NOVEL NEXT chapter 60
60 – Collapse-12
‘Eurisia…’
I knew why she came.
I could tell just by looking at the eyes. She lost herself.
‘I think the situation is worse than I thought…’
She thought she could hold out. Anyway, she was a princess.
Apart from breaking, she believed that it would be possible to ‘stop time while maintaining her power’.
‘This… Is unexpected.’
When considering the strength of the princess herself, the princess in a state without any changes was the strongest.
A princess who has never once broken her heart and can wield her own sword without any doubt.
‘Anyway, that method can’t be used right now.’
I can’t help it. I chose to fight her and win.
There was no way to defeat her except by bringing up the princess’s past and digging into her only weakness.
She sat still and looked at me with her sad eyes.
“I’m sorry for being unreasonable.”
“No.”
“Still… I just wanted to be with you. If I was alone with my thoughts, I seemed to get distracted without realizing it.”
It was difficult to gauge how serious the problem she was talking about, being ‘disoriented’, was.
“I hope I can be of help.”
There was no car. With a small desk and hard chair in front of us, we were constantly facing each other.
“What if?”
She opened her mouth first.
“If I… become weak, if evil people realize that I am this weak.”
My eyes are shaking. Fear is etched here and there on the princess’s face.
“What do you think will happen?”
“It’s meaningless to worry about that now.”
I could say this for sure.
The princess, having completely buried her past, became an ‘apostle of justice’ again and was able to wipe out the enemies who opposed her empire.
She could make up her own mind, or she could touch her memories. If she was obsessed with ‘recreating’ her past self, she didn’t have a way around it.
Nevertheless, when she is reforged, she will become a much weaker sword than she was before she was broken.
“She is aware that she has done something rude… But the princess cannot go back.”
It took quite a bit of work to break her down from her intact state.
As a warlock who clearly recognizes ‘the victim, the time of his death, and what he said’, this is a weakness that she managed to overcome by taking advantage of her carelessness and pouring out my enormous power to the point of ignorance.
Even if you leave her as is, it is her weakness that will not be penetrated unless her timing and her luck are seriously bad.
Perhaps, she would never have collapsed in her entire life.
“I see. But, nevertheless, why are you able to sit so calmly… Like nothing is wrong?”
The princess lamented to me as if she couldn’t understand, but she already knew the answer.
“…Yeah. I see.”
I didn’t say anything, but Yurishia nodded her head slowly.
“There is no need to worry. You will solve the problem on your own, just like you always do.”
She was right.
Of course, the princess is valid. Unless she has any intention of reaching for evil, the more intact her power is, the better.
However, depending on the situation, it does not matter if it is slightly weakened or completely excluded.
Victor could not escape the academy. It was obvious to him who killed him.
His life or death didn’t have a big impact on my plans, but dying in this way was still problematic.
We may have to cooperate with more evil people. Or, if necessary, we may have to tolerate their presence.
In the process, if the princess went on a rampage killing ‘evil’ without any hesitation, and if I couldn’t intervene in that movement, a potential problem could have arisen.
“Yes. That’s right.”
Even if she is not there, I will do it.
This gives the princess time to put her mind in order again. Even if the princess becomes much weaker than before, I can fight on her behalf, even if that sword becomes dull amidst her endless doubts and wavering.
“…I believe it.”
The princess seemed a little relieved, stood up from her seat and looked at me.
‘…This is unexpected.’
I thought it would continue to shake. Until her circumstances forced her to make her own judgment.
However, Yurishia seemed to have made a decision.
In a way that you believe in me.
“There’s been a lot of pointless talk. I’ll just take a step back.”
“…Please take a look.”
I saw her off. She looked back at me several times with regretful eyes, but soon disappeared beyond her hallway.
“Haa…”
There were so many things to think about.
/////
“It’s clumsy and foolish. If this is really Kazot’s plan, I can’t help but doubt it.”
Katharine looked at their messenger with skeptical eyes.
“That’s right. It’s a pretty desperate situation here, so it’s natural that the plan goes awry.”
“Hmm…”
“However, the reality is that it is difficult to achieve anything other than this.”
Kazot was cornered.
Of course, their plans were not limited to the academy. Their reach extended to numerous territories and countries.
Although each person’s wishes were different, there were quite a few collaborators and members who participated in their plan.
“If we don’t create chaos at the Academy, it’s going to be a lot harder to plan elsewhere.”
It is a place where young people from all over the world flock. No matter how tight the security was, causing an incident at the academy was easier than causing an incident elsewhere.
Even if a war were to start in a disputed area right now, the likelihood of it expanding would not be high, even if the conflict would break out in a few places nearby.
Basically, it is a dispute between territory and territory.
“A high-ranking noble must take the risk of being discovered and raise an army, because it will be nothing more than a local war.”
Soldiers must cross the border by moving their own legs. This will be followed by plunder and conquest, followed by a siege.
All of those things consume time. The kings and nobles of each country will not be willing to take on the money and risks, and will try to erase any dispute as if nothing happened.
“Yes. The Academy… Will be different.”
However, in the academy, killing one or two people can have a huge impact.
There is a clear superiority and inferiority in status and in a person’s life.
People who will not even flinch even if hundreds of soldiers die will go on a rampage and cry for revenge if one or two sons and daughters of nobles they know die.
“…But, it’s unrealistic. It’s not like you don’t know which of my classmates are right now, right?”
The princess, the saint, the successor to the Magic Tower, and even Wade.
Even the dark priest who followed Wade was able to emit a level of magical energy that could not be defeated with any amount of power.
“Conspiring here is no different from suicide.”
Whether it’s poison or a sneak attack, it has no choice but to be used against people who are likely to use it.
Katharine was good at scheming, but she also knew what was most important in scheming.
It was about waiting. No matter how impatient and frustrating it may be, you should not risk your life on an operation with a low success rate.
However, their plan was too difficult to use ‘abandonment card’ and too dangerous to move directly.
“I know.”
“Bring a plan that makes sense. This won’t work.”
“You won’t be able to convince the Lady with a plan. All we can offer is convincing power, not a convincing plan.”
“Power?”
“Yes.”
Katharine frowned.
“Kazott is strong, my lady. Much more than you think.”
“Well, guess how much-“
Katarin’s speech was blocked by the black relic he took out.
“…Where did you get this?”
“A fairly large cathedral was plundered. If you blame it on the foreigners, the Inquisitors will not pay much attention to where the ‘evil deed’ went.”
An object covered in dark red blood, probably a holy relic, was held in his hand.
“Pick it up. Accept the power.”
“…This has too many impurities-“
She is different from the ‘gifts’ she received before. This is not a product of pure evil.
It contains traces of the devil. The moment she receives this, her contract is shaken.
‘Supplier devil, no. It seems like it’s more than that, but…’
“Of course it is. However, joining hands with such a powerful devil. Even as a daughter, I can’t say it’s a loss.”
“I know. But-“
“It’s Baal.”
Katharine held her breath.
‘If it means creating a relationship with the devil to that degree… It is worth the price no matter what.’
She served Asmodeus, but if she was a demon of Baal’s level, it would be worth considering changing her ‘master’.
‘But, if I choose this…’
Katharine did not let down her guard.
They did not expect that Katharine would believe in her talent and personality and elevate her to a position ‘closer to her Baal than they were.’
You will gain strength, but your freedom will be taken away. There will be a stronger warlock belonging to Kazott, and that being will be able to control her.
Nevertheless, Catherine had no choice.
“This shouldn’t be the end.”
“Of course, reinforcements and additional offerings will be provided. Lady Katharine can rest easy and only worry about making her plan a success.”
He smiled slightly. Katharine pursed her lips and tightly clutched the black and red relic he handed her.