NOVEL NEXT 9 - Domain (3)
After the intense explosion, there was a moment of silence.
The Turtlehide, which had become a solid wall gradually pushing back the mercenaries and witches, died with its shell completely shattered.
Gazes mixed with surprise, awe, bewilderment, and fear turned towards me.
“Huff, huff, haah…”
Of course, those gazes weren’t important.
The problem is I feel like I’m about to die right now.
Even using 8th rank magic is beyond my level, but [Dark Spear] could be seen as the very edge of my limit.
Sharen, who was nearby, hurriedly came over to support me.
“A-are you okay?!”
“Huff, huff, just… need to catch my breath…”
To make matters worse, darkness gradually flowed from the back of my hand.
My body feels like it’s dying and I’m dizzy too.
I hurriedly took out the [Lantern of Stability] that prevents corruption and received its light.
But there was almost no effect.
Why not?
It’s a fairly precious item, so why is there hardly any difference?
I thought that, but considering it, I realized it couldn’t be helped.
The [Lantern of Stability] is basically an item that stabilizes the mind.
But there’s nothing wrong with my mind.
The mental fortitude perk is still usefully showing its effect.
So why is my condition so bad?
It’s because of the body’s limits.
A young body about fourteen years old, with only 9th rank.
But borrowing a large amount of magical power from a demon of unknown high rank causes a strong recoil on the body.
So it really, really feels like I’m going to die.
Sitting on the ground, I tried to calm the demon trying to rampage inside my body.
Even if it writhes, it doesn’t greatly affect my mind, but it still causes physical strain.
This time too, the demon was pounding on the wall.
If it breaks through that wall and bursts out, I don’t think I can guarantee the integrity of my body.
I break out in a cold sweat.
It feels like I have a bomb planted in my body.
This is why witches go crazy.
No, am I just overdoing it?
It was natural that it would be difficult to handle the storm that followed after rashly contracting with a demon that seemed high-ranked but lacked reason.
Still, enduring wasn’t that difficult.
My mind was still clear, and the demon got tired on its own after persistently pounding on the wall.
-Groooo…
It muttered something and spat saliva from its mouth before returning to its place, as if saying ‘What a tough bitch’ and retreating.
So what can you do?
Is there anything you can do besides being trapped there?
Instead, I was drenched in cold sweat that had been flowing.
I raise my head while staggering.
Really, I shouldn’t carelessly use high-level magic next time.
The aftermath that comes after is not something that can be ignored.
“Are you okay?”
Sharen wiped my sweat.
I got up while wiping my face with the handkerchief she held.
Is this how it feels to wake up to an alarm the morning after drinking heavily?
Ah, I want to collapse like this. Such a desire was tremendous, but.
If I do that here, I could die.
I need to complete the mission and return first.
Looking around, everyone was looking at me with worried gazes.
Belladrin said:
“Commoner, if it’s hard, let’s return. There’s no need to risk your life for the mission.”
“That’s right! Killing monsters is good, but Mother Earth said living long lets you kill more!”
“…Shouldn’t you wash off all that caked blood?”
“Being covered in monster blood is Mother Earth’s glory! It’s fine!”
Ulrisa, covered in monster blood, answers like that.
Just looking at appearances, her condition seems the worst.
After a brief discussion, I leaned against a tree corner and thought.
Actually, though my condition isn’t good, my mind is still clear.
“It’s a bit of a shame when we’re so close.”
We should be able to arrive if we go just a little further.
It’s better to complete the mission.
They probably don’t know because they haven’t experienced organizational life, but the difference between succeeding or failing a given mission is really big.
And thinking about it, we don’t need to walk there with difficulty.
“From here, we can go by broom.”
“Is that alright?”
“What was the original reason for bringing mercenaries? Because we had no front line…”
I looked at Ulrisa, who was munching on food she took out of her pocket, her whole body covered in blood but apparently still hungry.
Thanks to that one acting as a solid front line like a barbarian despite being a witch, such concerns weren’t really necessary.
“Besides, they’re useless at this point.”
With 9th to 8th rank monsters appearing now instead of random ones, it was difficult for the mercenaries, who were just ordinary people, to be effective.
Hearing this, I saw the shoulders of the mercenaries surrounding and guarding us shrink a little.
I didn’t mean for them to hear it, so I felt a bit sorry.
So we four made a plan to fly on brooms, install the beacon as soon as we arrive at the edge of the domain, and then get out of there.
My legs trembled when I tried to stand up from sitting, but I just need to endure a little longer.
Sharen sent a worried gaze, and Belladrin also seemed to be subtly concerned.
“I’m fine, we just need to go quickly and come back.”
“Shouldn’t we just go by ourselves…”
“That’s more dangerous.”
I shake my head and mount the broom.
With a natural floating sensation, the four of us headed towards the edge of the domain.
Even coming for the first time, you could tell exactly where the edge of the domain was.
Like a cliff where the path suddenly cuts off, the edge of the domain is where a twisted landscape appears instead of the long-continuing forest.
The moment you cross this, it’s a place where you’ll surely die if you’re not a 5th rank or higher being.
I swallow at the tension rising from beneath my feet.
In the game I crossed over like entering my own house, but this isn’t a game, it’s reality.
If I cross over wrongly, I’ll become lost and die horribly.
“…To think such a place exists.”
When Sharen quietly opened her mouth, Belladrin raised her nose proudly.
“Hmph, I’ve personally crossed over there.”
“You’ve been there? Over there?”
“How do you think I came to the Witch Society?”
Belladrin was an outsider.
From the outside, and moreover from Eldoranian nobility.
Remembering that, Sharen asks in great surprise:
“Oh, oh? Come to think of it, that’s right! But how did you cross over here?”
“Of course, the Witch of Condemnation personally recruited me, heheh.”
“Really??”
To be recruited by the Witch of Condemnation, who’s like an idol to Sharen!
She looked at Belladrin with an extremely envious face.
Seeing Belladrin’s shoulders rising sky-high, I get annoyed for no reason.
I should tease her again later.
By the way, it wasn’t kidnapping.
I learned why Belladrin is living earnestly as a witch.
But what story is there that made her throw away her noble life and come here?
-Guooo.
-Grrrrrr.
Such questions were brief.
There was no leisure for idle thoughts.
Of course, the edge of the domain is an area with a high possibility of monsters invading.
It’s not time to be relaxed.
We four were about to descend to install the ‘beacon’ after arriving near the edge of the domain.
I, who had been steadily observing the surroundings, discovered a bizarre cave formation there and slowly raised the corners of my mouth.
And smiled.
“Found it.”
Finally.
The Hidden Piece.
**
[Meanwhile, in the Elder’s office.]
9th to 7th ranks are grouped together as low ranks.
Semi-transcendents who haven’t fully escaped from being human yet.
They certainly handle powerful forces, but it’s evaluated that it’s not enough to overwhelm an army.
But 6th rank is different.
6th to 4th ranks are called middle ranks and are beings who can overwhelm armies alone.
No matter the faction, reaching this level of rank grants overwhelming powers and reaches a realm beyond human.
In the witch faction, such beings are called Grand Witches and are respected and praised.
Grand Witch Carmia took a sip of tea and looked at the face of the visitor who had come before her.
An old friend, but now turned into an ill-fated relationship.
“You look quite displeased, Elender.”
“…This is.”
Elender grabbed her nose.
Red tea.
There are many such kinds of tea.
For example, black tea.
But this wasn’t that kind.
A fishy scent filled the room.
Blood extracted from humans was contained in this tea.
Carmia gulped it down as if it were water finally drunk after extreme thirst.
Not the characteristic fishiness of blood, but sweetness and ecstasy.
That’s how Carmia felt.
She smiled while licking the blood stained on the corner of her mouth.
Very grotesquely.
Even in this situation.
Because she had perfect beauty after rising to 6th rank as a witch, anyone would have the impression of ‘pretty’ seeing her smile.
“Oh my, don’t tell me you dislike it? Try some, you probably won’t be able to stop once you start?”
“Since when have you been eating this?”
“Since when, I can hardly remember.”
Elender’s expression gradually crumpled.
Drinking human blood, treating humans like toys, wanting to kill humans, wanting to eat their flesh.
These are the desires of witches eroded by demons.
More serious than the stage of losing emotions towards humans.
If one goes further from here.
Everything will be taken by the demon.
“Stop, are you going to have your body and soul taken by the demon?”
“What strange words.”
She put down the empty cup.
The fishy bloodiness that had been glistening until just now disappeared.
“It’s risky, but isn’t this the way to escape our fate?”
“That method is wrong.”
“Wrong, you say.”
Hehehe, Carmia laughed sweetly like that and opened her mouth.
“C̵̛̜̟̘̗̺͗͋̋͊a̷̛̲̠͕̫̰̞̔̔́̄͋͝ͅr̨͚̯̲͍̂̉̽͘͡p̵̛̹̠͙͔̬͈͚͐̃̿̕è̡̛͍̦̜̤̱͚̌̎̎̊̋͞ d̸̡͔͙͚̜̩̲̳͒̐̐̎͑̆̀i̘̩̰͇̇̒̆͗̍̉̽ͅè̤̙̬͉̬̎͆̆̀̚̚̕͝m̬̞͈̝̦̉̆̒̓͛̆̊̒͘͝,̶̧͔̟̥̲̤͔͎͉̟̌͊̏̋͌̏̍̑ q̗͇͎̫̜͇͖̬̔͛̓̈́͒̔̾͢u̵̧̩̼̠̥͓͈̾̑͑́͂͂́͗̕͜ͅä̶͎͇̫̺̬͓̫̝̎̀́̊̓͛̔͜͞m̶̤̳̮͙̺̉̓̽̃͂̃̔̎͠͝ ṃ̶̨̦͈̦̟̲̒̑͗̍̃̅͜ c̛͉̩͎͖͓̫̫̣̰̯̒͛̽̏͒̚p̟̠̟̜̺͚͑̃̄͞͠ó͚̮̖̪̃͑̋̽̄͋͜͞͠͝ͅͅs̷̢̭̦̠̆̒̓͋̎͟͝t̸̳̲̘͇̘͙̳̗̽̊͐͡͞e̸̛̤͙͉͔̥̺̠͌̓̒̍̎̏̑͂̃r̨̺̘̫̘̍̄͐̾̄̎̐̚̚͞o̥̜͙̳̮̦̪̬̰̒̀̄̒̂̾̽̒”
The power to manipulate and deceive reality is accomplished here.
Carmia brushed back her somewhat matted hair.
That hair was covered in blood.
Human blood, primate blood smeared all over.
Elender’s eyes widened.
Blood that wasn’t there until just now had appeared.
Looking around, the room was full of human corpses.
“You’re the one who’s wrong, especially that child under you… Grace, was it? To leave such a great raw gem as it is, it will lose its value and become worthless trash.”
“This, what on earth.”
“No need to be surprised, this is just offering sacrifices, enjoying those who are going to die anyway is really something only a corrupted being would do.”
“Soaked in blood?”
“It can’t be helped. I have to allow the demon’s fundamental desires or it’ll do worse things later.”
Elender staggered for a moment, then stared at Carmia with glowing red eyes.
“So, what did you do after offering these as sacrifices?”
“Nothing much, I just switched things, and deceived the form of that object a little.”
“…What?”
“The kids who went on the mission this time, the exact content was to install a beacon to send a signal to call the Witch Society Head… right?”
Elender’s heart gradually beat faster.
No way, no way?
“I switched the beacon with an item that attracts monsters.”
“Carmia…”
“I manipulated the external form to look like a beacon with Word of Power, so they probably won’t know until they install it themselves?”
“Carmia!”
“Well, if they could see through the transformation by Word of Power that would be different, but that shouldn’t be possible.”
Bang-!
Elender grabbed Carmia’s collar and slammed her to the floor.
A huge explosion rang out, but she just smiled as if she hadn’t taken any damage.
It was a situation where a big collision could occur at any moment, but Elender had already disappeared from that spot.
Riding her broom, she was flying hurriedly towards the outskirts of the domain at high speed.
Watching that, Carmia muttered:
“You’re too late, my old friend.”
A lot of time has passed, and those children will be installing the monster-attracting item mistaking it for a beacon.
Then monsters will pour in.
“That child will awaken.”
The demon sleeping inside the child’s body will surely propose.
If you hand over more than half the control of your body, I’ll help you escape this situation.
The cunning demon with great rank will do so.
If that’s accepted.
“You will be with us.”
She smiled like that.
**
I wanted to go acquire the Hidden Piece right away, but with the thought of doing what needs to be done first, I put down my bag.
“Huh? What’s this?”
I took out the beacon, but something completely unlike a beacon came out.
Some kind of strange-shaped item.
It feels like I’ve seen it somewhere before.
As I muttered in puzzlement, Sharen poked her head out.
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“This isn’t a beacon?”
“It is a beacon, isn’t it? The one we definitely checked and packed.”
“What?”
I furrowed my brow.
Something’s strange.