Chapter 13: Blue Beard (1)

The Shadow King had left.  

The reception room was now empty except for the two of them.  

Theodor rose from his seat.  

“…I’ll take my leave first, brother.”  

Evan, too drained to respond, merely nodded.  

Theodor scurried out of the room.  

Almost as if he were fleeing.  

Crash!  

“Argh!”  

“Young master!!”  

The sound of clattering came from outside.  

It seemed he had tripped.  

Talk about bad luck.  

He should be more careful.  

Evan had given him a potion, so he’d manage, right?  

Evan didn’t dwell on it.  

He wasn’t in a state to afford such leisure.  

His mind was a mess.  

Tch, what went wrong?  

The issue started after they checked whether Lapis was a star’s contractor.  

The Shadow King had seemed a bit out of it.  

It was as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have—or, conversely, as if he were disappointed.  

Was it that shocking that Lapis isn’t a contractor?  

It might make sense.  

Evan found himself nodding in understanding.  

After all, older folks were often like that, weren’t they?  

Stubborn to a fault.  

Once they believed something was true, they clung to it.  

The Shadow King was that type.  

Having his conviction shattered could understandably shake him.  

Well, he’s also at the stage where he’s eagerly seeking disciples.  

Right now, the Shadow King was focused on nurturing successors.  

Not in a selfless way, but more like training anyone who showed promise.  

Whether his judgment was poor or his luck was bad, he mostly ended up with lackluster prospects.  

Creak.  

“Ugh.”  

“Evan, are you okay?”  

Lapis scampered over to Evan.  

Evan shook his head and handed her a piece of cabbage.  

“I’m fine.”  

“Mm.”  

Lapis munched on the cabbage crispily.  

It was hard to believe she’d been wielding a dagger so fiercely just moments ago.  

When he ruffled her hair, she grinned happily, satisfied.  

“Dolph.”  

“Yes! Young master!”  

Dolph appeared energetically.  

Though his legs were still trembling slightly.  

“You worked hard today. You can head back early.”

“No, sir! I’ll stay and serve you to the end!”  

Such loyalty!  

Evan was quietly moved, almost tearing up inside.  

But that was that, and work was work. 

“I have a letter to read alone.”

“A letter? From the Saintess…!”  

“No, it’s not.”  

Evan’s firm denial.  

Dolph looked dejected.  

“Understood… I’ll wrap things up quickly then.”  

“Thank you.”  

“No need! It’s only natural for your loyal servant!”  

Dolph marched off energetically.  

Watching his retreating figure, a sudden thought struck Evan.  

Am I… really that scary?  

It was a question he’d had for a while.  

People kept acting frightened of him.  

At first, he thought it was because of his status, but lately, he wasn’t so sure.  

Especially today.  

Theodor’s behavior.  

Evan had only meant to signal him to stay quiet, but hadn’t he been overly terrified?  

“Lapis.”  

“Yes?” 

“Do I… seem very scary?”  

Lapis tilted her head, looking at Evan.  

“Not really? Your eyes are pretty! They sparkle like gold.”  

“Is that so?”  

Evan recalled something from early in his possession.  

People had said his eyes were unreadable, devoid of emotion.  

Perhaps a side effect of possession?  

They’d said they couldn’t tell why he was staring, what he was thinking, or what he was feeling.  

It seemed that had improved.  

Lapis called them pretty, after all.  

“Yes. Should I point out more pretty parts?”  

“No, that’s fine.”  

Ahem.  

Well, this body was rather good-looking, wasn’t it?  

Theodor must’ve gone a bit crazy after running away from home.  

Yeah.  

If he were truly scary, others would’ve misunderstood him too.  

Evan quickly dismissed the doubt.  

Ugh, I wasted time on that.  

“Lapis, you can head back early today…”  

“Whoosh!”  

Lapis vanished into the shadows and reappeared beside Evan.  

Right on the sofa next to him.  

Sprawled out, Lapis grabbed Evan’s hand and rubbed it against her cheek.  

“Hehe.”  

…Should I just let her be?  

She’d worked hard today, after all.  

Evan called for No. 4 Golem.  

Its arms were long, with six fingers.  

Exceptionally dexterous.  

Rip!  

The golem skillfully tore open the letter.  

Before reading its contents, Evan allowed himself a small hope.  

Will he connect me with the Oracle of the Starry Sky?  

The Oracle was also one of his main allies.  

How many connections had he already made?  

Three already. 

Not bad.  

A satisfied smile naturally formed on his lips.  

Of course, regular communication was essential.  

He’d already corresponded with the Saintess once.  

Arthur hadn’t replied yet.  

I wonder if it had any effect.  

With the Saintess, despite some misunderstandings, they’d exchanged letters.  

Arthur, however, hadn’t responded.  

He needed to know if his Aura Hole was restored or not.  

Well, I’ll focus on others for now.  

The Oracle of the Starry Sky.  

Her greatest strength was her unique magic.  

Celestial Magic.  

A magic that communicated with and contracted the stars.  

A magic lost to the current empire.  

The reason?  

Simple.  

It was too difficult.  

Three conditions were needed to master Celestial Magic.  

Talent, aptitude, and eyes.  

None could be ordinary.  

It required a genius born once a century.  

At this point, the Oracle of the Starry Sky is the only one.  

One who read constellations, followed the flow of stars, divined fates, and interpreted destinies.  

That was the Oracle of the Starry Sky.  

I thought I’d meet her much later, but I got lucky.  

With a pounding heart, Evan looked at the letter’s contents.  

…What’s this?  

He doubted his eyes.  

My old friend is an alchemist. A rather long-lived one. He’ll be of help to you.  

Show him this letter, and he’ll meet you.  

Not the Oracle of the Starry Sky?  

An alchemist?  

No.  

Where’s my ally? 

The Oracle?  

Why an alchemist?  

I never asked for an introduction to one!  

Evan stared at the letter with hollow eyes.  

Introduce me to the Oracle, not an alchemist…  

Ugh.  

His blood pressure.  

Thud.  

Evan collapsed.  

Reason: Despair.  

A fitting reason for his frail body.  

A day after fainting.  

News reached Evan.  

“Who did what?”  

“The blood-crazed paladin, Arthur Modriter, slaughtered all the heretics… There are rumors he restored his aura, and that someone’s behind it…”  

Arthur Modriter.  

Not one of the continent’s five strongest, but a significant figure and renowned knight.  

His reputation had somewhat faded lately.  

He’d aligned himself with the obscure Full Moon Church, and rumors spread that he’d lost his aura.  

His lack of recent activity didn’t help.  

But no one dared to cross Arthur lightly.  

In his prime, he had single-handedly eradicated the remnants of a fallen holy kingdom and devil worshippers.  

Each one wielded superhuman power beyond causality, making them untouchable.  

Yet Arthur had slain them alone.  

The tale of him relentlessly cutting down a bishop with a curse of immortality for 48 days straight was legendary.  

So when Arthur went into seclusion, most were relieved.  

A monster.  

A monster even the five strongest couldn’t easily dismiss had gone quiet.  

Now, that Arthur had returned.  

He’d swept through a massive group of heretics—estimated at least 500 strong—alone.  

In the process, rumors began to spread.  

First, that Arthur had restored his aura.  

Second—  

“That there’s someone behind it, right?”  

“Yes…”  

Evan’s expression grew grave.  

The problem is that the rumor is true.  

Especially since he was the one behind it.  

I expected this when I restored his Aura Hole.  

But so soon?  

Contrary to rumors, Arthur wasn’t a blood-crazed knight.  

Well, he was, but only at certain times and places.  

His Aura Hole shouldn’t be fully restored yet.  

Evan knew his capabilities as a man.  

The potion for Aura Hole restoration?  

It couldn’t fully restore it—100% was impossible.  

That was the limit of his makeshift methods.  

He hadn’t sought a mentor for nothing.  

At best, it’s half-restored…  

Was there a problem?  

As Evan’s expression darkened, Dolph hurriedly added,  

“Thankfully, there are no rumors about you, young master!”  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes. It seems only the part about someone being behind it has spread.”  

That was a relief.  

Evan sighed, stroking his chest.  

He had no desire for attention.  

It would only make things tiring.  

It was already a hassle within the family—imagine how much worse it would be outside.  

Ugh, absolutely not.  

Attention? 

Nice to have, sure.  

But it came with a price.  

Excessive attention was poison!  

Evan, who’d seen celebrities hounded by the media, had no intention of ending up like that.  

“If any rumors about me spread, please tell me immediately.”  

“Yes! Understood!”  

Just to be safe, he emphasized the point.  

If rumors spread?  

He’d take action immediately.  

Maybe move to some quiet place.  

That should be fine, right?  

He had no interest in the succession race anyway.  

Might as well go boil some eggs.  

“Evan, what’s that letter?”  

“Oh, it’s a reply to a letter I sent.”  

“A letter? To who?”  

“To Arthur Modriter, a friend I’m trying to get close to.”  

“Trying to get close… Not a friend yet?”  

“Not yet.”  

Evan didn’t know what Arthur thought of him.  

Unfolding the letter, Evan noted Arthur’s characteristic style—straight to the point, no flourishes.  

I received your potion. Thanks to it, I eradicated heretics daring to threaten the moon.  

But there’s a problem.  

Problem?  

The Aura Hole isn’t fully restored. Moreover, the aura is causing a reaction in my body.  

There was such a side effect?  

Evan racked his memory of the original story, but nothing came up.  

Originally, Arthur’s Aura Hole was gradually restored.  

In the story, it took about six months.  

Half-restored at this point was incredibly fast.  

Is it because it happened too quickly?  

That didn’t seem right.  

Maybe Arthur had been too rough with it?  

Ugh, if I were stronger, I’d scold him!  

Tell him not to use it like that.  

…No, that’s not it, is it?  

The thought lasted only a moment.  

It wasn’t out of fear.  

Just, well, avoiding conflict with a potential friend was better.  

That’s all.  

Arthur Modriter.  

That was the end of the letter.  

He sent a reply just for this?  

No way.  

There had to be a hidden meaning.  

Like leaving a product review—there’s always an underlying intent.  

If it wasn’t good, it meant “fix it” or “refund me.”  

Oh.  

Evan sighed.  

Why was a knight being so indirect!  

These damn allies.  

Trying to threaten him subtly?  

The problem was the lack of materials.  

Maybe it’s a good thing I was referred to an alchemist?  

This might be a stroke of luck.  

Let’s see. 

The Alchemist of Blue Beard holds the title of Count… Hmm, I know this character.  

The Count of Blue Beard.  

An alchemist who extended his lifespan through alchemy, over a hundred years old.  

Ugh, I don’t like this guy…  

But knowing him was a relief, right?  

There were two ways to get the materials he needed.  

One was going to the west himself.  

The other was diving into the underworld.  

The west was too far, and he had no desire to deal with the underworld.  

Who knows what he’d hear there!  

Might as well meet the Count of Blue Beard.  

He’d likely have plenty of materials.  

The downside? 

He couldn’t be summoned by invitation.  

Evan would have to go to him.  

…Guess it’s time for a rare outing.  

Please wait. I’ll send a new potion.  

First, he wrote a reply to Arthur’s letter.  

The next sentence… nothing suitable came to mind.  

I need to fix this ASAP.  

He let out a deep sigh.  

“Dolph, send this letter and prepare for an outing.”

“Yes?”  

“I’ll need to step out for a bit.”  

“Oh! Yes! Then you’ll return tonight…”  

“No, I might need to sleep out. For about a week.” 

“What?!”  

Evan’s declaration of an outing.  

The mansion was thrown into chaos.  

 *** 

That night, at dusk.  

The Full Moon Church.  

“Well done, Sir Knight.”  

“Hmm.”  

Wiping the heretics’ blood from his hands, Arthur emerged from the basement.  

Adrianna was waiting for him.  

With a venomous tone, Adrianna asked,  

“Are you out of your mind?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“I saw you sent a letter to Evan Alkart. Wasn’t that request a bit rude?”  

“What request?”  

Arthur looked puzzled.  

Adrianna tapped a copy of the letter.  

“This—aren’t you complaining that the potion was defective?”  

“No. I was just stating how it went.”  

Of course, he had no intention of complaining or expressing dissatisfaction.  

Half-healed?  

Not “just” half—it was miraculous that even half was healed.  

Feeling the aura in his body again.  

He’d never thought he’d experience that in his lifetime.  

While Adrianna was at a loss for words—  

Flap!  

A bird flew in.  

A silver bird of the moon, used to deliver letters.  

It politely handed over a letter with its beak before vanishing into the sky.  

“Hmm. A letter from Evan Alkart.”  

A thank-you for his feedback, perhaps?  

Arthur opened it without much thought.  

“What’s wrong?”  

His expression turned grave in an instant.  

The letter’s contents were short, written in neat handwriting.  

Please wait. 

I’ll send a new potion.  

A brief sentence, devoid of embellishment.  

…Is he angry?