"Gyaaaah! Aaaah!"
I started the performance of a lifetime with a realistic scream.
After a few minutes, a man who looked like a security guard came running over after hearing my screams.
"What's the matter!"
"Oh, it hurts. It hurts so much..."
"Call the warlock, now!"
"What the hell is that woman..."
"Oh, come on! If something goes wrong, he won't leave you alone!"
I was running wild and complaining of pain as if something was wrong with my body.
The guard gave me a puzzled look, then quickly went out as if he had come to his senses from my threats.
"It hurts so much, it hurts..."
I was left alone, staring at the door that might open at any moment, muttering.
Not long after that, the warlock returned, walking rather hurriedly.
"What on earth is going on at this hour of the morning...?"
"I'm in so much pain, please save me. I'm in so much pain I can't stand it."
As I continued muttering, the warlock approached the chair I was tied to. He grabbed my chin and lifted my face so that our eyes met.
Ugh. I groaned softly and gave myself over to the warlock's touch.
On the one hand, I was relieved that I hadn't been caught. Vermont, who had returned to his small cat form, was still curled up in the corner, hiding his presence.
I wasn't afraid because I knew he would help me if I needed it.
"Where does it hurt?"
"My head. My head hurts so much that it feels like it's going to split. It's a chronic illness I've had..."
"Lie."
Even though he saw my eyes widening, the black magician denied it outright.
"Miss, if you're going to wake up someone sleeping in the middle of the night, you should have tried something a little deeper."
The old man spoke in an irritated tone.
"Did you think I would give up your body if you pretended to have a chronic illness?"
"Go, ask the Duke. I've been sick ever since I was really young..."
"Don't worry. I see that you are in perfect health."
The warlock grinned as if he could see right through me.
"Yes, in fact, there are many bodies to move to. If you look for one, you can find one that is younger and healthier. However, after hearing the young lady's story from the Duke, I felt destiny."
"..."
"Relax, young lady. We share the same pain. I also grew up with my parents exploiting my magical powers."
What's the big deal? I've been treated badly by the Duke, but I'd never once think of doing the same to someone else.
"When I see your innate magical powers, I think of my childhood. We'll be a good fit. I'll use your body and talents well."
"I don't think that will happen."
"What did you say?"
"I don't think that will happen."
I was provoking the Warlock. If he fell for this provocation and reacted in a bewildered manner, then it was a success.
I remembered the story Sarah had told me about his past. She said that he had once enjoyed gambling so much that he had even started a household in a gambling house.
Let's stimulate his competitive spirit as much as possible.
"You said you were going to hold the ceremony after the auction tomorrow? Do you think my husband will stay still until then?"
"Huh, so you've completely given up on acting now?"
"It will never happen the way you think. Tomorrow, you will be torn to pieces and die in agony."
The warlock's eyebrows twitched. I took advantage of the gap to pour out my words.
"The auction will definitely fail. You guys have taken things too far. There are more people following me than you!"
As I screamed as if possessed by evil, he was silent for a moment and then said.
"Don't get me wrong, Miss. The deadline set for tomorrow is good for you, miss, not for me."
"..."
"If that's what you want, then yes. I'm starting to have quite a headache now.
The warlock took a small sack the size of his palm from his coat pocket.
Then he opened it up and started smoking the powder that came out using a stick.
I accidentally inhaled the smoke and soon let out a loud cough.
"Cough, cough! Ugh... ugh."
It was so spicy that my eyes and nose couldn't stand it. At the same time, I felt my nerves, which had been tense with tension, relax a little.
'Hold your breath as long as you can. It's hallucination.'
Vermont's voice flowed into my head. I opened my lips as little as I could and took a breath.
"Shall we proceed with the ceremony right away?"
The black magician spoke as if he had finished his thoughts while smoking a hallucinogenic plant.
There must have been a complex mix of reasons behind his decision. He may have been a little frightened by the confident words that the Archduke would make his move tomorrow.
I thought there was no need to doubt it since there was no reason for me to deliberately bring forward my consciousness.
'Well done, idiot.'
But those were the words I was waiting for.
Thick smoke filled the room, obscuring Vermont's appearance a little more clearly.
***
After pretending to resist a few times, I was gagged.
After that, a magic circle large enough to fill the room began to form.
"... Isn't this something important to you? You're smoking hallucinogenies in the face of such an important matter, you hopeless addicts."
I heard that the Prince was tricked by it, but it turns out that the black magician was just as addicted.
Perhaps, even if it hadn't been for the board I created, it would have collapsed on its own soon.
"..."
I looked at his face as he was almost done with his magic circle. I could sense an incongruous determination and strength in the corners of his mouth, which were loosely turned up.
He placed purple glowing magic stones one by one around a magic circle filled with intricate geometric patterns, surrounding the whole thing.
The darkest hour before sunrise. The power of black magic reacted in the shadows. The ground shook like a light earthquake.
A silent wind blew and ruffled my hair.
'Raphael will be here soon. I have to finish this work successfully before he does.'
The black magician completed the last piece of the magic circle without even dreaming of my intentions. It was a movement without any unnecessary details, as if he had practiced it just a few times.
The black magician, who soon turned his gaze to me, approached me with his own hands without using any magic power, as if his energy was lacking.
Then he untied the rope that had tied .e to the chair and began to tie my hands together and my feet together again.
"Ugh... ugh."
I pretended to flinch and rebel so as not to arouse suspicion until the very end. The warlock who had tightened the rope threw my body into the center of the magic circle.
'Ouch.'
It hurt like my thigh was bruised after hitting the hard floor.
"Don't be so resentful, miss."
That damn girl's voice.
The only one who feels good when people call me Miss is Sarah!
I waited for the warlock to recite his spell, muttering inwardly. I saw black magic flowing into the magic circle, slowly mixing together.
An instinctive sense of rejection enveloped my whole body. The lights in the magic stones surrounding the magic circle went out one by one with a "Pick, Pick."
The candles that had been burning nearby also lost their light as they swayed in the wind.
Then, Vermont gave me the signal he had explained to me beforehand.
We moved together in the darkness as if we had been working together our whole lives.
Vermont first untied my rope with high-level magic that worked silently.
As soon as he did that, I quickly got up and swapped my seat with something.
It was a somewhat complicated process, but I got through it quickly. In fact, I found the process enjoyable.
Even in the darkness, Vermont's movements were clearly recognizable. After all, he was my servant demon who had been with me for half my life.
When the warlock finished reciting the spell, the center of the magic circle began to emit light again...
There stood a mouse that Vermont had caught a moment ago.
"Uh?"
The warlock let out a dumb groan. It was his last word as a human being.
***
As soon as the ceremony was over, the sound of horses being driven noisily was heard outside.
Soon after, somehow, Raphael burst open the door to the room I was in and came rushing in. It was good timing.
“Enri!”
"Wow, Raphael! Sorry for worrying you so much. I'm okay."
I was just so happy and excited that I couldn't stop talking.
Raphael seemed momentarily taken aback by my overly cheerful appearance.
What on earth had happened in less than two days? He looked like a total mess. His hair was disheveled, his shirt buttons were loose, and there were shadows under his eyes.
A man who was walking slowly approached me and hugged me tightly.
Raphael, who had been confirming my existence with the warmth in his arms for a long time, soon pulled away with difficulty and opened his mouth.
"The knights of the Grand Duke's family are currently looking for the one who kidnapped you."
"Oh, that guy is here."
"Yes?"
"Here it is."
I pointed to the floor. I heard a squeak, a mouse crying.
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