N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 541
Runaan opened her eyes, which were trembling.
‘My head is spinning...?’
She didn't know how much time had passed. It felt like more than two days had passed, but since the basement had no windows, she couldn't tell for sure.
"…Thanks to the blood of my subordinates, I was able to easily cut the throat of the ogre king."
Syria, who was sitting within arm's reach, spoke with a mad look in his eyes.
"The next mission was a rescue. It was about saving the stranded villagers in the gorge, but it seemed like a waste of time, so I killed them with my own hands and reported that they had all died."
"……."
Runaan clenched her fists as she looked at Syria's twisted eyes.
‘What's going on in his mind?’
It was incomprehensible.
At first, she believed it was over, but Syria merely subdued her without laying a finger on her.
Continuing to babble about his own story, Syria's intentions remained unpredictable.
"Oh! There was a funny thing that happened there, have you heard of human hunting? It's like letting people go on purpose, just like letting animals loose and killing them…”
One more strange thing was that, even though Syria kept talking about such disgusting and creepy things, for some reason, the murderous intent and anger towards him slowly subsided.
What was even more bizarre was that she felt a sense of kinship, as if she had participated in the evil deeds he had done.
‘Probably because of this.’
Runaan lowered her gaze and looked at the floor.
A blood-red magic circle had been installed in the room, which was originally used as a warehouse and was filled with dust and dirt.
At first, she didn't know the effect of this magic circle, but now she has a general idea.
Her senses are becoming soft, like soaked paper. The magic clearly weakened emotions and souls.
'Whatever this magic circle is, it doesn't matter.’
Runaan bit her back teeth.
‘I'll endure it to the end.’
Every time the murderous intent and hatred towards Syria subsided, she thought of her parents, Raon, and the Light Wind Division.
As she thought of her loved ones, it felt like her once-shaken heart was solidly filling up again.
“It's not like I've only committed murder. Sometimes I did good things too, like helping the areas affected by disasters…”
"Mom and Dad!"
Runaan looked at Syria with her eyes narrowed fiercely.
"What happened to them?"
"Don't worry. I adjusted the drug so they won't die.”
Syria spoke about using a drug on his parents in a creepy tone with a tender expression.
"How can I believe that? Show me. Show me that they are unharmed!”
Runaan bit her lip, declaring that she would die here too if Rokan and Clara were dead.
"That's not difficult."
When Syria gestured, two swordsmen standing behind opened the door and went outside.
A few moments later, the swordsmen returned with Rokan and Clara in their arms. The two were breathing weakly with their eyes closed. They seemed to be unconscious.
"I currently have no intention of killing them.”
"Ah..?"
"Sullion is not a doghouse, and if the head of the family suddenly disappears, Zieghart will find it suspicious too. I will ensure that father and mother hand over the head position to me and retire quietly.”
He retire quietly, but that couldn't be an ordinary retirement. It meant he intended to kill them.
"You..."
Runaan glared at Sullion, her teeth bared.
"What do you want yo do!”
Gripping her fist too tightly, blood trickled from Runaan's fingers.
"This precious thing."
Syria wiped the blood off Runaan's hand with his finger and brought it to his mouth.
"Ah..."
Runaan backed away, shaking her legs. She should be feeling goosebumps, but she felt nothing because of magic circle.
"Because of this!"
He slammed the magic circle down hard, but the red light only deepened.
"You asked me what I wanted to do."
Syria finished sucking all the blood off his finger and raised his eyes, his pupils filled with madness.
"It's simple. I'm going to stab Zieghart's heart."
"What?"
"Soon, the continent will become a sea of fire. Sullion will stand behind Zieghart as they've done so far, and then, at the most crucial moment, I will stab their hearts."
"Do you think that will happen?"
"It's not that difficult."
Syria reached out into the air. A black current spread like smoke, and a goat's helmet with long horns appeared.
"Th-that helmet is..."
Runaan trembled her jaw as she looked at the goat's helmet. She couldn't help but know it.
"Watch closely.”
As Syria put on the goat's helmet, something like molten metal flowed down from the helmet, covering his entire body and forming a black armor.
His lower body was a mountain goat, his upper body was a knight's armor, and his goat's helmet flashed with eerie, cold violet eyes.
"Ba, Baphomet. So you're the evil goat..."
Runaan leaned against the wall and held her shaking arm.
‘So, that's why he brought up Baphomet's story.'
The sudden mention of Baphomet by Syria in the dining room, coupled with his fanatical obsession with her, his blood relative, was all because he was wearing Baphomet's helmet.
"That's right. I am the monster of Eden."
Syria admitted that he was the monster of Eden and exhaled a breath of heated air.
"Oh, bring back my brother! Return my brother!”
Raon had said that the monster's soul inside the helmet devours human souls and takes over their bodies.
It was clear that her brother, who had been the kindest and most affectionate person in her childhood, had disappeared because Baphomet inside the helmet had swallowed his soul.
"It's not like that."
Syria shook his head slowly.
"I, devoured Baphomet instead.”
"...What?"
“Restoration. I simply want to return this peaceful continent to the era when monsters ruled, in accordance with 'that person's' ideals.”
He laughed, holding his stomach, claiming that he had devoured Baphomet.
"Ah..."
Runaan swallowed her dry saliva. This was madness. He was truly mad. She wanted to stop him at all costs, but there was nothing she could do.
“That's the beginning of the war on the continent.”
As Syria raised her left hand, a new helmet appeared along with black flames.
While resembling the Baphomet helmet he currently wore, it had smaller cheekbones, and the horns protruded longer.
“You and I will be at the center of it.”
He covered Runaan's face with the helmet, curling the corners of his mouth.
“My dear sister.”
* * *
Raon continued to run at full speed, even though he knew that Martha and Dorian were falling further and further behind.
'Why is it so far away…'
The House Sullion's secondary residence was located on the outskirts of Zigheart's territory.
Normally, he wouldn't have thought twice about it, but in this frustrating situation, it felt painfully distant.
Aren't you slow! Move faster!
Wrath hit him on the back, saying he was as slow as a snail.
‘Damn it….’
Raon bit his lip. His legs did feel slower, just as Wrath mentioned.
Regrets surged, realizing he should have focused not only on swordsmanship but also on his footwork.
'Please, let nothing happen.'
He tried to tell himself that he was overreacting and that Runaan was just sleeping late, but all he could think about were bad things.
'There's no way that girl would break her ice cream promise.'
If Burren or Martha didn't show up at the agreed-upon place, it might have been acceptable. They neither particularly liked nor disliked ice cream.
But this is Runaan!
It was evident that something unpleasant had happened since Runaan, who always came an hour early to wait, was nowhere to be found.
I see the mansion! Is that it?
Wrath pointed his finger at the blue roof that was falling in a graceful curve.
'Yes.'
Raon nodded and kicked the ground even harder. He focused on his speed and ran to the main gate of the House Sullion, regardless of how much aura he consumed.
There were two guards standing in front of the main gate, but they looked peaceful, as if nothing was wrong.
“Halt.”
“This is the private property of the House Sullion. What is your business here?”
As Raon stood in front of the gate, the guards blocked the path, questioning his intention. Both of them raised their hands towards their swords, revealing vigilant glares.
“I am Raon Zieghart, the vice division leader of the Light Wind Division. I came here because 2nd team captain Runaan did not respond to the summons without any contact.”
"We greet you, Raon-nim.”
The guards seemed to apologize and lowered their hands from their swords and bowed.
“Lady Runaan has not responded to the summons, you say?
“Yes. She didn't come even after two hours, and there was no contact, so I came looking for her.”
He lied that two hours had passed, contrary to the actual time.
“Hmm, we haven't heard anything about that, so please wait a moment.”
The guard on the left opened the main gate and entered the mansion in the center.
“…….”
Raon rotated the Ring of Fire and the Perception of the Snow Flower to examine the interior of the mansion.
'There doesn't seem to be anything strange in particular…'
Raon extended his senses as finely as possible, but he felt no signs of battle or anyone dying.
The movements of the servants and guards inside were also calm.
However, Raon could not feel any trace of Runaan anywhere.
‘Where did she go?’
As Raon concentrated his mind to find Runaan's location, the door of the mansion opened and a kind-looking old man came out.
"It's been a while, Raon-nim.”
Runaan's butler bowed his head respectfully.
"Lady Runaan is not feeling well and is resting after receiving treatment."
He briefly licked his lips, saying that she had overexerted herself while training with Rokan yesterday.
"I would like to tell her that you are here, but she has just fallen asleep and I cannot wake her. I am very sorry."
The butler bowed his head deeply, saying that he was truly sorry.
“Then can I at least see her sleeping?"
"Hehe, Miss Runaan is no longer a child, but a woman. Even if you are the vice division leader, I cannot grant that request. Please understand."
He shook his head with a gentle smile, as if he had expected the question.
"Hmm...”
Raon nodded and looked at the mansion.
“Runaan said that her room overlooks the training ground, so she must be in the room on the left.”
"No, lady Runaan's room is on the right. It seems you are mistaken."
The butler lowered his head, mentioning that it overlooks a garden with blooming flowers rather than the training ground.
“I see. I must have been mistaken.”
Raon scratched the back of his head and nodded.
'That's right.'
Runaan had said that her room overlooked the garden. He had just tested the butler to see if he had been swapped, but he knew exactly where Runaan's room was.
However, he couldn't sense her presence in the right room where Runaan should be sleeping.
'There's no way I couldn't find Runaan's presence.'
He could be sure because he had seen her for almost 10 years. Runaan was not in that mansion right now.
“Hey! What the hell….”
“Yo, young master….”
Martha and Dorian, who had arrived late, stopped at the door with their faces twisted as if they were going to die.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go back.”
“Huh?”
“W-what’s going on….”
Raon smiled as he held Martha and Dorian’s shoulders.
‘Something must have happened.’
Without revealing his true thoughts on his face, he bowed to the butler.
“I’m glad that Runaan is safe. Please tell her to come to the fifth training ground when she wakes up.”
“I understand. Thank you for your concern for the lady.”
They left the entrance of the House Sullion's mansion while receiving the butler's greetings.
"What the hell is happening? Is everything really okay?"
"Have you met Runaan?"
Martha and Dorian furrowed their brows, wondering why they came all the way here without even seeing Runan's face.
“I don’t know exactly what happened either. But it’s clear that something happened to Runaan.”
Raon explained the situation to the two people after covering his mouth to prevent the sound from escaping.
“Then just break in!”
Martha pounded her chest as if she was frustrated.
“Let’s just destroy everything!”
“If it gets noisy, they might take Runaan hostage.”
Raon shook his head and turned around.
"If it gets too loud, they might take Runaan hostage.”
“A, a loud noise? What are you trying to do….”
"If Runaan is being held captive, we need to rescue her.”
After briefing the two on a simple plan, Raon concealed his presence.
He lightly jumped over the wall and hid behind a tree in front of the mansion.
“Wrath.”
Raon called out to Wrath, who was staring blankly into space with his chin in his hand.
‘Do you feel anything?’
She’s not in the mansion for now.
He shook his lowered eyebrows as if he was concentrating on finding Runaan.
‘I see.’
Raon nodded and followed the trail of the butler who had entered the front door.
He entered the mansion and had a conversation with a Master-level swordsman.
After hearing the butler’s words, the swordsman went out to the back of the mansion and stood in the center of the small training ground. After wandering around there for a while, he came back into the mansion.
‘What's over there?’
I found her!
When Raon spread the threads of his aura down to the training ground, Wrath jumped up.
I was dizzy because of the filthy mana, but the ice cream girl is down there! Her condition is not good!
He pointed to a small warehouse on the outskirts of the training ground.
‘Not good? Is she injured?’
Not in the flesh, but in her soul!
Raon was about to run to the warehouse when Wrath continued.
However, there are a lot of strange things installed on the stairs leading down! You have to avoid them as much as possible or you’ll be late!
‘Hmm….’
After hearing Wrath's words, Raon spread his mana and felt the concentration of strange mana. It was traps, clearly set to buy time.
‘Traps….’
Raon looked at the ground where the swordsman had been standing and narrowed his eyes.
‘I don’t have time to play with that stuff.’
* * *
“Ugh….”
Runaan trembled her lips as she looked into the violet eyes of the helmet.
“Don’t resist.”
Syria smiled brightly, spinning the second Baphomet’s helmet on her finger.
"That magic circle reveals the true feelings of the target. If you're drawn to me, it means you loved me..."
“Shut up!”
Runaan shook her head and bit her tongue.
‘It's a lie.’
Syria is a human who speaks lies as effortlessly as breathing. This magic circle clearly doesn't reveal true feelings, instead, it demolishes the barriers of soul and mind.
However, even knowing this, Runaan couldn't resist. Gradually, her head became foggy, and her mind loosened like a snapped rubber band.
"You're always cute."
Syria, seeing Runaan's displeased expression, scratched her cheek, and at that moment, a knock accompanied the opening of the door.
A swordsman who had brought Rokan and Clara entered and bowed.
"Raon Zieghart has arrived."
"What?"
"He said he came because lady Runaan didn't respond the summons."
The swordsman told him everything that Raon had done at the front gate.
"Ah!"
Runaan clenched her fist with trembling hands.
'Raon....'
He believed me.
As soon as she heard Raon's name, the feelings she had for Syria, which seemed to be fiddling with her heart, disappeared, and the fog that filled her head was wiped away as if it had been washed away with water. She woke up as if she had taken a cold shower.
"For now, he's gone, so you can relax... ."
"Relax... ."
Syria turned around and stroked the swordsman's head.
"S, Sir Syria?"
"You don't know Raon Zieghart. That crazy guy will definitely come here."
As soon as his soft words ended, the swordsman's head exploded, and blood like a fountain soaked the walls and floor.
"Ah... ."
Runaan looked at the magic circle that was turning even redder and trembled at her fingertips. She couldn't understand why he would suddenly kill his subordinate.
"Let's prepare for the worst for now.”
Syria threw an unknown bead into the corner of the room and approached Runaan.
"I seek natural encounters. I hoped you would love me for who I am. But time is short.”
He curled his lips as he held the Baphomet's helmet.
"It's already too late. If Raon is here, he will definitely stop you... ."
"That may be true. But not today."
"Wait a minute!"
"Since you've been exposed to the magic circle for two days, it won't take long."
With both hands blocking Runaan's attempts to remove the helmet, Syria placed the Baphomet helmet on her head.
Kwaaaaaah!
Dark energy flowed down from the eyes of the helmet and wrapped around Runaan.
"When you open your eyes again, a new world will unfold."
"Ah, ah... ."
Runaan tried to force the helmet off, but her hands could not overcome Syria's strength and only scratched the helmet before stopping.
"Oh, one more thing. This brother is a bit jealous. Don't mention the name of another man from now on."
Syria smiled as he stroked Runaan's hair, which had come out of the helmet.
"By the time Raon gets here, it will all be over... ."
As he backed away, leaving Runaan lying on the floor, the red-stained ceiling shook and collapsed with a loud noise.
Kuwaaaaaaah!
A pair of red eyes flashed in the midst of the pouring dust and stone fragments.
Swish!
The owner of the red eyes drew a sharp blade towards Syria's neck without a moment's hesitation.
