This person, whenever they have time, always tries to show that the two of us are in the same situation. On the subject of killers. I feel sorry for people who only feel alive when they are together with their own kind. Well, if this person wants to find her own kind, she’d have to fall to h.e.l.l first before searching. She doesn’t want to go to h.e.l.l, so she’s sticking to me instead. There is nothing more annoying than that.’
…….
Huh?
Huhh?
Just now, what was I thinking?
“Mm? Baron Gu Won-ha. Your complexion is a bit bad right now. Are you feeling discomfort somewhere?”
“Tha-, that’s right. Her complexion hasn’t looked good for a while now. The Baron should go to the lounge and rest.”
“…no.”
I managed to open my mouth. When I opened my mouth, words that I hadn’t been thinking naturally flowed out.
“We have already been given five breaks. There is no point in resting any further. The few issues remaining on the agenda are the core focus of our faction, so I would like to maintain my position as much as possible.”
“Indeed…”
Viscount Sun Heuk-sin nodded with an expression as if she understood my words.
“Today is a historic day. It will be the first time in a thousand years that the kingdom will welcome a new Duke. I also have mixed feelings.”
Viscount Sun Heuk-sin turned her head.
The gazes of Marquis Baek Seol-to and myself naturally s.h.i.+ft as well.
“ —Ja Soo-jung, is delighted.”
In the middle of the conference hall.
Sat a blonde n.o.ble.
No. It would be too much to say [sit]. The n.o.ble was resting her cheek against the throne with her b.u.t.tocks on the ground. And the King, who sat on the throne, smiled as he stroked the n.o.ble’s head.
When such affection was shown in the middle of the conference hall, the conservative n.o.bles lamented that the country was ruined.
Viscount Sun Heuk-sin said.
“A lot of n.o.bles ran to the lounge because they didn’t want to see that. When I told them the truth that he sincerely loved her, their expressions were not good. Those old fas.h.i.+oned b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.”
Did this person just have a similar thought to me?
Did I share similar thoughts with a murderer? I wanted to grab a blade and sc.r.a.pe my brain clean.
Thinking of a way to clean my skull, I looked at the blonde n.o.ble, who was more precious to me than anyone else.
『Information— Ja Soo-jung— Restored.』
Letters then appeared before my eyes once again.
It was very concise compared to the others.
However, these exact words hung in the air before me.
+
[Ja Soo-jung]
My Lord.
My Heart.
My Blood.
My everything in this world.
+
“…”
Huh?
‘That person is my lord?’
At that moment, my head began to clear.
‘The owner of my heart is Raviel. What bulls.h.i.+t is this?’
No, my head was clear.
The fog in my mind disappeared in an instant.
‘Who is Baek Seol-to? Who is Sun Heuk-sin? Where am I? Why the h.e.l.l am I speaking so politely? Wizard? Gu Won-ha? Baron? Why aren’t they using Kim Gong-ja?’
My eyes opened like someone waking up from a nightmare.
‘I am Kim Gong-ja. Kim Gong-ja. The Death King of Ascension City. The Moon of Duke Ivansia, the Young Master of the Demonic Cult, and the Companion of the Goblin Race!’
Finally, I heard the voice of the Tower.
[The Subject’s ego has been restored.]
[Confirmed that the Subject’s ego has been maintained.]
[Continuing to reproduce trauma!]