Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 147 (Part 2)

Moreover, the Richmond Marquisate was a knightly house—having such an item was practically useless to them. It was likely that they had never even bothered to investigate it.

“So you handed such an artifact over to a black magician.”

“…Excuse me, I have a question.”

“Feel free to ask, Marquis.”

“Rodin, you claimed my Uncle Butler is a black magician. But I can still sense aura within him. Does that mean he’s… a magic swordsman?”

A magic swordsman.

A person who can use both magic and swordsmanship. Barclay Richmond clearly falls into this category as well.

“If you insist on categorizing it, then yes.”

“Our family’s Aura cultivation technique is not suited for a Magic Swordsman. If that were the case, Aura and mana would clash. How, then, was Uncle able to become a Magic Swordsman?”

From a common-sense perspective, Marquis Richmond’s doubt was perfectly reasonable. If Butler were a true Magic Swordsman, something utterly nonsensical had taken place.

“Aura and mana don’t necessarily clash just because they coexist. The conflict only occurs when using magic.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“He must have either refrained from using magic or endured the pain and used it minimally. In my opinion, even though he became a dark mage, he probably hasn’t used dark magic more than ten times. And those few times, he must have barely managed while enduring excruciating pain.”

Marquis Richmond turned to look at his uncle, Barclay. His gaze silently asked if this was true.

“I’ve only used it four times.”

“You must have used it twice when casting curses.”

“Twice? Ah! You mean Offering of Plunder and Curse of Frailty, right?”

“Yes. Those two. And it seems you used it another two times for practice.”

Rodin’s prediction was accurate.

When Barclay first learned dark magic, he had tried a simple curse. As a result, a maid wasted away and eventually died.

The second spell he used was Dark Bolt, an offensive dark magic spell similar to the Thunderbolt of white magic. He had cast it on a training dummy that knights used for practice at night.

The third and fourth dark magic spells were curses cast over the entire territory. They were spells that required a medium, and with Segan’s help, he had barely managed to complete them.

“Hah, I just can’t understand it. Committing such an atrocious act just to extend your life for a few more years.”

“How could a brat like you, with so many years left to live, possibly understand my feelings? I still have unfinished business. I cannot close my eyes like this!”

Just then, the gate between Prince Harrison’s residence and the inner castle swung open.

Four knights entered, surrounding a man who appeared to be in his fifties.

“Huh? What is this…? My lord, what on earth is going on…?”

Segan, the healer, who had no idea what was happening, questioned in confusion. But then, his gaze fell upon a shattered statue lying discarded on the ground.

His face hardened instantly.

“So, you recognize what this is.”

“My lord, what is the meaning of this…?”

“I intend to burn them all.”

“No!”

Seigan shouted furiously. He hastily stepped forward, trying to grab the statue.

However, the knights blocked his path, preventing him from getting closer.

Even if the knights weren’t there, Karis stood near the statue. Rodin and Jena were also only three steps away from it.

“Your reaction tells me everything. If I ask questions, will you answer truthfully?”

“So it was you. You’re the one who caused this mess.”

Segan’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.

Those who knew him in his usual state were shocked by his sudden transformation. A chill ran down their spines, and their hair stood on end.

“Yes, it was me. Well, there’s no need for courtesy when dealing with something that isn’t even human, right?”

“You bastard! Who are you? A mage?”

Just from Rodin’s robe, it was easy to guess that he was a mage. Rodin didn’t bother denying it.

“If I ask about your backer, you wouldn’t answer, would you?”

“There is no backer. I did it all myself.”

“I thought so. Hmm… As I suspected, you haven’t completely taken control of that body. The original soul still remains.”

The moment Rodin laid eyes on Segan’s body, he noticed the issues. It was like a collapsing building on the verge of crumbling—his body was a mess. The reason was clear: two souls resided within a single body.

“What?”

“That makes it simple. We just need to call back the original soul. Lockdown!”

Rodin had been preparing his spell long before Segan’s arrival.

The 7th-circle spell, Lockdown.

It was the same spell that had completely immobilized Elder Kendrick of the Sedria Magic Tower, rendering him utterly helpless. A mere 1st-circle dark mage had no chance of resisting a spell that even a 5th-circle mage couldn’t counter.

“Y-You bastard! What have you done?!”

“A mere 1st-circle dark mage… I suppose you didn’t bother growing stronger since you expected to die soon anyway.”

“……”

Segan, who had been about to retort, closed his mouth.

He decided not to engage in conversation with this cunning mage. The more he spoke, the more it felt like he was being ensnared.

“I suppose I should call forth the original soul.”

Rodin reached for a rat-shaped statue lying on the ground. It was where Segan’s soul had originally been stored, and even now, its roots remained tied to it.

Grrk!

“Graaah!”

Rodin lightly scraped the statue with his fingertip.

He hadn’t applied much force—if it were a human body, it would’ve barely left a scratch.

But Seigan convulsed in agony, thrashing madly on the ground and letting out bloodcurdling screams.

“How long can you endure, ancient wraith?”

“Y-You… You…!”

Grrk!

Rodin scratched it again, slightly harder this time.

“Gyaaaah! K-Kill me… Just kill me already…”

“If I could kill only you, I would. But if you die, the body collapses too. Jena, cut off the statue’s front paw.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Slice!

Jena’s blade moved with precision. The rat-shaped statue’s front paw fell to the ground with a small thud.

“Gaaaaah! Ughhhh!”

Seigan was pushed to the brink of unconsciousness. He convulsed so violently that he struggled to even breathe.

Rodin simply watched as Segan writhed in pain.

‘I should develop a spell that can suppress only the mind.’

It wasn’t something he could accomplish immediately. Still, with three or four days of careful thought, he might be able to create a spell that could put someone’s consciousness to sleep or immobilize them.

“Rodin, does attacking the statue really cause pain?”

“Yes. The essence of his soul still lingers within the statue.”

“So this is what a Life Vessel is.”

The statue had the same weakness as a lich’s Life Vessel. Moreover, it had an additional flaw—if the soul was separated from the statue for too long, its connection would weaken.

“It’s not a perfect Life Vessel. It has even more vulnerabilities. Jena, cut off the tail as well.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Slice!

“Guh… Hah… Haaah… Hah…”

As Segan gasped for breath, his head suddenly drooped. Then, ever so slowly, he straightened his body.

His expression was now eerily calm, as if he no longer felt any pain.

Hyung_Otaku2

•