novelraw Chapter 133 : Chapter 133
Chapter 133 : Chapter 133
Chapter 133. Serin (2)
Yohan already knew a fair amount about Serena’s sister, the one named Serin.
She had appeared a few times in the original story.
In an episode involving her, the Marcano family met its downfall.
It was due to the magical link that connected Serin and Serena.
The kingdom considered magic a product of evil.
Once it was discovered that they had used magic, even the Marcano family couldn’t escape ruin.
No excuse, not even one about trying to save a daughter, held up.
In the past, Horentz Marcano had secretly summoned a mage for the sake of the frail-born Serin.
That mage sealed Serin’s body and soul within a mirror.
Thanks to that, Serin had shed her fragile physical form.
Inside a timeless subspace, she could live forever.
That had been the greatest mistake of Horentz’s life.
His desire to save his daughter had brought about his family’s downfall.
In the end, even Serena was placed on the execution rack.
That was how it went in the original story.
But Yohan intended to twist that outcome.
He had to protect the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
Yohan sat in silence, deep in thought.
Just moments ago, Serena had come and gone.
She had rejected his proposal of engagement.
It was because of Serin.
Though Serena hadn’t explicitly said so, Yohan was certain that Serin was the reason.
There was no other plausible explanation for why Serena would refuse his offer.
Serin had clearly opposed the engagement.
But why? For what reason?
Yohan could make a reasonable guess.
Serin is a being who lives in the world within mirrors.
Wherever there was a mirror, she could appear.
She enjoyed watching people through them.
That element was briefly mentioned in the original.
But it was such a minor detail that Yohan had almost completely forgotten Serin’s existence.
He clicked his tongue.
‘There’s always something I miss.’
If he had been more meticulous, he would’ve suspected something when he received the Cursed Scripture in the form of a mirror from Kaiaze.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t been cautious.
He hadn’t connected the mirror-shaped Cursed Scripture with Serin.
Yohan swallowed hard.
‘To think it would tie together like this…’
He guessed Serin had seen his true form through the Cursed Scripture.
She had probably witnessed him shifting between demon and human.
After seeing such a horrifying sight, there was no way Serin could approve of her sister marrying him.
Yohan let out a sigh.
He hadn’t anticipated this development in the slightest.
Things had become troublesome.
But it wasn’t a problem he could put off just because it was a hassle.
He needed a solution immediately.
He couldn’t leave Serin alone.
After a long bout of contemplation, Yohan summoned Haman.
The butler entered the drawing room.
“Did you call for me, my lord?”
Yohan spoke.
“Haman, bring Ilea and Lumina. Now.”
Haman showed no reaction at all.
Even after the archmage who had been burned at the stake just days ago had returned and started working with Yohan, Haman displayed no suspicion.
He was, in a way, a fool—someone who offered unwavering loyalty to his master.
No matter what his master did, the butler would follow.
Yohan had already recognized this about him.
Haman was a butler he quite liked.
With a bow, Haman exited the room.
Before long, Ilea and Lumina came to see Yohan.
***
Yohan gave them a brief explanation of what had happened.
The eyes of the witch and the archmage glinted with interest.
Ilea was the first to speak.
“A human drifting through mirrors? That’s fascinating.”
Lumina nodded.
“Subspace magic of a very high level must’ve been used. The mage who designed it… probably one of my juniors. I have a guess who it might be.”
Archmage Lumina was a master of subspace magic.
The first time Ilea had met her had also been in a space Lumina had crafted.
A hidden subspace within the royal palace. She was skilled enough to toy with a kingdom’s royalty.
Ilea gave an honest gasp of admiration.
“To think that kind of mage is your junior… No wonder you’re the Archmage, Lady Lumina.”
Lumina’s shoulders lifted, and with a smug expression, she said,
“Well, I am kind of amazing. There’s a reason the Imperial family hasn’t been able to catch me.”
In fact, the Empire had repeatedly failed to apprehend her.
Capturing a mage who crafted dimensions wasn’t easy.
As the two spoke, Yohan cut in.
“This is perfect. Lumina, you might be able to connect me to Serin.”
It was just luck that Lumina happened to be an expert in space magic.
Yohan hadn’t known that.
In the original story, Lumina had barely been given any focus.
With one corner of her mouth lifted, Lumina replied,
“For me, that’s child’s play. And since that little brat Serin already touched the Cursed Scripture, the path’s been opened. Makes things much easier.”
She sounded incredibly confident.
It was likely not just empty bravado.
Yohan was more than satisfied.
Competent subordinates were always welcome.
“I like that answer. I’d like to meet Serin as soon as tonight. Can you do it?”
Lumina nodded.
“First, let me see the Cursed Scripture. I need to understand the structure before I begin.”
Yohan glanced out the window.
There was still time before sunset.
“Not until nightfall. You’ll have to wait a bit.”
To summon the Cursed Scripture, he needed Mapheltan.
Yohan couldn’t use any demonic powers himself.
He and Mapheltan were entirely separate entities.
Lumina gazed quietly at Yohan.
“The Thirteenth Apostle of the End… no, Watcher of the Abyss. You’re a truly peculiar being. May I study your body sometime?”
Any practitioner of magic would be driven mad by the mysteries surrounding Yohan.
Like Ilea, Lumina was deeply intrigued by him.
Yohan said,
“I don’t mind. If your abilities are that useful, it could help.”
He glanced at Ilea.
She nodded.
“I agree. The black fissure that was above Yohan’s head… if it’s Lady Lumina, she might be able to figure out what it is.”
Lumina tilted her head in curiosity.
“Fissure? What fissure?”
Previously, when the Third Prince Gawain had interfered, a black void had opened.
In that otherworldly space, Yohan had encountered Ganis, the Apostle of the End.
Yohan opened his mouth.
“To explain briefly…”
He gave her a rough summary of what had happened.
After hearing everything, Lumina’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ll look into it! No—I have to!”
Yohan let out a small chuckle.
“Work on it together with Ilea.”
He also wanted to see the results as soon as possible.
In an excited voice, Lumina said to Ilea,
“Let’s start right away! I’ve got the perfect lab!”
Ilea smiled softly and calmed her down.
“Sounds good. But for now, Serin is the priority. Let’s deal with her first.”
Yohan nodded.
“She’s right. Lumina, come back as soon as the sun sets.”
Tonight, Yohan planned to meet Serin.
He needed to silence her as quickly as possible.
A faint look of disappointment flickered across Lumina’s face.
She sighed quietly.
“…Alright. I’ll see you again soon.”
Lumina and Ilea left the drawing room.
They would likely spend time sharing magical theories in preparation for the night.
There wasn’t much Yohan could do to help.
He was completely ignorant when it came to magic.
***
Night fell.
Mapheltan brought out the Cursed Scripture for the first time in a while.
On the surface of the transparent mirror, red text spilled across in lines.
Lumina and Ilea were dissecting and analyzing it completely.
Over three hours had already passed since they began.
All sorts of equations and ritual arrays filled the lab.
Mapheltan silently waited, not wanting to interfere.
Just as he was beginning to get bored, Lumina spoke.
“…Ha, well this is something.”
Ilea let out a long breath.
“It’s quite complicated.”
Unease passed over Mapheltan’s face.
“It’s not working?”
With a serious look, Lumina replied,
“There’s very little I can actually interfere with. The Cursed Scripture is designed to only respond to Apostles.”
Ilea nodded.
“We did everything possible from the outside, but altering its internal structure is too difficult.”
Mapheltan swallowed.
“So I can’t reach Serin through the Scripture?”
Lumina and Ilea looked at each other.
Then Lumina said,
“You can reach her. However…”
“The problem is what comes after. If you go in, you might not be able to come back out.”
It was easy to enter, but hard to exit.
That was the gist.
Mapheltan didn’t bother asking why.
It would be some magical explanation, and he wouldn’t understand it anyway.
He curled his lips upward.
“That’s enough.”
Ilea sighed.
“I figured you’d say that.”
Lumina looked baffled.
“My lord Apostle, are you sure you understood what we said?”
Mapheltan walked slowly toward the massive Cursed Scripture.
A dark void hovered at the center of the mirror.
The fissure had been created by Ilea and Lumina as an entrance.
As he placed his hand on the rift, Mapheltan spoke.
“I’ll go meet Serin. You two—do what you have to do.”
He was telling them to find a way to open an exit, no matter what.
Ilea, resigned, silently drew in her mana once more.
She was used to this kind of behavior from Mapheltan.
“Please be careful.”
Lumina shouted in disbelief.
“W-Wait just—!”
At that moment, the fissure swallowed Mapheltan whole.
His figure vanished.
***
A pitch-black space greeted him.
There was no fear of getting lost.
There was only one path.
Mapheltan walked toward the light in the distance.
His crimson eyes left ripples in the darkness.
The light ahead slowly grew brighter.
Then, a voice rang out.
“He’s a demon! No—a being that crosses between human and demon…!”
As the voice echoed, Mapheltan unfurled his wings.
He tore through the darkness at incredible speed.
‘I see her.’
A small girl was shouting desperately toward the light.
‘Serin.’
Mapheltan reached her in an instant.
With a black hand, he clamped her mouth shut.
On the other side of the mirror, Serena’s eyes shook violently.
Mapheltan grabbed Serin and vanished into the darkness once more.
Holding her tightly, he spoke in a chilling tone.
“Little one, don’t be scared. I’m not a terrifying monster.”
Serin struggled in fear.
But her frail body had no hope of escaping his grip.
Only muffled cries came out.
Mapheltan brushed her hair gently with his free hand.
“I’m a friend who will ease your loneliness. I’ll fill what you’re missing.”
At the same time, he spun her body around.
In the pitch-black void, the demon and the girl locked eyes.
Serin’s pupils dilated wide.
“E-Eek…”
Mapheltan grinned, lips stretching unnaturally long.
“But first—you’ll have to pay the price for watching this body.”
His red eyes gleamed with a sinister light.