Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 239

Chapter 239. White and Five Colors (2)

"I don't know what you're trying to say."

Feigning ignorance, Flugel pretended not to understand my question, but I was certain.

He was involved.

His voice.

His gaze.

His actions.

And, the flow of mana.

Everything about him screamed that he was one of the culprits, which made it hard to trust anything Flugel said about not being involved.

Clink.

Maier placed two teacups on the table. If there were two, one was for me, and the other presumably for Flugel? It seemed she had none for herself... but she took Flugel's cup instead.

"You damned woman, where's mine?"

"I never intended to make you any in the first place."

"Tsk."

Sensing the odd atmosphere, Flugel clicked his tongue once and refocused on me.

"The remains of the Demon God. You are aware, aren't you?"

"If I were, I would have admitted it."

"To move something of that significance here, your help is indispensable, Sir Flugel."

"That's preposterous!"

Sitting in my chair, I glared intently at Flugel, but he continued to brush his beard dismissively, still feigning innocence.

"Bringing in the remains of that monster from the North would have caused a massive uproar throughout the world. Isn't the capital unusually quiet?"

"It must have been buried as an incident of the past."

"As if."

I smirked while looking at Flugel.

"Didn't you use magic to disguise the remains and smuggle them in?"

"What are you saying?"

I picked up the teacup and savored the aroma. Though the tea leaves were top quality, the brewing seemed somewhat flawed, as a slightly stale scent lingered.

"Sir Flugel's illusion magic, I mean."

Hardly anyone in the capital knew this fact.

People believed Flugel's specialty was using the 'Light Element' to incinerate opponents with intense heat, but it was not the case.

His specialty was magic that used reflections of light to project invisible forms. The 'illusion' was indeed his forte.

"With your 'illusion magic', wouldn't moving that large head require much less effort?"

"...... You seem to know everything."

Tap, tap!

Feigning irritation, Flugel tapped his staff against the ground twice, prompting Maier to bring him a teacup, her demeanor nonchalant.

"The notion that one can only handle a single element is a rigid stereotype."

Mages typically adhere to the fundamental rule of mastering only one element.

However, as time progresses, there are those who break such rules. Flugel was one of those individuals.

"It isn't as much a fixed stereotype. As one delves deeper into a single domain, isn't it only natural for them to become proficient at all magic?"

"That's why I introduced Maier to you."

She was born with the ability to respond to all elements, deserving of her name 'Unique Talent of Five Colors'.

A natural genius who, even without Flugel's longevity or magical studies, can manifest her abilities in full.

Scientifically speaking, she is akin to a new material.

"Yulian."

For the first time, Flugel looked at me with serious eyes.

His irritable image had dissipated, yet he still had a peculiar aura.

"As a citizen of the capital, shouldn't you be aware, especially if you are 'Blind Eyes'?"

"What are you talking about?"

"There are lines that must not be crossed."

Flugel, like me, took a sip of his tea. Catching the same murkiness that belied the expensive tea leaves, he momentarily scowled at Maier before shifting his gaze again.

"You're perceptive enough to know it, aren't you? As much as anything else, it's best to stay away from the imperial family's secrets."

"Heh."

I chuckled briefly.

Damn, I tried to laugh it off, but it always came out as a cynical laugh.

"Sir Flugel, growing old is indeed terrifying."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't you just admit that the 'Demon God's head' is linked to the imperial family?"

It was already a known fact, but I mentioned it to Flugel purposefully to remind him.

The reason I came here wasn't to understand its link to the 'imperial family', but rather, to find the missing 'horn' of the Demon God.

"Hmm."

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Flugel sighed.

"...... What's going on, old man?"

Never having seen such caution from Flugel, even Maier seemed taken aback.

"Growing old is indeed daunting. These small mistakes increase, and my thoughts tend to drift in undesirable directions."

Flugel, holding a staff in his other hand rather than the teacup, caused the veins to stand out on his wrinkled hand, leading mana around him to quiver.

Simultaneously, my hand reached for the sword at my side, ready to counter Flugel's magic if need be.

Shhh──!

Flugel's next surprising move stopped my action.

'Tea......?'

Flugel was spilling the tea Maier brewed onto the floor.

Did it taste that bad?

Just as this thought crossed my mind, I felt the ground beneath me start to dampen.

Splash──!

Like a rising tide, water began to fill the area around Flugel.

'This is......?'

Illusion magic.

Just as I thought the mana around his staff was surging, Flugel had already completed his spell.

"Gurgle......!"

The water had quickly risen to chin level for the room.

"What, what are you doing, damned old man...... gurgle!"

From the looks of it, Maier wasn't spared from the magic either.

This crazy old man!

Casting magic out of nowhere!?

Before I knew it, Flugel's research lab was filled with water.

I understood that this was 'illusion magic', but Flugel's skill could make 'illusions' feel real.

Unintentionally inhaling could lead to suffocation, so I held my breath the best I could.

"The imperial family has strictly forbidden any mention of that time."

While the research lab was filled to the brim with water, the only one moving freely was Flugel.

Damn old man. Couldn't he just talk it over?

"Though, I doubt that would make any difference for you."

It was as if he read my mind. Honestly, I had no intention of backing down.

"Don't you act as a silent, blind tiger in service of the imperial family?"

When's the last time that was true?

"So, this is a warning. Turn back......."

Trying to keep up with Flugel's tiresome words, I resisted the buoyancy created by his 'illusion magic'.

Frankly, I was impressed, too. Though it was related to 'mental' phenomena, resisting the buoyancy illusion with sheer strength was rare.

And it seemed I was one of those rare exceptions.

"What a monstrous creature you are!"

Crack──!

Advancing forward, I put pressure on the ground, causing a large fissure.

The 'buoyancy' I felt was due to the illusion, so the ground cracked under my forceful step.

'Damn exhausting!'

Narrowing the distance, I reached for Flugel's shoulder, only for his form to waver like a mirage and vanish entirely.

"Why don't you control your strength? If you grab me with those brute hands of yours, my bones would shatter!"

Listening to Flugel's cantankerous tone, I clicked my tongue inwardly.

He never intended to be caught in the first place!

'Where are you?'

Having disappeared like a mirage, Flugel wasn't visible anywhere in the research lab.

"Turn back."

"Where have you hidden the horn?"

"I told you to turn back, Yulian."

It seemed he was using an illusion to hide his form, but I also had a way to find him.

'Inhale.'

Taking a deep breath, I began to scatter mana around me.

No matter how well one hides behind an 'illusion,' there is always a corporeal existence. Like Zahard's 'Aura Sonar', scattering mana would detect anything tangible.

"Do you think that will work?"

Well, I expected as much.

Catching onto my 'mana detection', Flugel's voice was laced with mockery.

Using his voice as a guide was impossible too. Flugel's 'illusions' weren't limited to deceiving sight alone.

"It's excellent illusion magic if one can deceive sight, sound, and smell. You'll never touch me, Yulian."

Flugel called himself top-tier, but honestly, I'd say he's reached a level beyond that.

His strength is unfathomable. Though the 'Sword Saint' has more illustrious accomplishments, when it comes to pure strength and prowess, I'd side with Flugel.

Why wouldn't I? After all, the 'White Sage' is a monstrous mage who has lived for centuries.

'To think he can execute illusion and attack magic concurrently and chooses not to use them.'

He must think highly of me, or perhaps, since his apprentice Maier is watching, he's trying to show some restraint.

"No matter how monstrous your strength is, it means nothing if you can't make contact."

"You are correct. With the loss of sight, hearing, even smell, finding Sir Flugel is impossible."

The stifling situation was overwhelming, but it didn't matter.

After all, I came prepared for this very scenario.

"But what about touch?"

"Touch? What on earth......?"

Sensing something unusual, Flugel's voice lifted slightly.

"Demon!?"

Bingo.

Before our conversation, I'd placed an ultra-thin thread of Angelica on his body.

'I came anticipating something like this.'

Whoosh.

Grabbing the fine thread of Angelica with my left hand, I pulled it, and I felt something invisible dragging from the empty space.

Simultaneously, as if dispelling a mirage, Flugel's form began to materialize.

"So that's where you were."

My words made Flugel grimace.