CH 5

I could sense something shattering within me. It gripped me tightly, and I felt an indescribable sensation spreading throughout my entire being.

It was as if something unbreakable was slowly fading away.

“Mir… what the hell are you trying to do to me…!”

The short blade penetrated deep into my chest, but I felt no pain and no physical contact in the first place.

However, its presence was gradually fading, as if something that had been inside of me for quite some time continued to crumble and disappear without a trace of an end.

“Is it because of your oath with that Goddess that you don’t want to follow me? Then I will sever it, tear it apart so that you will never make another oath…”

Her eyes gleamed with a madness that surpassed any measure, devoid of any trace of sanity

As soon as I sensed it, I could vaguely discern that Mir, like Eleanor, was displaying an overwhelming obsession that I couldn’t handle

Thousands of thoughts run through my head, making me dizzy.

Frankly, I didn’t want to keep my oath with Eleanor anymore.

In a way, I should be grateful that I can solve problems I couldn’t handle on my own. However, there’s a strange sense of disparity in me that rejects this situation.

If the oath is broken, there’s a possibility that I may become Mir’s servant… The dark energy emanating from her actively triggers my defensive instincts..

Even if the oath didn’t break, I couldn’t really predict what would happen if I went back to Eleanor.

Back then, she suddenly interrogated me, accusing me of having the scent of another woman, even though I hadn’t met anyone. But now, with Mir trying to break the oath, it will leave traces, and I dare not imagine what Eleanor will do to me.

“ugh!”

It’s terrible as it is, so it’s really not okay, and it’s a crazy situation that’s not good for me in any situation…

No matter how much I want to get out of this, I can’t come up with a proper solution.

However, even in this situation, time continued to pass, and the pledge engraved on me gradually weakened. Now, it has become infinitely thin, fragile enough to break easily even if a child were to pull on it.

“It’s almost complete.., just a little more and the foolish pledge will be gone. Hurry up and sever your ties with that insignificant goddess… and pledge yourself to me forever! Harold! Be my black knight!”

I reconsidered once again, reflecting on the reason why I wanted to break my oath with Eleanor…

The only reason I wanted to keep my distance from her, even if she offered a reward greater than the satisfaction of witnessing the conclusion…

It was the crazy obsession that my mind couldn’t even bear.

After the day I first mentioned breaking the oath, I witnessed a change in her personality, inexplicably, as she grew increasingly consumed by madness and a growing sense of obsession

Crazy obsession and mental pressure were the reasons I tried to break my vows with Eleanor.

“You are still resisting,.. haah… just be mine.”

The aura emanating from Mir’s eyes was reminiscent of, or perhaps even more intense than Eleanor’s. Those empty, darkening eyes seemed to draw me into an endless abyss.

Even if I were to break the oath with Eleanor, it would be meaningless if Mir were to become just as obsessive as her.

“stop it!”

As I mustered the last shreds of reason within me, I plead to Mir.

However, instead of showing understanding or empathy, she looked down on me with even colder eyes. The dark power that had been festering within me started to spread at an accelerated pace, engulfing me further in its grip.

“No… Absolutely not… It’s unquestionably better to follow me than those cowardly gods… I promised you a power stronger than what you have now, so why the hell are you rejecting me? Huh?”

Mir’s voice echoed with frustration and anger, her words laced with a sense of betrayal.

However, it seemed that she had made up her mind, and no amount of conversation could sway her.

I could feel myself reaching my limit, the pledge on the verge of breaking under the pressure.

“no…”

Damn it!

As my consciousness began to fade into the distant darkness, a sudden cracking sound jolted me back to alertness.

“what?!”

Mir also shows a bewildered look as if something really unexpected happened, and the smile that presumed victory is distorted.

“uh…?”

It was only after I took notice of her demeanor that I became aware of the distortion occurring in the surroundings, warping the environment around me.

From within the crack, a hollow light started to radiate, filling the space with an eerie glow.

The intensity of the light is getting brighter and wider, breaking the chains as if to protect me and covering my heart with warmth.

It expelled the darkness that had consumed me from within, simultaneously dispelling the unsettling feeling of alienation.

My heart feels warm… As if I had come to a resting place, it seemed as if my inner self was being healed…

flash!

In an instant, a brilliant light emerged, blinding my eyes and transforming my vision into pure white.

“Ugh… huh…?”

As the blinding light gradually subsided, I began to perceive a change in the ambient temperature. The surroundings came into focus, revealing a different place from where I was before.

“What happened…?”

Initially, the thought of being freed from Mir’s grasp brought a sense of relief, calming my racing heart. I took a deep breath, expelling all the anxiety that had built up inside me.

“Where are you?”

And find the answer to the flying question.

“?!”

It was anxiety.

I found myself in an old temple that appeared to be abandoned, devoid of any signs of human presence. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that there were some meticulously arranged items, hinting that someone might still be staying there.

It was a very familiar place.

“Maybe here…”

The initial sense of relief from being freed from Mir’s grasp quickly gave way to a greater sense of tension and anxiety.

My mind was filled with a relentless turmoil, and the pounding of my heart seemed to reverberate in my ears, overwhelming me with its intensity.

“shit!…”

When I think of this place, there is only one person that comes to mind…

If I was brought to this place by her… it means she knows what happened to me…

I tried to deny reality with earnest heart, sweating in a cold sweat due to the heightened tension…

“Didn’t I told you?”

As if to shatter even such vain hopes, the frosty voice that pierces my ears makes my pupils tremble.

“That if you ever dare to break the oath, how many times would I have to remind you again and again, until your ears stung, about the consequences of breaking the pledge…”

The chilling voice from behind sends shivers down my spine, causing an indescribable sensation of goosebumps and fear to wash over me.

“Not only that, but the rotten stench that I can sense from afar now… You’ve met a woman.”

I resist the urge to turn around, feeling an overwhelming desire to sprint at full speed, burst through the tightly closed door, and flee from this place.

Despite the overwhelming fear that has gripped my entire being, I find myself unable to muster the strength to lift my feet off the floor.

The prospect of running feels futile, as I am well aware that any attempt to escape would only result in being mercilessly overpowered by a force far beyond my comprehension.

“Why hide your face? Are you too scared to face me because of the guilt weighing you down? Huh?”

I lacked the courage to meet her gaze, and as she placed her hand on my shoulder, the weight I felt was so immense that I wanted to collapse face-first on the ground.

“Hurry up and face me, my knight Harold… This is a command.”

However, I couldn’t resist…. At those cold words, I forcibly twisted my body, and turned my head.

As I turned around slowly, my body moving in a stiff and unnatural manner, the sight that unfolded before my eyes left an impactful impression.

“Come on…Explain yourself, I’ll listen.”

shudder! shudder!

“Ugh?!”

The golden chains appeared in the air and tightly bound my entire body, leaving me unable to move. Under the overwhelming power of the chains, I had no choice but to bow my head to her.

“Didn’t I tell you, my knight Harold? If you dare to try breaking the oath again, I will lock you away in this temple for eternity…hm? how is it?..”

As I witnessed the true horror before me, my mind became empty. I was torn between the instinct to fight for survival and the overwhelming command that seemed to control me, leaving me unable to think or act, and it seems to make Eleanor impatient.

“HEY!!!-“

“Speak quickly! Don’t drive me crazy anymore!!! Harold!”

In her frustration, she screams in rage, but the more she does, the more the words that used to flow effortlessly through my mind become blank pages. It’s as if her anger is erasing my thoughts, leaving me speechless and unable to speak.

“Um… … Goddess…”

Summoning every ounce of courage within me and using all kind of mental-type magic, I managed to force my mouth open. However, the words that escaped my lips were feeble and barely audible.

“Yeah, yeah say it slowly, because you have plenty of time. So you better speak carefully.”

I wondered if her contorted face would regain its composure, but instead of returning to her usual appearance, she whispered in a chilling tone while lifting my chin with a sinister smile on her lips.

“If you utter words I cannot comprehend, you shall spend eternity by my side, locked in here, and I’ll never let you out.”

she whispered with a wicked smile.

“……..”

“So, quickly… explain.”