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Chapter: 30
“Uh?”
Before she could fully comprehend his words, Shana’s entire body was engulfed in pain.
Shaking from the agony, which felt as if her body were burning, her vision caught a strange sight.
The spider, which had been small, began to grow grotesquely larger as it came into contact with the scattered blood.
“It’s thanks to you. I won’t forget this sacrifice.”
Soon after, a pain like her body was being torn apart washed over her.
Why did the spiders approaching her seem to be growing even larger?
A hallucination? An auditory illusion? Or was it real?
Unfortunately, Shana’s life ended before her thoughts could reach a conclusion.
“Finally, it seems this much is needed to break the chains.”
The scattered blood caused a fracture in the magic of the chains restraining Moremo.
Freeing the chains, he watched the spiders grow larger as they fed on the blood-soaked prey.
“Are you planning to escape like this?”
Clicking heels echoed, and soon, Alice appeared through the opened door.
“I’m sorry that my inadequacy forced you to rely on someone else to escape.”
Being only an intermediate-level mage, Alice couldn’t directly help Moremo escape.
However, her greatest skill was illusion magic capable of influencing hearts, and she used it to craft the escape plan.
A person with great resentment toward Pelion, whose desires outweigh fear or reason.
After much consideration, Shana was chosen as the suitable candidate — a decision that proved excellent.
“I need to quietly restore my mana circuits… but since I’m leaving, I should give Pelion a little gift.”
Using the magical tool Alice provided, he gathered the monsters into one place.
Then, with a teleportation tool, he arrived at a remote hill far from the mage tower.
It was once a nest crawling with spider-type monsters, and the site of a massive monster extermination that placed Pelion as sub-lord of the tower.
Though the monsters had been exterminated, the ominous aura remained, making it forbidden for ordinary people to enter even during the day.
The sight of the ash-blackened forest from fire was unpleasant to him, but for these monsters, it must have felt like returning home.
“All right, leave them here.”
Moremo placed the magical tool containing the monsters onto the blackened ground.
Activating the teleportation tool again, he smashed the container onto a rock, shattering it.
Shortly after their silhouettes disappeared, massive monsters began emerging from the cracks of the broken tool.
Rustle, rustle.
Dozens of pairs of glowing red eyes vanished into the darkness, accompanied by grotesque noises.
News of Moremo’s escape reached Pelion, who hurriedly arrived and was shocked at the scene before him.
A corpse unrecognizable as a human, broken chains of the Judicator, and a foul stench that seemed to vibrate from an unknown liquid splattered around.
Even the investigating mages, who gagged and hurriedly retreated, left Pelion scanning the area with a serious expression.
His gaze fell upon the broken chains of the Judicator.
“How could it have been broken?”
The Judicator’s chains held the most powerful binding magic in the tower.
Cast personally by the first mage lord to punish those who violated the rules, yet the chains were shattered.
‘I was planning to identify those who cooperated with Moremo while the punishment was postponed, but that seems wasted.’
He had intended to purge the forces corrupted by heretical thoughts, but things had grown complicated.
‘Even if there’s strong resistance, I should have executed them immediately.’
He clicked his tongue in displeasure.
It seemed the person who became that horrific corpse had helped Moremo escape; their identity could be determined later.
“So, it has come to this after all.”
Rachel’s face was pale, likely from nausea.
“You’ll pursue them, right?”
“Of course.”
No one was better suited than Pelion for the task, so naturally, he would handle it.
“Are you leaving immediately?”
Rachel’s question brought to mind Ophelia’s face, and he paused.
He had just promised not to vanish silently — breaking that promise so quickly would be shameful.
‘What if something happens while I’m gone…?’
Ophelia had a knack for causing trouble, and he couldn’t shake the unease.
But pursuing Moremo was the only way to ensure both the tower’s and Ophelia’s safety.
Though he knew he had to act immediately, his steps wouldn’t move.
“Tell her to rest quietly; I’ll be back soon. And when I return…”
Pelion hesitated briefly before adding the last words:
“Tell her we’ll eat together and finish the story we didn’t get to.”
“I will. Don’t worry — I’ll do my best as her guardian, so go.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Pelion swung his cloak over his shoulders and vanished.
Rionar had heard of the water-incident and came early in the morning.
“What’s wrong with you this time?”
I had no words to defend myself when he asked why incidents always followed me.
‘I guess I overdid it trying to humble Rosain.’
Unable to explain, I stayed silent, and he shook his head.
After scolding me for a while, he left, warning not to come to him unless I attended classes and successfully controlled my mana.
Soon after, another visitor arrived — Rachel.
She informed me that Pelion had to leave urgently and kindly guided me to the lecture hall, saying I could call on her if I needed help.
‘I wish I could rest a few more days.’
Sure enough, her attention felt intense.
Although worried, I couldn’t skip class with my body fine, so I braced myself and opened the door.
Immediately, all eyes in the classroom focused on me.
‘Wow… that’s overwhelming.’
Though no one spoke to me directly, the whispers made it obvious I was the topic, and I felt my shoulders shrink nervously.
I headed toward a familiar corner, but:
“Good morning, Ophelia!”
Someone grabbed my shoulder and greeted me.
The bright voice belonged to Luna.
“Your magic is amazing!”
“You accidentally drew a high-level magic circle? The hallway was flooded — how much mana do you have?”
Josh approached casually and spoke as well.
Seeing them, unchanged from yesterday, I stiffened briefly but forced a smile.
“I don’t really know. It’s my first time using magic.”
“You made everyone look like drenched mice — that was incredible!”
“And hilarious too.”
Thanks to them, I relaxed and laughed.
They led me toward the center, and I met Rosain’s gaze.
She kept staring, then quickly turned her head when our eyes met.
‘What’s with her?’
“She’s embarrassed, that’s all.”
“Huh?”
Seeing my confusion, Luna kindly explained:
“She thought she was the best here, but someone much more amazing showed up. She tried to show off and got schooled.”
Even though Luna said it loudly, Rosain didn’t react.
“By the way, I heard you collapsed from mana exhaustion. Are you okay?”
Josh asked, apparently no longer interested in her, and I answered, also conveying my thanks I had forgotten.
“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry to worry you, and thank you.”
“For what?”
“For trying to help me back then. You didn’t know me, and it could have been dangerous, but you stepped in anyway.”
“It’s nothing, we’re friends. Of course I’d do that.”
“Yeah, I feel sorry I couldn’t help more.”
Blinking at Luna and Josh’s words, I realized:
‘We really… are friends.’
I felt dizzy realizing I almost said something embarrassing aloud.
