Chapter 33

“…For now, move them to the temple… Commander?”

‘She’s gone.’

Shaterian, who had been surveying the area, had disappeared in an instant.

Eched started moving. His steps quickened toward where Shaterian had been, turning into a full sprint.

Passing by the startled knights, children suddenly burst out from between the tents.

“Th-the knight…!”

He pulled back the tent. A straight corridor stretched out before him, and within it, the ominous aura of dark sorcery lingered.

“Shaterian!”

But it was too late. Shaterian was already engulfed in dark sorcery.

“There’s no need to worry so much. I’ll bring the real Shaterian.”

Gusto, smirking at Eched’s tardiness, left those cryptic words before vanishing into the distorted space.

“Ha…”

A short sigh escaped, mingling with the sound of a child crying. He wondered if he ever felt this powerless before.

Eched looked down at his empty hands, his gaze hollow.

Even Taltos, who had approached, seemed to sense the unusual tension and wore a deeply serious expression.

“Shaterian has been kidnapped. Find Gusto Avidita.”

“Yes.”

The seasoned subordinates quickly scattered to carry out their orders.

***

A hard floor, cold air, and the sound of dripping water echoing through the space.

Clink!

As she moved, the chains binding her wrists clattered.

Barely managing to open her eyes, she surveyed her surroundings. In her blurry vision, she could make out the dark interior.

Her head still spun, and nausea welled up.

“It’s cold…”

“Are you awake?”

Gusto’s voice came from outside the cell, where he stood watching her as if she were a spectacle.

“…Let me out.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Release me…!”

Clang!

As she moved, the sound of metal colliding reverberated through the space.

“I cannot.”

Gusto smirked, pressing closer to the bars. His murky eyes, unfocused, spun erratically.

“Gusto… Why… Why did you turn to dark sorcery? Why?”

What could have driven him to delve into dark sorcery? What had brought him to this state?

The entire situation was both infuriating and pitiful.

The smile faded from Gusto’s face. His spinning eyes steadied, locking onto her with an unwavering gaze.

“A fake… Don’t look at me with that face, with that expression, and pity me.”

“What…?”

“I know your secret. I couldn’t bear it after learning the truth… That’s why I offered my body to host the soul of a mage who died 300 years ago.”

Gusto slowly unbuttoned his shirt. As he pulled it down, a mark engraved below his neck became visible.

The black mark resembled worms eating away at his flesh. From that mark, black veins spread, nearly consuming his entire body.

“You…!”

“Sometimes it tries to take control of my body, which is difficult, but it’s worth it. If I can find the real Lady Shaterian, I can endure this much.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“There’s no need to hide it anymore. I already know everything. You’re not the real Lady Shaterian, are you?”

His bulging eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

This wasn’t Gusto Avidita. It was likely the soul of the magician who had died 300 years ago, now inhabiting his body.

“You… Who are you?”

“Heh, hahahaha.”

Gripping the bars, he burst into laughter, as if thoroughly amused.

“It’s me, Gusto Avidita. There’s no need to be so frightened. Everything will go as I plan. This place suits you perfectly—a parasite that steals someone else’s body. Take your time adjusting, however long it might take.”

Leaving behind a promise to return later, Gusto turned and walked away.

“Gusto, Gusto!”

Her cries echoed futilely.

When she opened her eyes again, she was enveloped in complete darkness. Before she had fallen asleep, the flickering light had finally gone out.

“Is anyone there?”

Her voice echoed but dissipated without substance. A heavy silence settled over her.

Clink.

Her limbs were still bound. The chains securing her were firmly locked and appeared impossible to break.

When she had surveyed the cell earlier in the light, there had been no escape routes, no sign of her sword.

All she had now was a faint trace of divine power. But even that was insufficient for her to use effectively. She couldn’t do anything.

“So powerless.”

She was furious—at herself, for being so helpless.

Her anger swirled around her, with no outlet.

Was this how it ended?

I had barely avoided the prison ending, only to wind up here again, facing another prison ending?

“Ah, the light’s gone out.”

With a clattering sound, Gusto entered the room. He set something down on the floor and turned the light back on.

A sharp stench of blood filled the air. Wrinkling her nose, she saw Gusto proudly display what he had brought.

‘Blood…’

“It’s the blood needed for the ritual.”

He hummed cheerfully as he began drawing a circle on the floor with the blood.

Even with his shadow cast by the light, his hand moved steadily, tracing the lines without hesitation.

“Don’t worry. The pain will pass quickly. Of course, if it fails, we’ll have to try again, so it might keep hurting. So please don’t resist, so it can end quickly.”

As the intricate lines connected beneath his hand, a palpable sense of dread filled the air.

“Gusto, please! Do you think this will change anything? You’re being deceived!”

“No. This will truly bring back my Lady Shaterian.”

“I am Shaterian! I’m the real Shaterian!”

“No. You’re not Lady Shaterian. The real Lady Shaterian wouldn’t do this to me.”

Ignoring her cries, Gusto completed the final line.

“There. The circle is complete. Let’s begin the ritual.”

“Please…!”

“Oh dear, don’t cry. Seeing you cry with that face makes my heart waver.”

Gusto reached out with his blood-stained hand, caressing her cheek as if in pity.

“Even when you cry… Lady Shaterian, you’re beautiful. I truly love you.”

He leaned in closer. Startled, she turned her head away. Something wet brushed against her skin—it was his tongue, licking the blood he had smeared on her.

The sensation was utterly repulsive.

“Disgusting.”

She glared at Gusto with contempt as he withdrew. Unfazed, he pulled out a knife and deeply slashed his palm.

Red blood dripped onto the ritual circle.

“I hate to harm Lady Shaterian’s body, but…”

“Argh…!”

The blade slashed deeply into the inside of her arm. The sharp pain made her writhe.

The ritual circle, as if alive, greedily consumed the blood of both participants.

With a hum, the circle began to resonate. Light flared along the lines, quickly seeping into her body.

Her pupils constricted, then dilated as her body twisted.

“Ahhh! It hurts, it hurts!”

The pain was excruciating. She wanted to die.

The sharp sensation of every hair on her body burning was vivid.

It was horrifying. There couldn’t possibly be a pain worse than this.

Her desperate screams echoed. Every time her body twisted, the chains rattled.

Gusto wasn’t unharmed either. Blood poured from his nose and every other orifice.

His eyes, consumed by madness, chanted the spell, driven by the sole desire to find the “true Shaterian.”

Was she even alive at this point? She didn’t know.

She just wanted the pain to end. But the faint trace of divine power within her body protected her to the end.

The chains corroded, and her body fell free. But already consumed by pain, she couldn’t even think of escaping.

All she wanted was to escape this pain. To die.

“Kill me… Kill… me!”

She clawed at the stone floor, desperate for death.

And then, with a deafening roar, Gusto’s scream echoed.

“Arghhh!”

Through her fading vision, she saw Gusto collapse. A familiar scent wafted into her dulled senses.

It was a refreshing scent, like the dense greenery of a forest.

Blood surged from her throat, spilling out. She writhed in someone’s arms before losing consciousness.

***

Shaterian, who had been writhing in pain, soon lost consciousness. Fortunately, she was still breathing.

Eched scanned the ritual circle drawn on the floor with a cold gaze.

A circular shape containing triangles and squares, surrounded by five smaller circles, each inscribed with a multi-headed beast.

It was a ritual meant to summon an ancient demon, using a person as a medium and offering their soul as a sacrifice.

The medium was Shaterian, and the sacrifice was likely Gusto. A sudden sense of déjà vu filled Eched with unease.

“Hahahaha!”

Gusto’s roaring laughter echoed, but Eched’s eyes remained icy. He pulled Shaterian closer into his arms and raised his sword.

“Pathetic, truly pathetic. You’re still unable to free yourself from that woman.”

Gusto mocked him, pitying him as though it were tragic. Then, with staggering steps, he stood up.

This wasn’t Gusto. Something was controlling him.

“And you’re no different. Bound by this soul.”

Who was truly pitiful here?

Eched smirked at Gusto’s taunts.

The laughter abruptly stopped, and a heavy silence fell. Without warning, the two clashed.

Divine power and dark magic collided, creating a sharp, resonating sound. The air churned violently as if caught in a torrent.

Eched’s sword, imbued with divine energy, sliced through the rampaging dark magic. Black blood spilled from Gusto’s body where the blade struck.

The man faltered, stepping back, before turning his attention to the unconscious Shaterian.

It was an opening. As Eched turned to shield Shaterian, a dagger pierced his side.

In one swift motion, Eched’s sword severed Gusto’s arm. The body, weakened by its vulnerability to divine energy, collapsed.

Yet, Gusto laughed as if he found the situation utterly amusing.

“It’s just a human body. I can always find another one. That curse won’t be lifted so easily.”

His laughter, mingled with dark sorcery, faded into the void.

The body left behind, now devoid of the foreign soul, was barely clinging to life. Gasping for breath, it seemed moments away from death.

“…Sha…terian… Miss…”

Even as his eyes closed, he called her name. The sorrow in his voice was heart-wrenching.

But what ultimately stopped Eched from leaving was something else. Despite her fading life, Shaterian clung tightly to Eched’s cloak as Gusto called her name.

Though reluctant, Eched sighed and stomped his foot before Gusto.

It was the final mercy of the Divine Beast, a gesture meant to soothe a corrupted soul.

The white light enveloped the soul, purifying it. The decaying body ceased its rapid aging.

“This is all I can do for you.”

Though it wasn’t his choice, it was an unfamiliar act of compassion from the Divine Beast, who had never once cared for human death.