"P-Please, just spare my life…!"
"You must know your own fault, Laila."
"Even so, taking my life─!"
Thud!
Laila's heart was pierced by a mana bullet, and she soon transformed into a
corpse, once a high-ranking magician of the Purple Tower.
"Do we kill the assistant too?"
One of the elders of the Purple Tower asked.
"She's also a magician of the Purple Tower!"
"Indeed, a very good point."
The assistant, struggling, said something, but Elder Gendiz just stroked his
beard.
"Since she's a magician of the Purple Tower, I'll let it slide. You all
promised such unreasonable rewards to the Imperial Tower. It's better to…"
He then revealed his teeth and grinned.
"Isn't it cheaper for you all to die and eliminate the evidence, right? Since
you're all magicians of the Purple Tower, I hope you understand with an
open mind."
"No…!"
Thud!
The assistant's heart was also pierced and soon turned into a corpse.
This was the scene right after the successful repair of the teleportation
magic circle at the Purple Tower.
Tsk tsk, Gendiz clicked his tongue.
"The Purple Tower's emergency response magic was born through
numerous battles and shedding vast amounts of blood. And now you want
to give it to the Imperial Tower? Such nonsense…"
He spat on the corpse's head. This was a far cry from the kind and
compassionate appearance he showed in front of others.
Soon, Gendiz turned his head toward the other elders.
"What's the current state of the magic circle?"
"It looks like we can activate it any moment now."
"Good. How many people can use it?"
"All the magicians of the Purple Tower can escape. The others will have to
be left behind."
"As long as we can escape, that's enough. No, actually, it's better this way.
We can hide the fact that the Purple Tower owes the Imperial Tower."
The appearance of a great auditor from the Imperial Tower meant that the
Purple Tower would have to be even more cautious around them.
Furthermore, after being indebted, they were bound to offer rewards. If only
the Purple Tower could survive intact, such things could be avoided.
"It would be great to spread the rumor that, despite the other magicians'
weakness and death, the magicians of the Purple Tower were strong and
survived."
"I see…"
"We'll also emphasize that we tried our best to rescue everyone. We did
everything we could, but unfortunately, some couldn't be saved."
"Yes. That sounds like the right approach, Elder Gendiz."
Gendiz continued the conversation and moved toward the magic circle, a
malicious grin on his face.
Voom! Voom!
The magic circle resonated as if it would activate at any moment, emitting a
dazzling white light. Soon after, all of the Purple Tower's magicians
ascended.
"Is everyone here, without exception?"
"Yes. Only the activation by Elder Gendiz remains."
Gendiz immediately reached out his hand.
He hesitated for a moment before activating it.
"..."
It was because the conversation with Jaekiel flashed through his mind.
-If you decide to abandon someone, I will make sure you will be the one left
behind.
He was young, despite being an auditor. How could he speak like that to the
elder of the Purple Tower, Gendiz? It was bound to be memorable.
This Jaekiel was very different from the auditors he knew.
Part of him felt a little regretful.
"Justice, loyalty, cooperation… The world calls those who only shout
hollow words foolish. If you were just a little more cunning, we could have
been on good terms…"
"Elder Gendiz, the magic circle is becoming unstable again. We need to
leave now."
It was at that moment that the elders urged him to act.
Gendiz quietly blinked.
'Could it be… am I hesitating because of that young auditor's warning?'
Jaekiel's piercing blue eyes stood out in his memory.
The chill in his voice, spoken with such sincerity, made Gendiz wonder if
he was truly afraid of it.
"It's impossible."
Gendiz denied it, shaking his head.
This underground maze couldn't be escaped without the teleportation magic
circle. In other words, it meant that there would be no chance of meeting
the Auditor again.
"Stay well. It'll be tough, but you'll do fine here."
Fwoooosh!
Gendiz activated the teleportation magic circle.
Leaving behind the Imperial Tower's magicians.
The first floor of the underground maze.
It was unexpectedly quiet.
"..."
Normally, they would've been shouting and rampaging out of anger.
However, the Imperial Tower magicians, now facing overwhelming despair,
were unable to say a word.
To make matters worse, the demonic energy was growing thicker than ever.
It felt as though the very space itself was sinking below the surface of the
sea. All the magicians felt their bodies growing heavy. It was an
overwhelming force.
-Hahaha… Hahaha… Hahaha…!
A seductive laugh echoed throughout the entire underground. Finally, the
Spider Goddess's voice spread again.
"As expected. Humans do not love each other. Only I can truly embrace the
Snow Ghost… Do you understand now?"
The voice was full of pride, as if it had predicted this outcome from the
start.
A black cube-shaped barrier appeared in the high air.
Once again, the Spider Goddess only showed an opaque shape inside the
barrier. Her true form was not revealed. Only her demonic energy was
visible.
"You, bind them all up."
Then, the demons sent out black threads from all directions. The magicians,
except for Jaekiel, couldn't react in time.
"…!"
"We can't react!"
"What is this…?!"
Screeeech!
The black threads wrapped around the magicians, forming cocoons like
those of a spider wrapping its prey. Only Jaekiel was left untouched.
"What is this…?"
It was when Jaekiel fiercely glared at the Spider Goddess.
Fwoooosh!
Something came rushing toward Jaekiel with immense force. He
immediately raised an ice wall to defend himself.
However, it wasn't an attack.
It was a black staircase descending from the demonic barrier in the air,
nothing more.
"Ah, you needn't worry so much. The magicians in the cocoons are just
asleep, and they aren't in any danger. Not yet, at least. Hehe…"
It was then that the Spider Goddess reached her hand out from the barrier.
Her hand, white and delicate like a flower, with sharp nails painted black,
extended out. A spider crawled down the staircase, its fangs sharp like a
blade.
"Please understand that I sent my messenger first. I would love to show you
my true face, but… if I did, all these fragile humans would die. Ah, that
would make the Snow Ghost sad… and I wouldn't want that."
A giant spider descended the staircase, its fangs sharp as a sword, and
countless red eyes. It seemed to be the Spider Goddess's messenger.
"I first felt it in the Luiple region."
Her alluring voice continued.
"The moment I sensed that unique chill, I knew. I've been searching for the
Snow Ghost from the start. I've been watching ever since. All along, all
along…"
"What do you want to say?"
"I will never let you go."
Jaekiel thought she was driven by resentment, but it wasn't that at all.
The Spider Goddess, known as the Goddess of the Demon Realm.
She seemed to have feelings for Jaekiel, though it was bordering on
madness.
'She's out of her mind, but the problem is that she's too powerful.'
Jaekiel looked at the barrier imprisoning the Spider Goddess.
It wasn't a barrier to protect herself. Rather, it was designed to prevent her
demonic energy from leaking out and to protect the humans.
Indeed, there was a reason why she was called the "Goddess" in the Demon
Realm. Her status was on an entirely different level.
"I need to find a way… a way…"
For the first time in a long while, Jaekiel felt a sense of danger.
If it were just his life on the line, he wouldn't have cared, but Seina and the
other Imperial Tower magicians were trapped like hostages in the cocoons.
Even if Jaekiel were to defeat the Spider Goddess, if all the other magicians
died, that would never be considered a victory.
Rustle, rustle.
Meanwhile…
The massive spider had already reached Jaekiel's side.
"Snow Ghost, you want to save them all, right?"
Her voice sounded like a whisper, even though it came from far away.
Jaekiel could feel her breath.
"If you follow me quietly… you can save all the other humans."
Jaekiel paused to think.
"..."
Then, he released the cold energy surrounding his body.
Jaekiel had been to the Demon Realm before. He decided that, for now, he
would save the magicians held hostage and think about the rest afterward.
"Ah, wait a moment…"
The shadow of the Spider Goddess's form inside the barrier shuddered
suddenly.
"Ahhh… now that I've received your acceptance, I'm overwhelmed with
joy. I can finally take you… my body is shaking…"
The sound lasted for a long while, as if she were reaching a climax. It was
so embarrassing to hear.
Soon after, the giant spider's fangs glinted.
"Then let's go now, my husband."
With those words from the Spider Goddess…
Fwoooosh!
The spider's venomous fangs pierced deeply into Jaekiel's chest, as the cold
barrier dissipated.
At the same time, Jaekiel's consciousness was completely severed.