Chapter 128
Lumina (2)
Priest Juris’s body exploded.
Fragments of flesh scattered in every direction.
The underground prison was instantly defiled.
Bits of gore clung thickly to the dark-gray walls.
Amid the spraying blood, Archmage Lumina opened her mouth.
“Watcher of Narak, what do you want from me?”
Having cast off all her restraints, she stood facing Johan.
Johan spoke without expression.
“I want to hear about Muel. From you.”
Lumina gave him a meaningful smile.
“Then is this situation meant to be a bribe?”
Johan had released Lumina from her restraints.
Winning her favor would be more useful for extracting information than torturing her.
Johan nodded.
“You could call it my way of demonstrating sincerity. Though now that I see the result, I think I may have gone a little too far.”
The moment Lumina was freed from the mana suppressor, she slaughtered Priest Juris.
She had reduced him to mincemeat.
Lumina was a far more extreme individual than Johan had anticipated.
She chuckled.
“Did my killing him put you in a difficult position?”
Priest Juris was the assistant assigned to Johan by the Church.
Naturally, his death would cause problems for Johan.
Johan replied expressionlessly,
“It has made things somewhat troublesome. Just thinking about cleaning this place already makes me sigh.”
Lumina’s solitary cell was covered in blood and chunks of flesh.
The instant anyone witnessed this scene, a tremendous commotion would erupt.
—The Archmage’s seal was broken, and she butchered the Church’s interrogator.
Johan needed to resolve the situation before such a story could leak out.
It was exceedingly bothersome.
Lumina spoke.
“If cleaning is the problem, I’ll help you. Consider it repayment for releasing me.”
She murmured an incantation.
At the same time, pure-white mana spread throughout the cell.
The filthy interior was immediately restored to pristine condition.
Priest Juris’s corpse had vanished without a trace.
Johan spoke with an unimpressed expression.
“Cleaning alone is hardly enough to satisfy me.”
He had freed Lumina.
In other words, he had saved her life.
He deserved a greater reward.
Lumina looked thoughtful.
“Then... what do you want? Ah, you said you wanted to hear about Lord Muel, didn’t you?”
Johan nodded.
“To be precise, I want to know what Muel intended by causing this incident.”
Muel’s actions had brought Johan considerable political gain.
Johan needed to determine whether that outcome had truly been part of Muel’s design.
Lumina opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry, but even I cannot fully comprehend his will. I understand only a small part of it.”
“And what would that small part be?”
Lumina’s face suddenly lit up with rapture.
“The fact that Lord Muel has not abandoned me.”
Johan replied calmly,
“That is not necessarily incorrect.”
Lumina exclaimed excitedly,
“Right? You think so too, don’t you? Lord Muel predicted everything that has happened up to this very moment! He knew that you would come to find me and save me!”
Johan agreed with Lumina’s conclusion to some extent.
They were all currently standing upon a board arranged by Muel.
‘It irritates me, but I have to admit it.’
From the moment he became entangled with Muel, there had been no way to escape him.
Johan did not yet possess the power to surpass Muel’s foresight.
For the time being, he would have to dance in Muel’s palm.
Johan said,
“That does not particularly interest me. Do you have anything else that might capture my attention?”
“There is undoubtedly something involving you as well. You are the link connecting me to the Thirteenth Apostle of the End.”
Johan slowly nodded.
“That is precisely the line of reasoning I expected.”
Lumina was well aware that Mapheltan and Johan were connected.
Even if she did not understand the exact nature of their connection, an Archmage could easily deduce that the witch, the Apostle, and the Watcher of Narak were all working together.
Lumina believed that this entire web of relationships and the course of events had been arranged by Muel.
Muel had orchestrated this entire affair for the sake of Archmage Lumina.
That was likely the conclusion she had reached.
Lumina smiled.
“Please let me meet the Apostle. I’m begging you.”
Merely establishing a connection with an Apostle would allow Lumina to elevate her magical rank.
Johan considered it briefly before speaking.
“What can you give me in return?”
Lumina answered immediately.
“Exactly one year. For that length of time, I will remain by your side and assist you with your work.”
Lumina had considerable practical value.
Even setting aside the fact that she was an Archmage, she was also extremely useful from a political standpoint.
The corners of Johan’s lips rose.
“That is not a bad offer.”
Lumina grinned, baring her teeth.
“Good. Shall we leave now? To be honest, I’m suffocating in here.”
Johan shook his head.
“You will remain imprisoned for the time being.”
Lumina needed to give testimony before the Council that would favor Johan.
Until then, she could not be set free.
Lumina replied with a sullen expression,
“I’d like to hear the reason.”
“Consider it part of your promise to assist me for one year.”
Lumina fell into thought for a moment.
Before long, she spoke.
“I have to meet the Apostle. As soon as possible.”
Johan chuckled.
“Do not worry. In a few days, you will be able to see as much of him as you wish.”
Lumina let out a small, resigned sigh.
“Fine. But keep one thing in mind. I’m not particularly patient.”
Johan shrugged.
“Then we have something in common. I will remember that.”
When he turned to leave, Lumina looked puzzled.
“You aren’t seriously planning to leave like that, are you?”
“Is there something else you wish to say?”
“No, it’s just strange. Two people entered, but only one will leave.”
Priest Juris had disappeared.
Anyone would find that suspicious.
Johan replied as though it were nothing important.
“You need not concern yourself with that. I have a solution.”
By using Ilea’s transformation magic, he could resolve the problem involving Priest Juris perfectly.
In truth, Juris’s death made it considerably easier for Johan to proceed with his plans.
Juris had been nothing more than a hindrance.
‘Should I say it is fortunate that he died?’
Johan swallowed a groan.
He felt not even the slightest sympathy or guilt over Juris’s death.
‘Have I always been like this?’
His emotions had grown far duller than they had been shortly after he possessed this body.
The realization left Johan strangely unsettled.
Lumina regarded him with an enigmatic gaze.
“You claim to have a solution, yet you look so grave. I wonder why?”
Johan composed himself.
“It is none of your concern. I shall leave now. We will speak again later.”
He immediately left the solitary cell.
Lumina stared intently at Johan’s retreating back.
Time passed quickly.
The investigation into Muel continued for quite some time, but it produced no meaningful results.
The Church, the royal family, and countless private organizations—none of them managed to uncover the truth behind Muel’s summoning ritual.
Only Johan produced tangible results.
During his interrogation of Lumina, he uncovered one fact.
—Just before Muel was summoned, the Thirteenth Apostle of the End halted the ritual. Unlike the other Apostles, the Thirteenth End does not desire humanity’s extinction.
Every word of it had come from Archmage Lumina.
Once this information was officially announced, the capital erupted into an uproar.
“Have you heard? They say an Apostle protected the capital.”
“I cannot believe it. That Archmage must have lost her mind and started spouting nonsense.”
“Considering the Church’s torture methods, I suppose that is possible, but...”
Everywhere one went, people spoke of nothing but the Apostle.
Count Staviana gazed out the window and said,
“Groups that revere the Apostle are beginning to emerge throughout the capital. Every circumstance is turning in your favor.”
Johan replied expressionlessly,
“Well, things have proceeded more smoothly than expected. This incident has also elevated my standing considerably.”
King Roderick was offering Johan his full support.
The count used every available means to assist him.
As a result, Johan had become the most influential noble in the Council.
No one could challenge his authority.
Lifting his teacup, the count spoke.
“Your objective is gradually coming into view.”
Johan stared at him.
“You mean becoming Prince?”
The count nodded.
“We could begin laying the groundwork.”
Possessing the kingdom’s political power would not be enough to obtain the princely throne.
They would also need the Empire’s consent.
It would require many preparations.
Johan said,
“I do not mind laying the groundwork, but do not rush. Acting hastily is the surest way to ruin everything.”
The instant Johan became Prince, the count’s wife, Yeriyan, would be resurrected.
The count occasionally lost his composure when matters involved his wife, so some caution was necessary.
The count let out a hollow laugh.
“Now you are trying to lecture me.”
Johan shrugged.
“If it offended you, I apologize.”
“In truth, you are not wrong. Every matter should be approached with caution.”
Johan nodded.
“Whatever happens, I hope you will continue supporting me as you have until now.”
The count was a highly capable partner in many respects.
Johan wanted their relationship to continue.
The count rose from his seat.
“That is an unusually sentimental thing for you to say. It is embarrassing to hear, so I shall take my leave. You should prepare as well. Archmage Lumina’s execution ceremony will begin shortly.”
Lumina was scheduled to be burned at the stake that day.
“There is no need to go. Remain seated for a while.”
The count looked out the window.
“The sun will set soon.”
Until now, Johan had ordered even the count to leave before nightfall.
Today was different.
The sun was about to set, yet Johan remained with the count.
Johan said,
“It does not matter.”
The moment he finished speaking, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.
Deep darkness settled over the room.
The count’s pupils began to tremble.
His ordinarily composed expression gradually cracked.
For once, the count was visibly shaken.
“Th-This cannot be...”
A terrifying entity stood motionless before him.
Eyes redder than blood glowed within the darkness.
An eerie voice flowed through the room.
“This is likely the first time I have faced you in this form.”
The count did not respond.
He merely stared at Mapheltan with a rigid expression.
Mapheltan’s lips curled into a long smile.
Just as he was about to speak, a flash of light erupted inside the room.
Pure-white mana burst forth from nowhere and began taking shape.
Archmage Lumina suddenly appeared and spoke.
“That suffocating farce is finally ov—gasp!”
The instant she saw Mapheltan, Lumina dropped to one knee.
Mapheltan looked down at her.
“Lumina, I have kept my promise.”
Lumina spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“Y-Your promise...?”
“Did I not promise that I would allow you to meet the Thirteenth End?”
Lumina’s eyes darted about.
“But I made that promise with the Watcher of Narak... Don’t tell me!”
Mapheltan chuckled.
“I am both the Watcher of Narak and an Apostle of the End.”
The count and Lumina stared at him, both looking somewhat dazed.