Chapter 57

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Chapter 57

“I wasn’t baptized.”

Evan said he had not been baptized. And, at that time, I thought Duke Icard was too indifferent.

“Actually… I’ve been wanting to obtain holy objects for a long time.”

…I was wondering why he wanted to obtain a holy relic that was useless to the general public.

Sven continued to explain to me that there was little room for black magic to be abused.

“First of all, common people are also baptized these days, and the sacred relics are regarded as the priest’s lives. It’s hard to meet any of the conditions.”

He seemed to have forgotten that there was a contradiction in his words as he was in a hurry to explain the general idea to me because of the time constraint.

He then tried to seduce me with the bait that he could bring the dead back to life, but the flow of the story continued, saying, ‘Actually, it’s not that easy.’ But for now, it wasn’t important to me.

“…Sven,” I asked in a slightly puzzled mood.

“That’s… the dark magic of reviving people… Is it well known?”

“Of course not.”

He shook his head.

“Well, I only know because I’ve been working on it for a long time. Though most people have no idea as black magic itself is also taboo.”

I took a deep breath.

“It’s only said in Carovantes that black magic can revive the dead.”

“I’ve been to Carovantes for a while as a child.”

Duke Icard clearly said that in the temple before. So, he might have known since childhood that black magic could bring back the dead…

“Evan and I, too, will be happy in the end. With another essential solution.”

On the night of Ludva’s incident, Duke Icard clearly stated so.

“…If all my plans go my way, all the wrong things will go back to normal. So, I can’t stop right now.”

Things going back to their rightful place… The fact that I looked over the essential solution. Now, all the puzzles were slowly pieced together.

“If I do better, I can turn everything around.”

Ah… Duke Icard was really trying to undo everything.

“…If I could go back, I’d like to be a very good father to Evan from the beginning.”

I quickly managed to figure out the truth. Duke Icard recalled the black magic he heard in Carovantes as a child after Matilda passed away. He couldn’t afford to take care of Evan because he had been losing his mind about it. Duke Icard, of course, wasn’t a black wizard.

Thus, to practice black magic, it was necessary to take control of the aristocrats and the Imperial Family. He was, therefore, trying to take control of both. Especially, in the case of the Imperial Family, as it was extremely rare for black magic to be allowed to summon the devil.

It was natural that black magic, which broke the order of the world, should not be allowed.

It was something he couldn’t even ask for unless he became a person who had a significant influence after marriage.

“It’s a fact that no one knows. You should keep it a secret, too.”

No one knew that Evan was not baptized. Furthermore, the Duke also sought the holy relic in secret. In addition, Marcel and I had been completely silent about holy stuff, so it was clear that even Sven had no idea that Duke Icard was interested in black magic.

“We don’t know much about the infinite world of black magic yet. However, one thing is for sure.”

Meanwhile, Sven continued without knowing what I was thinking.

“The moment our organization and powerful Black Wizards join hands, we will become the true master of the world.”

‘Wow—’

It was a typical evil mastermind-like line that seemed to be over-enthusiastic to manipulate the world and eventually fail…

“Miss Laria can be our great Master.”

“Why don’t you find another black wizard, instead of someone like me who’s not interested in such things?”

“There are few great black wizards that the devil reacts to since everyone’s a bunch of junk who secretly makes reagents.”

“Uhm… I don’t know.”

“In fact, you don’t have to be the owner of the world. I’d be happy to just live in a world of black magic.”

Sven spoke very reverently with his hands together.

From what I can tell, Sven was very similar in material to those people. So, in short, Sven must have been a black magic geek.

“…I’ll think about it.”

At that, I replied bluntly.

In the first place, I never really expected such an awkward topic like black magic to be brought up like this.

“Anyway, I think I should know some black magic.”

In addition, I was secretly uncomfortable with the fact that Neo, the devil’s personification, responded to me. No matter how obnoxious I lived, I didn’t think it was enough for the devil to want to talk to me…

In that case, maybe that could be the reason why it hurt when I was blessed?

‘Black magic…’

Regardless, I couldn’t turn a blind eye to this.

First, it had to do with the secrets of Duke Icard, and secondly, I still needed the Vestian Dark Information Guild. Thirdly… Obviously, it may have something to do with my body, after all.

‘Though what if I was born with the qualities of a real dark wizard? Even if I didn’t possess villainess, I really possessed a Black Wizard? Did Laria die without knowing her talent in the original book? Then… I’m really going to conquer the world?’

Was it my destiny to be powerful, not the villainess, female lead, or male lead?

“It’s a little sudden… but I understand what you are talking about,” I said as I stumbled to my feet. There are so many things that I unexpectedly found out all of a sudden.

“Meow~”

When I gazed up, Neo clung to me and stared at me with puppy-like eyes.

“Oh, my.”

Serena uttered with a tilted head.

“I guess Neo wants to be with Miss Laria…”

“Meoooow~”

As Neo nodded, Sven had made a face of an abandoned butler.

“Sorry.”

No matter how devilish it was, it was undeniable that it looked cute, so I patted Neo’s head softly.

“I’m busy taking care of myself right now. Come when it’s time for me to be a little lonely and get attached to someone.”

“Meooow~ Meow~”

Eventually, Neo sadly turned to Sven as if he understood.

“It’s been a while. Evan might find me, so I’ll go for now.”

“Of course…”

Sven hurriedly hugged Neo and answered, “Still, you can say no. Miss Laria is my mother’s benefactor after all.”

He seemed to be talking about how his mother was able to avoid the fire in the building where she stayed, thanks to me.

“Even if you don’t like it, obviously, I’ll do my best at whatever Miss Laria asks me to do. But, I’m telling you because I really want to be with you.”

Nonetheless, Sven’s sincere words didn’t reach me.

“Okay… Indeed.”

He was trying to save the dead… That was also what Duke Icard wanted to do.

‘If Matilda really comes back alive, would everything really go back to normal…?’

Doesn’t it end up failing in the original story?

I didn’t do anything wrong, though somehow, I still felt uncomfortable somewhere in my mind.

‘But, why the hell? For what?’

I didn’t quite understand myself either.

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