Chapter 42.1

Chapter 42 – Part 1

[ I heard Frey’s name instantly, so there’s a high possibility they noticed you. That must be why they disappeared. I think they used teleportation magic. I could feel it. ]

“Magic…?”

[ Yes. If wizards use spells, dark wizards use magic. Magic itself belongs to the devil, so it might be the same as borrowing the devil’s power. ]

I kind of knew that. It was a very dangerous and forbidden kind of magic, and it was also not easy to borrow the devil’s power. That was why dark wizards are rare.

If they were caught red-handed, their death was a sure case without holding a trial.

So, one wouldn’t normally claim he was a black wizard unless he was a great man himself. However, feeling the magic meant that the devil was in the human world or that a black wizard had successfully developed black magic….

Does it mean that it wasn’t simply a case of kidnapping?

“Did you hear anything else?”

It said that it couldn’t understand more that they whispered. Even though they weren’t usually talented, one would most certainly get caught if one got any closer.

“So Ignis, did you really hear them say Frey’s name and ‘body’?”

[ Yes. ]

It also said that there was nothing that could be inferred from the words ‘doing it without much thought’ and ‘I’ve checked.’

“Body? What do you mean by body?”

“Maybe they were talking about that man’s body from earlier.”

“I somehow have some conjecture…”

Ignis, who had been looking at Frey without any particular interest, turned its head towards me out of curiosity. It seemed to be also curious about what I had to say.

A body… Why would an unordinary and talented person need a body?

There must be a reason that they needed a ‘body’ rather than a ‘person.’ The most likely reason there was…

“Will they use it for a sacrifice? The magic is there, so it was that.”

Like finding a body needed to summon a great devil.

[ …You’re right, but isn’t that too easy to know? That is forbidden here. ]

I didn’t think of that, and like Ignis said, it was an absolute taboo here. Even having the idea of it was a sin – of such an evil deed.

“That’s right. Still, you said you felt magic, and that’s not a very rare thing.”

When Ignis was speechless, I asked it.

“Then what do you think, Ignis? Was it for something like slave trading?”

[ …No. What is in your head that you could only think of that? It’s horrible. ]

Frey’s smiling face gradually became scarier. I tugged on his sleeve as if telling him not to intervene with me and Ignis.

“I was a bit surprised.”

[ About what? ]

“I knew spirits are infinitely pure, but I didn’t know Ignis is also like that.”

In such a world, illegal trade was a law that would arise no matter how much it was banned. Countless people kidnapped humans and non-humans to hand them over for a high price. It was actually difficult to pull out the roots, even if some were caught.

Even now, everyone knows that it happened in secret.

Sending the Knights Order bearing the name of the Imperial Family to strengthen security at night was a basic task to prevent it inside the temple. However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t stop it as long as the involved didn’t get outright killed.

Even if everyone were caught, people with the same thoughts would appear and do the same thing again.

That was to say that it was perfectly normal to think of such things, even if I didn’t think of the sacrifice. Because if they wanted a body and kidnapped someone, 90% of it was because there was nothing more than making illegal trade.

“Then Ignis, why do you think they need a body?”

[ …Because of their job? ]

“Anyone kidnaps people for their job.”

While Ignis glanced at Frey for help, Frey’s eyes were always on me.

“In the human world, we have no choice but to think like this. We aren’t as pure and kind as spirits. There are many people who are selfish and will do anything for their self-interest. Have you not lived long enough if you are the King of Spirits?”

Did they not know that as well?

Ignis didn’t say anything after, but he seemed to understand it, lowering his head and murmuring a small retort.

[ We don’t meet other people except for our contracted friends. We don’t deliberately go to the human world. ]

“Aren’t spirits connected to each other?”

[ We are, but we are unconditionally blind towards our contractor, so we don’t look at anything else. ]

“…But, you said you collect information?”

[ That only applies to wind spirits because they can hear the voice that flows with the air. Though the King of Spirits can hear it most accurately. ]

The book wasn’t right about everything.

I clicked my tongue as I recalled the time when Frey signed a contract with the King of Spirits and read a thousand books about spirits day and night. I thought all spirits were good at gathering information, yet they seemed to have their own role.

It looked like the only right thing about fire spirits was their attack power.

When I asked, ‘Then you couldn’t attack humans recklessly?’ it looked back at me and answered, ‘Why can’t we? The contractor’s enemy is our enemy.’

They said that innocence sometimes was more ruthless, and I thought I understood what it meant when I looked at the King of Spirits. Just as young children knew nothing and only listened to their parents, contractors were also like that to spirits.

“I think I learned a lot of new things about spirits today.”

[ Spirits aren’t that good at making contracts with humans. Even if they do, they can only contract one type. That’s why everything that was written about spirits as if they knew us very well wasn’t all that correct. ]

You are right.

“I understand. Then, Ignis should also understand that I am not a horrible person.”

The most horrible person was Lisandro, of course. He always came in front of me in any case.

“So, what do you think Frey?”

Those humans knew Frey, but since he was such a famous person, we couldn’t use it as a clue. The only clues we were left with were the ‘body’ and magic. There was a high possibility they’d be looking for another body since their kidnapping failed this time.

“In any case, illegal trading is still a possibility though it would take a lot of bodies and magic. Besides, they usually don’t call it body. Maybe it’s all about the face*.”

[ T/N: Like they kidnap people with good-looking faces. Like if they want to sell someone, they will look for a person who looks like royalty or someone with beauty, so they can sell it at a high price. ]

When they tried to kidnap Aideen, they mentioned, ‘What should we do with the body?’ Objectively speaking, it meant Aideen’s body wasn’t that good. His body was skinny, and he looked like he needed protection.

If it was about the face, like Frey said, then it was understandable.

Even though Aideen’s body was thin, he was an elegant beauty. Although I thought it was heavily related to sex*…

[ T/N: male or female ]

It seemed to be closely related to a black wizard, no matter how much I think about it. The only ones who could use magic were demons and black wizards. So, while there might be black wizards doing illegal trading, I heard they usually didn’t use it because they wouldn’t be able to escape once they are caught.

__