Chapter 165 (2/2)

Level-3

First Effect: When a specific magic indicator appears within 300 feet of the rune stone, it will be activated and emit a light.

Second Effect: Detects all Mana fluctuations that appear within 300 feet of the rune stone and converts this information into a simple signal that will be sent to the main rune stone within a range of three miles.

‘A specific magic indicator’? Link wondered. His eyebrows furrowed at the thought, then he turned towards the terrified merchant beside him and cast a Level-2 detection spell on him.

A light spot appeared with a trailing light behind it. This spot of light then flew over to the top of the merchant’s head and its trailing light turned into a sheet of light that then curled into a halo-like ring over the merchant’s head. Then the halo shone a light down the merchant’s body, surrounding him with a thin blanket of light.

Soon, glowing white runes appeared on the merchant’s chest, proving that someone had stamped a magic indicator there. There was another spot on his back where a patch of small gray runes appeared.

Link then focused his Mana and directed it to the gray runes to destroy it. Once that was done, the rune stone in the robber’s hand immediately stopped glowing. That proved that this patch of gray runes was the signal for the robbers to attack him. But who would attach this to the merchant’s body?

Link thought it must be no one else but Elena. She was the only one who had been intimately close to the merchant in the willow grove in the academy, so she had plenty of opportunities to stick this magic indicator onto the merchant’s back. Now that he was sure of this point, Link began to see the big picture.

Now that Elena had gotten her hands on the scroll that Link assumed contained important information, she’d completed her aims and had no more use for the merchant. She had promised the merchant an ultimate prize, which the merchant assumed to be a night of carnal bliss with Elena, but in fact, what Elena meant was that she would kill him off because he was useless to her now.

As for these robbers, they must’ve been the people that she had hired earlier to do the dirty work for her. This way, it was impossible to link the merchant’s death back to Elena. Even if Link had figured out her plans, he still didn’t have any solid evidence that would prove her guilt beyond any doubt.

What was even more frightening was the fact that Elena had taken every precaution so meticulously. Not only did the rune stone serve the purpose of making sure that the robbers got the right person, it also served as a warning signal in case her plans might be found out as well. Link knew that by now Elena was already aware that her plans had gone awry. She must be thinking of a way to save herself by now. Moreover, this would give her time to destroy any evidence that might incriminate her.

Link also believed that even if he returned swiftly to the academy right now and present the Memory Crystal as an evidence, all he would achieve was to put himself into trouble. It might even prevent him from learning her real motives forever.

No one can say she’s not thorough! Link thought.

All these things, Link understood in a matter of seconds. He then cast a Glass Orb and knocked the robber out with it. Then he turned to the merchant who’d pissed himself once again.

“That Elena woman that you’re so charmed with is a poisonous snake,” said Link. “She’s the one who hired these robbers to kill you. If you still want to live, go back to the academy with me and expose her crimes!”

Although he didn’t have enough material evidence against Elena right now, Link could easily prove her guilt if this merchant would cooperate and expose what she had done.

To Link’s surprise, though, the merchant responded to him with a shake of his head and a sorrowful expression on his face.

“No, I can’t do that,” he said. “She is my queen. If she wanted my life, then I’ll give it to her.”

As he spoke, the merchant who had been so timid up till now suddenly drew a dagger out of nowhere and was about to stab it at his own heart.

“Farewell, my love!” the merchant shouted.

Link couldn’t just let the man die right in front of him, so he quickly used the Magician’s Hand to grab the dagger just in time before it struck the merchant’s heart.

“Don’t be stupid!” Link shouted. “She just used you like a dog! Why would you want to throw your life away for her?” Link just couldn’t understand what this man was thinking. He wondered if Elena had used a dark magic spell on him, but strangely enough he couldn’t detect any trace of dark magic aura from his body at all.

“I’d be the happiest man if my queen thinks of me as her dog,” said the merchant wistfully. “Ah…I know she loves me, but she’s a holy maiden, so she can’t be with me. She must’ve wanted me dead because she didn’t have the heart to reject me in person…”

“…” Link was speechless for a while when he heard the man’s lament. He thought this man might have some kind of a brain damage. Nonetheless, his attention was caught by a couple of words the merchant had used to describe Elena.

“Holy maiden? What do you mean by holy maiden?” Link asked.

“Stop trying, Mr. Magician,” said the merchant as he turned around to face Link and gave him a wry smile. “I will never betray my queen.”

After finishing his sentence, the merchant went on to slam his head against the metal part of the carriage in an attempt of suicide.

The first suicide attempt might have been an impulsive action, but to try it for a second time meant that this man really wished to die, so it would be pointless to stop him now. The merchant had really lost his head to Elena, so much so that he would actually commit suicide when he found out that Elena wanted him dead.

What a pathetic man! And what a terrifying control Elena had on this man’s heart!

Link didn’t bother to stop the merchant as he tried to kill himself again. He used a lot of force this time and soon enough Link could hear a splat! It was the sound of the merchant’s head being smashed. His lifeless body fell limply to the ground – he was dead.

Link stared at the dead body with fear and apprehension. It wasn’t the sight of a fresh corpse that disturbed him so much, he was just scared for Eliard.

How far had Elena’s charm worked on Eliard? If this is the degree at which a man could be controlled by her, what would happen to Eliard if something happened to Elena?

Link didn’t dare to imagine the possibilities of what could happen then.