Chapter 143

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Episode 32 - Party [3]

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’This has to be a joke, right?’

I have no memory that tells me Clana was invited to Black City by the same villains, let alone to the Auction.

But, in a way, it also explains exactly how she obtained a Special Card.

She didn’t steal it or assume someone else’s identity like I did.

Someone delivered the invitation directly to her doorstep.

But at the same time, why?

Why is she suddenly working with the villains?

There was no such connection with the villains in the game.

There were too many unanswered questions.

But overall, it explained a lot about how she managed to enter Black City.

I also understood her purpose for coming here.

She was looking for something useful for her ascension to empress.

After graduating, of course. One year later, the Imperial Throne Ascension Arc begins.

’This confirms certain suspicions I had during my first few days in this world.’

All my memories of future events and other important information...

They’re incomplete, or at least not everything follows exactly the same course as I remember.

So I started to wonder, could it be because I exist?

’Even though Holy Land doesn’t follow a linear story, but rather branches out due to its multiple endings... all the events are the same.’

The characters’ histories are also exactly the same no matter what you do.

So, with the bigger picture changing, I should now prepare myself in case an untold story suddenly appears out of nowhere.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I focused on Clana again and asked:

"May I ask who invited you to Black City?"

My question would make anyone suspicious that I was trying to gather information.

But Clana answered without hesitation.

"The Church of the Black Dawn invited me. Of course, I have connections with its top executives."

The damn Witch asked:

"Connections with top executives?"

Clana nodded calmly.

"Yes, I know the vice president of the Church of the Black Dawn, although we’ve never met in person."

"..."

"My, dear, it seems you’re someone very important."

"Mhm, you could say that."

I’m really hearing information that is completely unknown to me.

I memorized every single one of Clana’s words.

Shortly afterward, the damn Witch and Clana continued questioning each other.

’These two...’

In a sense, they really were alike. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

One wanted to obtain information, while the other was greedy and wanted to steal Clana’s Cube of Chaos.

Meanwhile, I kept eating; at some point, I had stopped paying attention to their conversation.

Then, all of a sudden, I sensed an extremely powerful presence.

’It seems the most anticipated guest of the party has finally arrived.’

I turned my head just like everyone else present; all eyes shifted toward a throne.

I did the same, and there he was: an old man wearing a pointed hat, an extravagant robe, and carrying a staff that radiated a strange presence.

The old man looked at everyone present with a carefree smile.

A short while later, a voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Sorcerer King has arrived."

Everyone present rose from their seats. Clana and I did the same, following the lead of the others.

Everyone present bowed and shouted:

"It is an honor to stand before the Sorcerer King, Gustav Mahler."

Yes, that was the old man’s name.

An elderly man who was over three thousand years old.

The lifespan of Dark Mages and Witches normally reached up to two thousand years.

Of course, that was only through natural means.

"You may take your seats."

The old man’s hoarse and weathered voice prompted everyone present to sit back down.

The Sorcerer King looked around calmly and said:

"Some of you may be wondering why I came here, while others perhaps already know."

At that moment, several other people appeared and took their seats at the Sorcerer King’s table.

’They must be executives of the Big Five.’

Class 9 villains who could advance to Class 10 at any moment.

"Even so, I will explain why I came here today."

He paused for a few seconds before continuing.

"Any attempt to steal the final item of the Auction, an item that I personally obtained, will be punished. I will capture the culprit, and that person will live for eternity in an endless cycle of torture at my hands."

"..."

"...."

"..."

Absolute silence spread throughout the hall; many held their breath, and some trembled.

If you asked who the greatest torturer in all of history was...

Anyone would give the same answer, including me.

The Sorcerer King.

That man was on a completely different level when it came to torture.

Being captured by someone like him and tortured... it was better to commit suicide than to face such an ordeal for the rest of your life.

The Sorcerer King smiled in satisfaction, and shortly afterward, he began eating the dishes before him along with the other executives.

Then the voice from earlier echoed throughout the hall once again.

"Everyone, please take your time and enjoy the banquet. After dinner, there will be a dance; anyone may participate or not. Finally, the third part of the Auction will begin, and the final five items of the Auction will be presented."

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

A round of applause echoed across all the tables.

Villains and Awakened alike applauded enthusiastically as they continued with their dinner.

Meanwhile, I had already eaten enough.

A short while later, the damn Witch spoke.

"How exciting. I’m finally seeing one of the leaders of the Big Five, and wow, he really is just like the rumors say."

The damn Witch looked genuinely insane, wearing a euphoric expression as she stared at the Sorcerer King in the distance.

’I don’t know what you’re thinking, but even I should tell you not to mess with that old man.’

But I didn’t say a single thing to her. In fact, it would be great if that old man took her away right now.

’Well, the only things left are the dance and, finally, the last part of the Auction.’

Judging by the time, there were approximately forty minutes left, more or less.

And then the operation to steal the final item would begin.

In a way, I felt impatient; I wanted to know what the item was.

Though if it turned out to be the item I was thinking of,

I would definitely steal it; the problem was how.

’Mhm, according to the game, they hide it outside Black City. There are only two possible locations.’

And the good thing about that was that the item would be protected by only one person.

Although, of course, killing that person would not be easy at all; I could even die.

’If I had the help of a 6-Star, it would be much easier.’

Or at least I could use a villain, but one who was especially strong among the Class 6s.

’Well, I’ll think about it once I know whether or not it’s the item I’m thinking of.’

If it was one of the other two, then I would forget about it and simply focus on the Main Mission.

Nothing more and nothing less.

***

Clana stared intently at the Sorcerer King.

He looked like an old man with gray hair and wrinkles on his face. At first glance, he seemed like the typical eccentric old man from the neighborhood.

But since he was the Sorcerer King himself, all of those thoughts would naturally vanish from anyone’s mind.

’So that’s the Sorcerer King.’

A Class 10 villain.

One of the leaders of the Big Five.

And the worst torturer in all of recorded history.

Clana felt her body tremble, her heart pound with fear, and a light sheen of sweat begin to form on her forehead.

She looked away from the Sorcerer King. She did not want to meet his gaze; if that happened, Clana felt as though she would never see the light of the sun again.

She lowered her eyes and looked at the dishes. She was no longer very hungry and decided not to eat anything else.

Certainly, that old man’s presence filled her with panic and fear.

And she was not the only one; in fact, many others felt the same way.

However, because she held a very high position,

there was a chance of attracting his attention, however small it might be.

She did not want that.

’Phew, come on, focus, Clana. Someday you’ll be strong enough not to be afraid of people like that.’

She inhaled and exhaled repeatedly without anyone noticing.

Well, with the exception of one person.

Clana calmed her trembling and then reviewed the conversation she had with the two women sitting across from her.

The shorter woman seemed to be searching for or gathering information about Clana’s connections in some way.

Meanwhile, after mentioning that Clana possessed Cubes of Chaos, a total of seven of them.

the Witch of Depravity had let her greed become very obvious.

Naturally, Clana did not have seven Cubes of Chaos.

’I know who the Witch of Depravity is, but I’m curious about that girl.’

The shorter woman, even by the standards of the Sacred Continent.

She was truly very short. It was not that Clana cared about the difference in height,

but it was genuinely unusual to see someone as short as her.

Clana’s curiosity about that girl stemmed from her questions.

’I feel like she was only interested in finding out what my connections were.’

After Clana answered her questions, the girl did not ask anything else and remained silent, listening to her conversation with the Witch of Depravity.

’Just in case, I should keep some distance from her.’

That is, if they happened to meet again, of course.