"Uhm…Uhm…"
The dark sorcerer, Lupellan, retreated. His heart pounded violently and fear crept into his heart. He wanted to run away but it was impossible.
Step. Step. Javier, the silver-haired knight, was slowly walking toward him. His gaze didn't leave Lupellan for anything. Lupellan sensed it. The silver-haired knight would wield his sword the moment he tried to run away.
He would never be able to avoid or block the blow. The wizard couldn't even dare to think of fighting back.
This was all because he was out of mana. Who would have thought he'd wipe out the enhanced ghouls so easily…Lupellan never imagined it. The ghouls were made out of various potions and dark magic. He had specially processed the magic circle, which took him over a hundred days of working day and night to design. So the enhanced ghouls boasted strength that was incomparable to their ordinary counterparts. Their steel-like skin even bounced off axes and their movement was swift like the wind.
Furthermore, they were also fairly intelligent. Combined with their ferocity, even Lupellan was chilled to the bones in their presence. In short, these enhanced ghouls were the perfect killing machine, the ultimate weapon in Lupellan's arsenal. But who was this silver-haired knight in front of him? What kind of knight could slash through fifty enhanced ghouls in one sweep and turn them into rotten meat?
"You! Who in the world are you?!" Lupellan snarled, resentful.
The veins behind his neck popped.
"Why in the world are you throwing a fit here?"
He found himself yelling in fear, resentment, and desperation. On one end, it was his outcry of self-resignation. He sensed it, too. He sensed that his death was near. I don't want to die.
He wanted to live. There was research he direly wanted to complete successfully. He had to finish it. That was how he could save his lost family and how he could restore his happy past.
That belief was what kept Lupellan going every day. The approaching silver-haired knight looked like a grim reaper.
Tap. Tap. Javier's steps gradually narrowed their distance one by one. There was no escape or opportunity to fight back. What's worse was that Javier was coming near without uttering a single word. This meant that there was no room for negotiation. Zero. That realization drove the dark sorcerer into a panic.
"Stop! Don't come near! Don't come near!" Lupellan screeched, but it was in vain.
The silver-haired knight's blue eyes flashed with murderous animosity.
His sword emitted light and swished in the air. Slash!
"Eek…!"
Lupellan squeezed his eyes shut.
Just then, "Javier, stop."
An unexpected voice spoke. At the same time, a soft breeze touched the back of his neck.
Whew.
Was I beheaded? Lupellan carefully opened his eyes. Then, once again, he shrieked aloud.
He realized that the silver-haired knight's sword was just an inch away from his neck.
"Ha…Whew!"
His legs wobbled and his body lost strength. Just then, a voice, which sounded like a lifeline, was heard again.
"Don't kill him just yet, Javier. I have something to do first."
Who could it be? Lupellan wondered. His gaze moved over to the source. There was a man with black hair. Feeling the sorcerer's gaze, Lloyd scoffed and said, "I have something to discuss with him, so put the sword away."
"Yes, Young Master."
Javier removed the sword and Lupellan heaved a sigh. Lloyd walked over to him and said, "Hey, are you all right?"
Lupellan wondered what in the world Lloyd meant when both of them had just fought with swords and magic just a few minutes ago. He didn't consider Lloyd brazen and regardless, Lloyd was his savior. Lupellan carefully said, "Whew…Whew…It is fine. Anyway, thank you very much for having mercy and sparing me."
"Mercy? Ha." Lloyd snickered.
He didn't save this black sorcerer because he felt merciful. He did so because the sorcerer was useful. It was plain and simple, everything he had done up to this point was for retaliation. Now, it was time for exploitation. At the same time, it was playtime for Lloyd. Going over the plans in his head, Lloyd said, "Mercy…You know, I am not that kind."
"Anyway, you kidnapped my soldiers and stole my construction supplies. Am I wrong?"
"Uhm…Are you talking about the men I took here a few days ago?"
"Yeah. Are they alive?"
"Yes, they are."
"Everyone?"
"Yes," said Lupellan.
"That's great. Because I was going to kill you immediately if something happened to even one of them."
Lloyd grinned. The corners of Lupellan's eyes flinched slightly.
"Uhm…Uhm…You see, I am sorry."
"Sorry? That's it?"
"Of course not."
Lupellan shook his head in a hurry.
"I shall let them go immediately. So, would it be alright if I move for a moment?"
"Be my guest." Lloyd permitted.
Lupellan carefully rose from the ground. He walked over to a corner of the laboratory and pulled down the lever. Clank! Clank! A metallic noise rang several times and at last, the wooden wall on the side of the lab opened and revealed a prison hidden behind it.
"Tsk, tsk." Lloyd scowled when he saw the inside.
"Look at them. They've become emaciated."
It was true. The soldiers looked terribly sick. There were twenty in total. Ten had been sent back by Lloyd to bring the insulation materials. Another ten, Lloyd assumed, were sent by the fiefdom. The cavernous eyes and protruded cheekbones of the men behind the cell indicated that they had starved.
"I…I apologize."
"You think an apology would cut it? What were you going to do if they died in there?"
Lupellan became silent.
"You know, I'm starting to get curious. What are you? A pervert? Just what were you planning on doing with them by locking them up?"
"Be honest with me now. It looks like you have your own reasons."
Lloyd's tone strangely sounded like a nag and encouragement at the same time. Perhaps that was the reason why Lupellan slowly spoke up after opening and closing his lips in hesitation.
"In fact…Uhm…I was…researching how to bring back the dead."
"Bring back the dead? Do you mean the undead?"
Lloyd turned to look at what was left of the enhanced ghouls. Lupellan shook his head.
"No, it's not that. I wasn't researching the undead. That's different."
"Different? What's the difference?"
"I researched how to bring back those that simply just passed away."
"Those that passed away? Do you mean resurrection?"
"Resurrection…Yes. It is something like that."
Lupellan nodded in a hurry.
"I wanted to bring back my family. I mean my wife and children…"
"Why? Did something happen to them?"
"Yes," replied Lupellan.
For the first time since they met, his voice sounded sad.
"I used to be a sorcerer in an ordinary fiefdom. I had a typical family with a wife and children. I was happy. No, I would have continued to be happy if it weren't for that awful accident…"
"Stop there. If you're trying to narrate a tedious story of what happened with every detail, don't bother."
"Anyway…I wanted to bring back my family. That's why I did it."
"That's why you researched magic down here?"
"Yeah."
"Tell me, do you have to sacrifice living souls in order to bring back the dead?"
"That's…"
"You have to."
Lloyd's eyes narrowed to slits.
"And it looks like you've tried it out several times already. Am I right?"
The dark sorcerer grew silent and Lloyd's voice grew edgier.
"You've been researching forbidden magic. I presume you have sacrificed dozens of people already."
"Shut your mouth, please. Do you know what you've done?"
His edgy voice was now becoming rough.
"Bring back the dead? Do you think that's remotely possible? Use common sense, you idiot."
"I just…"
"Shut it. Fine. Let's say that you did it. Let's say for a second that this outrageous attempt works, and you bring back your wife and children. Do you really think they would thank you for saving them? Wait, yeah. They might. After all, birds of a feather flock together. Maybe not your children, but your wife."
"Please don't speak ill of my wife and children."
"You made me speak ill of them."
"Why? Don't you like hearing it? Are you upset? But you have nothing to say, right?"
"Do you now see what you've done? Foolish idiot. The dead are dead. It's courteous of you to let them be at peace once they're gone."
At that moment, Lloyd wrinkled his nose. It must be because he remembered his parents.
Lupellan bit his lips. "Of course, I…I know that. But I cannot forget my beloved wife and my children, who were more important than life itself. How can I move on so easily? No matter if I close or open my eyes, they never leave my sight for a second. I cannot bear it."
"So, you're saying that's why you weren't able to move on?"
"It's my fault. I know that. I know it's my greed and foolishness."
"So? What are you going to do from now on?"
"Forget them…What else can I do?"
Hot tears started to slide down Lupellan's cheeks. Instead of wiping the tears off, he stared at Lloyd, his eyes red.
"I'm going to stop this research."
"Really? Are you really going to stop it?"
"Yes. Actually, I am…tired as well."
"Tsk. You should have grown tired sooner."
"You can accuse me a hundred times, and I'm still guilty. So in return…"
Lupellan looked away and at the end of his gaze was a huge metal box.
Pointing at the box, he said, "I'm going to give you everything in that box."
"That one? What's that?"
"It contains the magical potions and items I've garnered to conduct my research."
"Hmm…It must be expensive."
"They mean nothing to me anymore."
"I guess you really made a decision…"
"I don't have another choice, do I? Here, take this. I'll open the box for you."
The black sorcerer walked over to the box. He then bit the end of his index finger in front of it and brought his bleeding finger into its keyhole. The blood soaked into the hole.
"This is a magical lock. It opens up only by my blood. My blood that is spilled when I am alive, that is. Otherwise, even a slight push from the outside melts every item in the box."
He must have been telling the truth because the box clunked open. Inside, Lloyd saw that the box contained a variety of magic potions, ingredients, and goods, all compressed together.
"This is my way of compensating you for all the damage I've caused by kidnapping your men. Please accept it."
"If you insist."
Lloyd smiled in satisfaction and Lupellan smiled bitterly. At last, he brought his hand up to wipe the tears off his eyes and when his face was covered by the sleeve, he raised the corners of his lips. You fool. The dark sorcerer smiled. He was extremely relieved that this young man was fooled.
I'm so relieved that this young gentleman thinks himself smart. Plus, this man was slightly greedy and kind at the same time. Thanks to it, Lupellan pretended to be contrite and managed to be forgiven. Yes, it worked. I can collect magical items anytime. I can always make potions again, too. What matters most is getting out of here alive. Regardless of what he had to give, the most important thing was to stay alive. Afterward, he would resume his research somewhere else. This time, he would work even harder to complete his theory.
Then I'll be able to bring them back. My wife and kids…We'll meet again. The mere thought of it touched his heart. His heart trembled in sorrow and he wished to leave this place immediately and get back to his research. I'll increase the scale of my research. Make it bolder. I'll sacrifice hundreds, not dozens. That would up my success rate. And after that, I'll be able to get back my happiness and return to the good days. Lupellan clenched his fists.
He told himself that it was time to say goodbye to this young gentleman as he fooled the latter enough.
He could simply leave this dungeon, pretending to be touched and satisfied.
"I shall…leave now."
"Where are you going?"
"I do not know yet. I am thinking of wandering around until I find land suitable for farming."
"I see, that doesn't sound like a bad idea."
"Thank you. So long." Lupellan then gave Lloyd a slight bow. With a sorrowful and serious look on his face, he turned around.
No, he was about to when…
"Javier. Let me ask you one thing."
Lloyd's cold voice rang.
"How are serial killers dealt with by the royal law?"
"If the murders were clearly done in bad faith, and when there are objective pieces of evidence, testimonies, confessions, ten or more witnesses to back those murders, a noble is allowed by law to execute them on the spot."
Javier's sharp answer rang aloud in the place. Lupellan flinched in surprise.
"What? What do you mean?"
Chills ran down his spine. Immediate execution? What's he saying? Everyone was in a good mood just a minute ago. Lupellan wondered what prompted a change in the young man's attitude. Swish. Javier drew his sword.
Sensing that this was not a joke, Lupellan hurried, "Why? Why?"
He frantically stepped back.
Looking at Lloyd, he asked, "Are you really going to kill me? Why? Why?"
"What do you mean, why? Isn't it obvious?"
"Obvious? I don't get it…"
"Didn't you just hear? You're a serial killer." Lloyd emphasized.
The way Lloyd looked at Lupellan was completely devoid of the naivety that was there a while ago. There was only a cold, bitter expression. Lupellan's heart grew desperate.
"But, I repented enough, and…I even acknowledged my fault…"
"So?" Lloyd asked.
"I even shed tears! I shed tears as I repented my sins!"
"Crying makes you all okay? Do your sins go away by being contrite about them?"
"That's…"
"Hey, please quit your drivel."
Lloyd snickered in disbelief.
"I thought I told you a while ago. You did all this for your family? To bring back your beloved wife and children? But what about those that died in your hands? Do you think they didn't have any families? Do you think they didn't have their own life?"
"Please, you shouldn't have covered up your sins with your forced repentance or pretended to be penitent. Did you think I'd be fooled by that? You have no idea how many times I've met people like you."
Lloyd's voice sounded stern. Suddenly, he called to mind his life back in South Korea.
The news was flooded with heinous criminals every day. People kidnapped, raped, killed, and did entirely inhumane things. But barely did they pay for what they've done.
That was because of the country's justice system. Something was off in the system. Heinous criminals got off cheap, receiving only light sentences. Some pleaded to the judge that it was a drunken mistake. Some claimed to be mentally ill. Others begged the judge that they were genuinely sorry for what they did and the judges sentenced them magnanimously, spewing some outrageous excuses. Each time he watched the events unfold, Lloyd genuinely wondered if the judges had truly gone mad. He had seen plenty of such cases and so, he was able to see through the dark sorcerer's tricks. All this while, he was just dancing to the latter's tune.
It was so I could get a hold of those magical supplies. Lloyd stole a glance at the box.
To be frank, it was the reason he had temporarily postponed killing him. That was also one of the reasons why he painstakingly worked his way into this dungeon with Javier. Now that he got what he wanted, Lloyd didn't need Lupellan anymore. He wanted to take care of this criminal as harshly as possible. I can forgive him, but he won't learn from his mistakes. It's the same in the novel. He gets forgiven by Javier, only to strike back and get his head sliced off.
It was true. As such, Lloyd was convinced that this dark sorcerer would only take his research somewhere else and massacre hundreds.
"So, I'll summarize things for you. You can exaggerate your stories and give me those crocodile tears of yours, but there's something that won't change. It's your character. Do you know what that is?"
"That you are a serial killer."
"And a serial killer must pay for his sin. It's only right," Lloyd announced.
"Hold on!"
"Javier, do as the law says," Lloyd spoke and turned around.
Lupellan frantically pleaded, asking for mercy. Javier stepped forward as he drew his sword.
"I, Knight Javier Asrahan, am here to execute the holy law of the kingdom under the order of Lloyd Frontera, the son of Baron Frontera."
Swish. Javier mercilessly flourished his sword.
Translator: https://bettertranslation9.wordpress.com