153. Side Story. In the Forest of Oblivion (2)
“Guess who got caught.”
Seeing Seira’s voice so vivid, Maurice raised his head, a suspicious expression on his face.
“No way?”
“That’s right. Leana was caught, as you predicted. The sorcerer known as the ‘Slayer of Priests’ was trapped in the ‘Fog of Oblivion’ you spread, and lost her memory. That’s why I told her she was my maid. I tried to believe her with an innocent face, but I barely managed to hold back a laugh.”
Being trapped in the Fog of Oblivion causes you to lose all your memories, even your own existence.
That’s why everyone here had to wear special robes imbued with divine magic whenever they entered or exited the area. If they didn’t cover themselves with those robes, they too would lose all their memories, just like Leana.
Of course, Maurice, who created the fog, was an exception.
“So where is she now?”
Seira replied with a vulgar smirk.
“With Ferguson…”
Thump!
Maur closed his book, his brow furrowed.
“Did you just say Ferguson?”
Ferguson was a hunter from this village. Violent and cruel, he had killed countless people and raped women, and was imprisoned in the village prison.
Maurice had freed him. He was essential for studying the captured wolf clan. Studying living animals required a lot of bloodshed.
Of course, he was merely necessary, and Maurice wasn’t particularly pleased with him. It was obvious how such a man would treat Leana, who had lost her memory.
“Don’t worry. Ferguson seemed to want Leana, so I told her he was her husband. I gave him a special gift, so he’ll listen to you for a while...”
“You did something unnecessary!”
Before Seira could finish her sentence, Maurice stormed off angrily.
“Maurice!”
“Leana is special. I didn’t call you here to treat her like that!”
“Guess who got caught.”
Seeing Seira’s voice so vivid, Maurice raised his head, a suspicious expression on his face.
“No way?”
“That’s right. Leana was caught, as you predicted. The sorcerer known as the ‘Slayer of Priests’ was trapped in the ‘Fog of Oblivion’ you spread, and lost her memory. That’s why I told her she was my maid. I tried to believe her with an innocent face, but I barely managed to hold back a laugh.”
Being trapped in the Fog of Oblivion causes you to lose all your memories, even your own existence.
That’s why everyone here had to wear special robes imbued with divine magic whenever they entered or exited the area. If they didn’t cover themselves with those robes, they too would lose all their memories, just like Leana.
Of course, Maurice, who created the fog, was an exception.
“So where is she now?”
Seira replied with a vulgar smirk.
“With Ferguson…”
Thump!
Maur closed his book, his brow furrowed.
“Did you just say Ferguson?”
Ferguson was a hunter from this village. Violent and cruel, he had killed countless people and raped women, and was imprisoned in the village prison.
Maurice had freed him. He was essential for studying the captured wolf clan. Studying living animals required a lot of bloodshed.
Of course, he was merely necessary, and Maurice wasn’t particularly pleased with him. It was obvious how such a man would treat Leana, who had lost her memory.
“Don’t worry. Ferguson seemed to want Leana, so I told her he was her husband. I gave him a special gift, so he’ll listen to you for a while...”
“You did something unnecessary!”
Before Seira could finish her sentence, Maurice stormed off angrily.
“Maurice!”
“Leana is special. I didn’t call you here to treat her like that!”
Seira blocked his way as he tried to leave.
“Have you forgotten what Leana did to you and the Vatican? If it weren’t for that girl, you would be the ruler of the world now, not the Emperor! That girl wouldn’t be satisfied no matter how much she was treated.”
“Have you forgotten what Leana did to you and the Vatican? If it weren’t for that girl, you would be the ruler of the world now, not the Emperor! That girl wouldn’t be satisfied no matter how much she was treated.”
“Get out of the way!”
“No, no!”
Seira stood with her arms spread wide and shook her head. Maurice, as if he had no choices...
He clutched his own throat, gasping for breath, and then collapsed with a pale face.
“Hey, Ferguson!”
Startled people rushed at him, and some rushed towards the cabin where Leana was with murderous expressions.
Ssssss... Maurice appeared before them like smoke.
“Father Maurice!”
Maurice stared at the naked, dead Ferguson with cold eyes.
“Take him away. I’ll take care of Leana.”
“Yes, Father!”
Here, he was no different from the Pope, so everyone obeyed and collected Ferguson’s body. Maurice, who had been watching, turned back into the cabin with a cold expression. Leana was sitting on the bed with the blanket disheveled. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes were torn, and blood was streaming from her lips and nose. Maurice unconsciously gritted his teeth at the sight. But he calmly held out a handkerchief to Leana.
“Wipe it.”
But she wiped the blood flowing down her face with her sleeve.
“Don’t look at me with such pitiful eyes. I’m not bleeding because I was hit by that guy.”
“Then?”
“I don’t know. He got angry and yelled, and I suddenly ran away. And then I started bleeding. It hurt so much here. I think that’s why.”
Leana clutched her left chest with a pained expression. It was a terrible, unpleasant pain, like someone was trying to squeeze her heart and burst it. Maurice, who had been staring at Leana, said, “It’s because you suddenly used magic.”
Even so, it was none other than Leana. The infamous archmage known as the "Slayer of Priests."
The fact that she had used only this much magic and ended up in this state meant her body was seriously damaged.
After all, given that her small body had wielded such an enormous amount of mana, it was even more surprising that she was still intact.
"Magic? Could it be that I... am a mage?"
But Leana looked quite excited to be a mage.
"Yes."
"...As expected! There's no way I was a maid..."
A faint smile crossed Leana's face, distorted in pain, before she collapsed onto the bed.
Leana opened her eyes and met the gaze of the man looking down at her.
It was the man she'd encountered before losing consciousness.
For a man, he had a rather handsome face. Perhaps due to his black hair and clear brown eyes, his face was almost pale, almost white. He also seemed so cold that it seemed difficult to even approach him.
Yet, Leana felt a strange sense of familiarity. She instinctively felt like she would fit in well with him.
Maybe this was just her style?
“Are you awake, Leana?”
“My memory hasn’t returned, but I am awake.”
“Then that’s enough.”
The man stood resolutely from the bed where Leana had been lying.
That was deeply regrettable.
“Wait! I don’t think I’m ready yet...!”
Even so, it was none other than Leana. The infamous archmage known as the "Slayer of Priests."
The fact that she had used only this much magic and ended up in this state meant her body was seriously damaged.
After all, given that her small body had wielded such an enormous amount of mana, it was even more surprising that she was still intact.
"Magic? Could it be that I... am a mage?"
But Leana looked quite excited to be a mage.
"Yes."
"...As expected! There's no way I was a maid..."
A faint smile crossed Leana's face, distorted in pain, before she collapsed onto the bed.
***
Leana opened her eyes and met the gaze of the man looking down at her.
It was the man she'd encountered before losing consciousness.
For a man, he had a rather handsome face. Perhaps due to his black hair and clear brown eyes, his face was almost pale, almost white. He also seemed so cold that it seemed difficult to even approach him.
Yet, Leana felt a strange sense of familiarity. She instinctively felt like she would fit in well with him.
Maybe this was just her style?
“Are you awake, Leana?”
“My memory hasn’t returned, but I am awake.”
“Then that’s enough.”
The man stood resolutely from the bed where Leana had been lying.
That was deeply regrettable.
“Wait! I don’t think I’m ready yet...!”
She reached out and grabbed his shirt, sitting up.
“What?”
“I haven’t even heard your name yet. Your age, what you do...”
The man looked dumbfounded and sighed softly.
“Maurice Etermati. I'm probably nine years older than you?”
“Wow, really? I thought you were around my age!”
Leana was startled and studied Maurice’s face closely. She stared at him with her long silver hair down, her clear, blue-gray eyes staring at him.
Her appearance was as innocent and pure as a child’s, and Maurice blushed for no reason.
“Do you even know my age?”
“I see. Maybe eighteen?”
“Thank you. For considering me a teenager. Of course, I'm not an immature teenager either.”
“Then you’re in your thirties? You’re much older than I thought...”
Leana chuckled at Maurice’s fierce expression.
“Right, so please refrain from speaking informally to me. And don’t stare at me like that.”
“Why, are you embarrassed?”
“What?”
“Your face is red. It’s not a fever, but redness means you’re embarrassed, right?”
“No way.”
Maurice vehemently denied it, but Leana grinned instead.
“Your eyes were shaking just now. That means you’re lying...”
What on earth was this woman?
Maurice was quite flustered. She had a childlike, innocent face, but she could see right through people.
She had been a formidable opponent as a wizard, but perhaps she was even more formidable now.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m a person without any emotions.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re angry because you were caught lying, and you say you have no feelings?”
“I’d be a fool to deal with a child like you any longer.”
Maurice finally turned around, but Leana shouted urgently from behind him.
“What was our relationship?”
Leana’s voice came again from behind him as he hesitated.
“You healed me with magic a little while ago, right? So we must have had a special relationship. We’re both wizards, after all.”
Maurice turned again and looked at Leana directly.
“Yes, we do have a special relationship.”
“As expected!”
“You killed someone with magic, and in this town, murder is punishable by death. And I’m in a position to punish you. That’s why I let you live. I have to interrogate you and punish you. In short, it’s the relationship between a criminal and a judge.”
Leana flared.
“He deserved to die! He lied and tried to rape me by claiming he was my husband.”
“What proof is there that he’s not your husband?”
"Seira said he saved my life. And that we married because we loved each other deeply. But someone like that wouldn't have beaten me and forced himself on me."
"That doesn't mean he kills people so carelessly."
"If you're going to punish him, start with Seira! She called me her maid. And she said he was my husband. If you'd properly informed her that I was a magician, she would have been more careful. I wouldn't have killed someone because I couldn't control my magic."
Leana, who had been defending herself fiercely, soon added with a downcast face,
“Really. I didn’t know he’d die.”
“What?”
“I haven’t even heard your name yet. Your age, what you do...”
The man looked dumbfounded and sighed softly.
“Maurice Etermati. I'm probably nine years older than you?”
“Wow, really? I thought you were around my age!”
Leana was startled and studied Maurice’s face closely. She stared at him with her long silver hair down, her clear, blue-gray eyes staring at him.
Her appearance was as innocent and pure as a child’s, and Maurice blushed for no reason.
“Do you even know my age?”
“I see. Maybe eighteen?”
“Thank you. For considering me a teenager. Of course, I'm not an immature teenager either.”
“Then you’re in your thirties? You’re much older than I thought...”
Leana chuckled at Maurice’s fierce expression.
“Right, so please refrain from speaking informally to me. And don’t stare at me like that.”
“Why, are you embarrassed?”
“What?”
“Your face is red. It’s not a fever, but redness means you’re embarrassed, right?”
“No way.”
Maurice vehemently denied it, but Leana grinned instead.
“Your eyes were shaking just now. That means you’re lying...”
What on earth was this woman?
Maurice was quite flustered. She had a childlike, innocent face, but she could see right through people.
She had been a formidable opponent as a wizard, but perhaps she was even more formidable now.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m a person without any emotions.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re angry because you were caught lying, and you say you have no feelings?”
“I’d be a fool to deal with a child like you any longer.”
Maurice finally turned around, but Leana shouted urgently from behind him.
“What was our relationship?”
Leana’s voice came again from behind him as he hesitated.
“You healed me with magic a little while ago, right? So we must have had a special relationship. We’re both wizards, after all.”
Maurice turned again and looked at Leana directly.
“Yes, we do have a special relationship.”
“As expected!”
“You killed someone with magic, and in this town, murder is punishable by death. And I’m in a position to punish you. That’s why I let you live. I have to interrogate you and punish you. In short, it’s the relationship between a criminal and a judge.”
Leana flared.
“He deserved to die! He lied and tried to rape me by claiming he was my husband.”
“What proof is there that he’s not your husband?”
"Seira said he saved my life. And that we married because we loved each other deeply. But someone like that wouldn't have beaten me and forced himself on me."
"That doesn't mean he kills people so carelessly."
"If you're going to punish him, start with Seira! She called me her maid. And she said he was my husband. If you'd properly informed her that I was a magician, she would have been more careful. I wouldn't have killed someone because I couldn't control my magic."
Leana, who had been defending herself fiercely, soon added with a downcast face,
“Really. I didn’t know he’d die.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Maurice nodded, and Leana’s spirits returned.
“Seira, just meet her, and I’ll kill her!”
“So you’re going to kill her too?”
“If she doesn’t reflect and apologize... maybe.”
Maurice snickered.
“What’s so funny?”
“I wonder what she believes in and how she’s so confident when she’s lost her memory.”
“I see.”
Leana fell into a deep thought again, but then smiled brightly.
Her emotions were fluctuating like a teenage girl’s.
“Then you should be my guardian. You seem to know a lot about me.”
“What?”
“Besides, we’re both wizards.”
Maurice was dumbfounded. What on earth does this woman believe in...?
He thought back to his conversation with the priests earlier.
“Are you going to leave Leana like that?”
The priests had come to question Leana after hearing that she had lost consciousness.
While she was a powerful ally to Christine, she was also the priests' most feared enemy. The number of priests killed by her was countless.
And hadn't she already been harming people as soon as she entered their village?
"Then what do you want us to do?"
"Of course, we should kill her!"
"Now, when she doesn't know who she is, is the perfect opportunity. Even the most skilled wizard could be killed if we lure her into the Forest of Oblivion and attack together."
Maurice agreed. Killing Leana would deal a significant blow to the Emperor's military power.
"Yes. Killing her would be a good idea. But is that really the best way?"
"Or not?"
"What if Leana were to join us? If we were to take that immense power from the Emperor and wield it, the Emperor would be nothing."
"That would be ideal, but is it possible?"
"We have to make it possible."
Maurice, lost in thought, stared at Leana with a determined smile.
"Yes, we're both wizards. So I was wondering if you could help me out. Could you?"
"Of course."
"Yes, it's late today, so get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow morning."
Maurice nodded, and Leana’s spirits returned.
“Seira, just meet her, and I’ll kill her!”
“So you’re going to kill her too?”
“If she doesn’t reflect and apologize... maybe.”
Maurice snickered.
“What’s so funny?”
“I wonder what she believes in and how she’s so confident when she’s lost her memory.”
“I see.”
Leana fell into a deep thought again, but then smiled brightly.
Her emotions were fluctuating like a teenage girl’s.
“Then you should be my guardian. You seem to know a lot about me.”
“What?”
“Besides, we’re both wizards.”
Maurice was dumbfounded. What on earth does this woman believe in...?
He thought back to his conversation with the priests earlier.
“Are you going to leave Leana like that?”
The priests had come to question Leana after hearing that she had lost consciousness.
While she was a powerful ally to Christine, she was also the priests' most feared enemy. The number of priests killed by her was countless.
And hadn't she already been harming people as soon as she entered their village?
"Then what do you want us to do?"
"Of course, we should kill her!"
"Now, when she doesn't know who she is, is the perfect opportunity. Even the most skilled wizard could be killed if we lure her into the Forest of Oblivion and attack together."
Maurice agreed. Killing Leana would deal a significant blow to the Emperor's military power.
"Yes. Killing her would be a good idea. But is that really the best way?"
"Or not?"
"What if Leana were to join us? If we were to take that immense power from the Emperor and wield it, the Emperor would be nothing."
"That would be ideal, but is it possible?"
"We have to make it possible."
Maurice, lost in thought, stared at Leana with a determined smile.
"Yes, we're both wizards. So I was wondering if you could help me out. Could you?"
"Of course."
"Yes, it's late today, so get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow morning."
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