647 – 8. Testament (21)
“‘Contract’ is one of the most powerful occult arts among the forbidden spells. It’s a technique mainly used by the Dark Church.”
I retraced the past in silence. Looking back, there were quite a few members of the Dark Church who spoke of the ‘contract’. If you include the indirect expression of ‘transaction’, it is safe to say that it is almost all of them.
I remember the method itself as very simple.
Pay the price and gain strength.
It was a process from Mine to Seven Sins. Even Delphirem, according to mythology, did not obtain power from Omeros until after committing the first murder.
The first sacrifice of the Dark Church was ‘sin’ itself.
“Right now, it’s hard to even guess its limits. According to one theory, it can perform miracles such as reviving the dead and permanently changing the climate of the area.”
“How?”
At my questioning, the old man’s eyes turned to me again. I had to choose his words slowly, staring into those blue eyes.
“How is that possible? The soul leaves after a certain period of time after the body dies. Even the climate is controlled by environmental factors on a continental scale… ….”
“Who do you think made the rules of this world?”
And silence.
It was a question I hadn’t normally thought of, and I was confused for a few seconds. The answer I came up with was surprisingly simple.
“Of course, the heavenly god, Arus, didn’t make it? He is the one who made the world.”
“Exactly.”
Just, while snapping his fingers.
The old man continued his explanation with a slightly flushed expression.
“The rules of this world were created by Arus. However, there is not just one ‘world’. There is also a world ruled by Omeros.”
“You mean ‘The World of Exiled Shadows’? The light never goes out…….”
“It is commonly referred to as ‘The Demon World’. They say the laws there are different from those of this world.”
While doing so, Aindel smiled lightly. It was the complete opposite of how he had looked aged before.
“Yes, for example… Isn’t that the childhood friend of Ian? A fire that can’t be extinguished no matter what you do… It must have been the power that came from the ‘Magic Realm’. If not, there is no explanation.”
In the end, saliva escaped from between my lips. It was partly because the old man bothered to imprint the fact that Celine was my ‘childhood friend’, but it was also because there were scenes that went straight through his head.
Patients moaning and screaming. Burns remained on all of their bodies, and even the sparks flew as if there were still flames left.
It was a physically impossible phenomenon.
Even if magic was mobilized, it was normal when the degree of burns gradually improved as it was offset with divine power. However, the burns Celine inflicted showed no signs of being healed no matter how much divine power she poured on them.
But what if it’s power from the Demon Realm?
It was a clear explanation. And in addition to this, there was one more fact that became clear.
That Celine made a ‘contract’ with the Dark Church.
It was a strong hypothesis before, and I guessed that it was not, but the problem of confirming it was different. The proof was that my hand, which had been calm, began to tremble slightly.
Why the hell?
A question that is not properly organized even with a subject wanders through the mind at will.
“You better be careful. It must have been a very high price…….”
“Why?”
A deep blue gaze was directed at me. Even so, I couldn’t bear to meet that gaze, and slightly turned my head.
Impulsive questions flow from my mouth.
“That, isn’t this world the Lord has already won? But why are you only watching the interference of evil spirits… If you are omnipotent, you should be able to defeat this too…… !”
If that was the case, Celine wouldn’t have been like that.
The question that started cautiously is about to gradually increase its heat.
“Ian.”
With a bang, I came back to my senses as if the fog had cleared.
I was staring at the old man with my fists clenched before I knew it. On the other hand, the old man just called me out with a benevolent smile.
But with those blue eyes filled with strange flames.
“You have dangerous questions.”
“No, that… I… ….”
It seemed like I had to pick up an excuse, but there was no excuse that came to mind. Looking back, it was really stupid.
You dare to act as if you doubt the heavenly gods in front of a high-ranking priest.
It was an obvious mistake. In the end, I had no choice but to put one hand on my forehead and admit my mistake.
“Sorry. I never meant to doubt the heavenly gods… It’s just that I’ve been a bit tired lately…….”
“It deserves it.”
However, the reply from Archbishop Aindel was overflowing with tolerance beyond imagination.
I had to send a look full of questions for a moment. Although the narrator in question was just bursting with laughter.
“Why is that? Could it be that I knew how to hold a book with such remarks?”
“No, that… Aren’t you the one who values the law?”
“How can you condemn the doubts of the poor lamb? Even I have had such questions.”
The old man’s wrinkled eyelids closed, and his head lifted. As if trying to rummage through a very old memory.
“You see, my son had the forbidden sorcery on his hands a long time ago. Shortly after losing his daughter-in-law and grandchildren to the plague.”
It was an unexpected confession of past history. The contents were also very heavy, so I had no choice but to move my lips a few times and lower my head.
“Aren’t you really an ugly son? Shortly after giving birth to the child, her wife ended up in the arms of the Heavenly God. My son was enough to do half of my life. However, losing a daughter-in-law and a grandson isn’t enough, and losing a son…….”
“Did you resent it?”
I didn’t specifically add who. Because the bitter smile on the old man’s lips was replacing the target word.
“…… Honestly, yes. It was. After all, I had to punish my son with my own hands for the sake of the law.”
“By any chance, canceling the ‘contract’ with the evil spirit… ….”
“Impossible.”
It was an assertion. And along with this, my breathing has also been quickened by itself.
Possibilities that have yet to be given up.
The answer to the question of whether Celine could be saved was thrown out in the most terrifying form.
“Fantastically studied forbidden magic. I was wondering if there was even a chance to get my son back… However, I don’t know before signing the ‘contract,’ and after signing it, I can’t possibly do it. From then on, the parties to the contract will belong halfway to the world of Omeros.”
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“In other words, the laws of this world cannot interfere…… ?”
“Exactly. In fact, this is also the reason for the invincible resilience of the Dark Church. They are halfway out of the way of this world’s laws of life and death.”
It was a statement of strong conviction. As if he would not allow even the slightest objection.
It was inevitable. What can a father do to save his son? Nevertheless, if there was no answer, I had to see that there really was none.
My lips are drying up. While I swallowed dry saliva, Archbishop Eindel took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze was again looking out the window as if attracted by a magnet.
“It was a long time ago. Still, the wounds from that day seem to have healed a lot now. However, I have one question…….”
My eyes, thinking of the pessimistic outlook, sneakily turned to Patriarch Aindel. It was such a long time ago, but there are still unexplained mysteries.
I turned my head to look out the window, and I couldn’t see the old man’s expression. Only a calm voice knocked on my eardrums.
“What on earth did my son give in return? The ‘contract’ of the Dark Church is very cruel. No matter what you give, you ask for the most precious thing from that person. Something that should never be given away, something that is too precious to escape.”
‘The most precious thing’.
Celine would have had to pay for it. Something that should never be given away, something that was so precious that it was impossible to escape.
What the hell is that?
I didn’t know, but somehow I felt frustrated and had to feel the urge to run away right away.
“What was it like to have to put it out there? And again, how did you feel after it was released? If… ….”
It was around that time that the angle of the sun, which was tilting in the sky, passed through the window frame and touched the glass window.
At the sunlight pouring down at once, I closed my eyes and frowned. So maybe you hallucinated.
Illusion that the corner of the old man’s mouth is twisted up.
“Wouldn’t you feel relieved? He said he was finally free… hahahaha, that can’t be!”
That was the end.
Patriarch Eindel looked at me with a benevolent smile like the first time, as if he had finished what he wanted to say. He asked me like a homeroom priest after a sermon.
“Do you have any more questions?”
Only after hearing that, a thought came to my mind.
I didn’t come here to hear the secret history of Archbishop Aindel. Wasn’t it to seek the possibility of how to cure my body through ‘forbidden sorcery’?
My mouth rushed into question.
“Then, how is the ‘contract’ concluded in detail?”
“Heh heh, well… Of course, I’ve heard that there is also a way to force a mediator to be called. Through a magic circle or something. However, even if you don’t…….”
The old man looked at me carefully with his blue eyes, then burst out laughing.
“Sometimes the unavoidable moment comes.”
“‘Inevitable’…… ?”
“Even if you don’t want to know, when the time comes, you will naturally have no choice but to know… Of course, I heard that too.”
It was still a difficult person to guess.
The answer, the look, even that expression.
I took a quick glance at Patriarch Eindel and left the temple. Although I didn’t get the right lead, I didn’t have time to waste any more.
Because the sun was setting.
Yes, Celine was coming.
**
The night before the day Celine predicted.
After exchanging rough information with Leto, I returned to my room. The contents were not particularly helpful to me, but Leto took the information he had gleaned from Aindel quite interestingly.
To borrow his expression, ‘it is worth studying.’ Rana.
Magic wasn’t my specialty anyway. Above all, I had to prepare for tomorrow’s battle right away.
It was when I was meditating and trying to calm my mind.
“…… Under.”
A hollow laugh spontaneously rose from my throat. Come to think of it, it didn’t make much sense.
What kind of battle are you preparing for when you vomit blood just by raising an image?
It was not strange even if he passed out at the same time as participating in the war. Tomorrow the long-awaited Celine is coming, and I have to go.
My mind, which had been immersed in me, was shaken randomly as if it had met a storm. The flame-like spirit was circulating blood to every corner of his body.
This shouldn’t be the case.
I had to stabilize my body somehow to the point where I could fight. The cause of my body becoming this way was ‘imagery’, but I thought to myself that I should hold on to the imagery temporarily through meditation.
In the yard where I couldn’t even evoke an image anyway, the thought of what the meaning of meditation was started to eat into my brain.
Annoyance, irritation, anger. Other than that, many emotions slowly increase the black area like a candle burning paper.
Smart.
I woke up startled by the sound of a knock on the door. Was there a guest who might come to see me on this late night?
My body got up on its own and I walked towards the door. I had just woken up from meditation, so the calm feeling soon unfolded and gave me a rough idea of the person beyond the door.
So I stopped at the doorknob.
Why the hell?
But my question was short-lived.
“Ian, it’s me.”
Immediately after hearing that kind voice, my hand was pulling on the doorknob at will.
The image of a woman with her hood tightly pressed is formed in my retina.
The dimly lit moonlight streamed down through the window in the hallway. The face of the woman with her back to the light was hidden in the shadows, but only her eyes stood out.
Light green pupils that shine like luminous light.
“Hello.”
The woman greeted me with a weak smile as always. As if it would disappear somewhere right now.
That night, Emma came to visit me.
The next morning, fire demons of unknown cause soared simultaneously throughout the academy.
Celine, no.
It was a beacon lit by a vengeful spirit named ‘Wrath’.
