Chapter 67 (1/2)

Sylvia had fallen asleep. Fortunately, she was breathing normally. I put her in a safe place then looked at the enemy.

Baron of the Ashes.

He was glaring at me with distorted eyes, but he wasn’t too threatening.

Actually, having parasitized McQueen’s body was something I was grateful for.

“Idiot.”

“…”

“Why did you swallow someone that didn’t even fit you?”

He was incomplete. It seemed that he dominated about 70% of the vessel, but the remaining 30% was still under Louina’s control, all because he swallowed a Named character that was too powerful.

“You already know, don’t you? You cannot challenge me with that body.”

The contract that was entwined in Louina’s body still existed.

Hence, he couldn’t do any harm to me.

“This is the end for you, parasite.” My voice sounded scornful, which made the bastard furious. His black pupils’ savage stare grew darker.

The very next moment, he made a move that even I hadn’t expected.

Whooosh—!

The Baron escaped from Louina’s body, causing a stream of air engulfed in ashes to rise in all directions. It wrapped around me like a great storm, revealing a bizarre face within it.

“Right. I was stupid.” The Baron of the Ashes said in midair, chuckling and laughing. “But if it’s you, then it would be different.”

He seeped into me, his particles being absorbed by my body. After a while, a harsh voice rang out from the bottom of my chest.

‘How dare you call me a parasite? You don’t even have anything special within you.’

It was a pretty unpleasant feeling. His essence touched my subconscious, digging up several of my memories and bringing them to the surface.

I replied softly. “… I’ll give time for you to think about your decision.”

‘You are but a common being! I can easily take control of you!’

I closed my eyes.

Memories of the past, filled with demented malevolence and dark emotions, ran through my veins along with Deculein’s pride.

… Enduring all of it, I asked quietly. “Can you handle it?”

“…”

The Baron of the Ashes didn’t answer. I could sense his bewilderment, however.

I just smiled.

“Feelings of defeat, jealousy, envy, anger, hatred…”

Within me was pride that illusions or impulses could never sway.

“A cry like that is rather elegant, almost a classic.”

Deculein was by no means a “self-defeating” person.

‘… Aaaaaaaaah!’ The Baron of Ashes struggled inside me to get out.

I didn’t let him.

“Baron. Tell me.”

‘Open—! Open—!’

“Who’s down there?”

I was curious.

Who did the Baron of Ashes encounter under my consciousness?

“Was it Kim Woojin? Or was it Deculein?”

──────!

The Baron’s scream slowly turned into that of a beast. He was smashed to pieces, swept away by Deculein’s ego.

“Pay attention to whoever is inside me.”

Despite his struggle, my mind remained as calm as a lake.

“That pit of hell is your grave.”

Silence permeated my mind.

He no longer existed.

The Baron of the Ashes had been destroyed.

I neither absorbed nor assimilated with him.

He was simply crushed by the ‘ego’ that filled me.

“Tsk. Moron.”

A being that wasn’t me couldn’t exist in me.

That’s how Deculein was.

“…”

I saw Louina collapsed on the floor.

The body that the Baron of Ashes had abandoned was asleep, exhausted.

* * *

Louina had a nightmare.

She dreamed of being so jealous and filled with hatred for someone that she became a monster with a sense of inferiority and defeat. It was as if she became the very person she despised.

There were days when Louina was also inflated with her own talent, days when she was proud of her belief that she would resurrect the McQueen family.

She had this passion that made her want to leave her mark in the world of magic. It made her want to become a magic professor respected by the empire and desired to create her own school and light a lamp on the continent.

However, it was all interrupted by one man.

“…”

Louina opened her eyes.

Looking around, she grabbed her aching temples.

“Ugh…”

The whole floor was covered in ashes, and everything around her was scorched as if a fire recently burned her vicinity.

A plaque was buried somewhere near her.

“This is….”

[23rd floor: External Professor Louina]

Only then did she realize it wasn’t a dream.

As he ruled her, he brought forth vague memories of what she had to go through before.

“Louina von Schlott McQueen.”

“…!”

A voice called her. Surprised, Louisa looked back, finding the very predator of her family.

“… Deculein.”

His blue eyes stared at her, his gaze unbreaking, unwavering.

“This scenery is not a dream. This is what you did with ‘that guy.'”

“… Yes. I know.” Louina bowed her head and sighed. “I know everything…”

Now, her mind and body were exhausted.

She had no desire anymore. She was just at a loss.

She regretted it.

Should she have bowed her head from the beginning?

Should she have resisted?

If she had followed him like any other wizard, she wouldn’t have gone through this.

“I have no intention of running away. I’ll turn myself in. It’s my fault.” Louina said weakly, wiping her tears.

That was the best option she could make in this situation.

“No.” However, Deculein shook his head.

He looked down at her as if he found her pathetic.

“That’s not in the contract. Do you enjoy breaking promises?”

“…”

“If that’s the case, then you have a very disgusting temperament.”

Louina got furious.

“What the hell am I supposed to—”

“Remember what I said.”

Deculein cut off her words.

As her breath grew shaky, he continued to talk.

“You must become the head professor… No.”

He closed his eyes and corrected himself.

“You will become the Head Professor. No matter what happens.”

“… In this situation—”

“Is this your fault?” Then, Deculein grinned. It was a mockery that was close to humiliation. However, its target wasn’t Louina.

“Of course, I can’t say your hands are clean of this incident, but as you may well know, blaming yourself won’t change the world. Even if tears come out of your eyes, it wouldn’t truly care. It wouldn’t even acknowledge them. The sorrows they carried would simply be forgotten.”

“…”

“But if you say it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault.”

Louina couldn’t understand what he meant.

“I will make it so.”

Tap— Tap—

Deculein walked towards her.

His shoes stopped near her, almost touching her knees.

“Louina.”

As he called her name, she looked up.

“Yukline never abandons someone it chose to embrace.”

He reached out to her, who had fallen into disrepair.

“If you hold my hand.”

His blue eyes reflected her, allowing her to see how dirty she was, which brought her infinite embarrassment.

But Deculein didn’t care.

“I will never abandon you.”

His pristine gloves wanted her ash-covered hands.

“This is the grace of the Yukline.”

Whooosh…

The dawn broke from beyond the sky exposed by the tower’s window, a ray of light lighting up the darkness around them.

“…”

Silently, Louina grabbed his hand. Her instincts made her hand move on its own.

“…”

Deculein nodded as he helped her stand up.

Louina looked at him after as he turned around and walked amid the ashes, causing them to spread like a mist.

Their particles mixed with the wind and were blown away.

Even in the middle of it all, he remained untouched by dirt as he left.

A small question appeared in Louina’s mind as she watched him.

‘When did that man’s back become so wide?’

‘Has he been working hard all this time?’

“Gosh…”

… Thinking she was being ridiculous, Louina just laughed.

* * *

The day after the so-called ‘Terror of the Ashes,’ the tower was still littered with the parasites.

“Hahaha. That’s right. Yes, yes.”

Deculein grew busy due to the prestigious “Jefferson” family’s sudden visit. They were known to have made a career as the production directors of the Legal Affairs Bureau and the Internal Affairs Bureau from generation to generation. Their grandfather also served as a minister.

“As expected from you, professor.”

“Oh, of course. I have no doubts about this report. Louina is, after all, a kind-hearted person. Oh, by the way, this one is Viscount Derin.”

“It is an honor to meet you! I’m ‘Lopez Derin,’ currently serving as the deputy director of the Legal Affairs Bureau.”

“He’s a very talented friend. Also, I know this is rude of me, but this one’s also your fan, so let me introduce you… Oh my~ you didn’t have to~!”

Jefferson and Lopez accepted a small gift from the Professor.

Obviously a sign of sincerity.

Nothing against the law.

The two smiled happily and soon heard his main point.

•••••••.