Chapter 189 Veil of Deception [2]

Chapter 189 Veil of Deception [2]

"Join you...?"

The tree looked at me with a confused expression. Blinking its red eyes, it stared intently at me.

Under such gaze, I felt my chest tighten.

It was a bit of a gamble on my end, but it was something that I was willing to risk my life for. To be able to align myself with a being this powerful... It would certainly make my life a lot easier in the future.

There were also Delilah and Atlas, who I could consider allies and were powerful.

'Another twisted relationship...'

.....Every second that I spent with them was a second where I had to be extra careful with my words and actions.

One slip-up and I was done for.

It was for that reason that I couldn't necessarily consider them true allies.

But it wasn't like I minded this twisted relantionship. So long as it benefitted me, who was I to care? The same was true for the tree.

One slip-up and I was done. And yet, I couldn't help myself.

'Whatever it takes, I need to do it.'

"....."

I briefly glanced at the page on the table.

I swallowed my saliva as I did so.

Despite the page being so close, it felt so far. I didn't feel any confidence in getting it for myself and looking at it.

Rather, it felt more like a trap.

A tempting trap that the tree had left just for me to take.

"Yes, join me."

Thus,

Staring at 'Karl', I elaborated.

"You wish to learn about emotions, is that correct?"

".....Correct."

The tree replied, its scraping voice echoing quietly across the room.

I nodded and continued.

"You haven't had much success despite observing so many humans. Why do you think that is?"

With his brows furrowing slightly in thought, 'Karl' tilted his head. Eventually, his gaze settled on me, and he shook his head.

".....I do not know."

"I figured."

I took a step forward and drew nearer to him.

He didn't move and kept his gaze firmly on me. In fact, he didn't seem at all wary of the fact that I was drawing nearer to him.

But it made sense considering my strength.

Tak—

I stopped just a few meters away from him.

Then, extending my finger, I pressed it against his chest.

Yet again, he didn't react.

He just stared at me.

"....."

"....."

I stared back at him as I took a silent breath.

'I hope this works.'

The silence carried on for a few seconds before I silently murmured in my mind.

'Fear'

All of a sudden, his pupils dilated and his body started to shake. It wasn't overly dramatic, and it passed as quickly as it came, but it was unmistakable.

"That..."

'Karl' looked at me with widened eyes.

He didn't seem to have understood what had happened. It took several seconds for him to come back to it.

Then, lowering his eyes, he stared at his trembling hands.

"What a peculiar sensation. My heart keeps pounding for a strange reason, and I can't stop this weird shaking that is taking over my hand. But that isn't the most peculiar part... Hmmm."

He frowned.

"....It is weird. I feel a strange discomfort I can't explain."

He looked back at me.

"Why is that? What could it be?"

"That's fear."

"Fear...?"

"Yes."

I went on to explain.

"What you've experienced was fear. The pounding of your heart, and shaking of your arms is an after-effect of your body experiencing fear. I'm sure you're already aware of how someone under fear reacts...."

This, I didn't doubt.

Especially since the tree thrived on the fear of those on whom it cast its illusion.

"Yes, I am aware."

The tree answered with a frown.

"...But this sensation. I didn't think it would feel like this. I've tried many times to mimic exactly what I've observed, yet I always failed to comprehend. Now, I understand better... much better."

I felt the corner of my lips curl slightly.

"To understand emotions, you need to experience them."

This was something that became more and more apparent to me the more I stayed in this world and learned about emotions.

It was just me, and my thoughts.

A dreadful silence enveloped the space.

It felt stifling.

Almost suffocating.

To the point where I felt myself going mad.

No, I was going mad.

I wanted it to stop.

I couldn't stand this,

I couldn't...

"Huaaaap!"

My eyes flared open and light entered my sight.

"Haaa... haaa... haa..."

My chest heaved up and down as I struggled to catch my breath. Sweat dripped from every corner of my body, soaking my clothes. As I reached to grab my shirt, I stopped.

"....."

My thoughts froze as I slowly raised my head.

"....!"

Looking around, I felt my entire body seize up as my mind went blank. I couldn't comprehend what had happened.

'Why...'

"Why am I here...?"

I was lying in the middle of a familiar cobblestone street. All around me, dozens of people lay with their eyes closed.

The world wasn't red, and there was no tree in sight.

It was as if everything had been a dream.

A terrible dream.

But how could it be...?

"Could this be another illusio—"

"This is the real world."

A voice cut me off.

Feeling something against my shoulder, I nearly shivered on the spot. Turning my head, I was met by two blood-red eyes, and I felt my blood freeze.

But it was only momentary as I suddenly found myself blinking.

That was because,

"Are you surprised by my form?"

Resting on my shoulder was an owl.

With black feathers and blood-red eyes, it was a strange owl, but an owl nonetheless.

How...? When...?

I was about to speak when it turned its head to stare into the distance.

"They're coming."

"Coming...? Who?!"

The owl didn't answer.

Flapping its wings, it lifted off my shoulder.

Tracing its path, my eyes widened as it dove right into my chest, disappearing within.

"Umpf!"

I groaned as it happened, the impact feeling like I had been hit by a car.

Before I could figure out what was going on, something flashed before my eyes.

"Ah..."

And yet again, I froze.

— ●[Julien D. Evenus]● —

Level : 28 [Tier 2 Magician]

Exp : [0%—[19%]———————100%]

Profession : Magician

」 Type : Elemental [Curse]

」 Type : Mind [Emotive]

Spells :

」 Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger

」 Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Sadness

」 Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Fear

」 Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness

」 Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust

」 Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise

」 Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of Alakantria

」 Intermediate type spell [Curse] : Grip of Pestilence

Skills :

[Innate] - Foresight

[Innate] - Etherweave

[Innate] - Veil of Deception

— ●[Julien D. Evenus]● —

"It... looks like, something unexpected occurred."