Ileil’s fingers kept turning the pages in the drawer. Every sheet recorded Kol’s increasingly twisted descent into madness.
“Winter of Dawn Era K414, I killed a girl.”
“She wore a blue dress. Her sack held herbs and candy… She counted to seven before she died.”
“I ran. I swear… I didn’t mean to kill her… but her face appears in my dreams every single night.”
“I went to the church to confess, yet the Dawn Goddess never answered me.”
“Will my sins… never be forgiven?”
…
“Summer of K415, I dreamed of that snowy night again. Lilian’s blood splashed across my axe, warm like freshly melted snow…”
“Spring of K416, I went to the church. Sister Emilia said that sincere repentance would earn the Dawn Goddess’ forgiveness for any sin… so why do I still see Lilian’s eyes every night?”
“Summer of K416, I began leaving wildflowers in the barn. Each bouquet felt like I could hear Lilian’s voice. She said she didn’t hate me. She said she would forgive my crimes…”
Farther on, the handwriting grew completely deranged—
“The Dawn Goddess doesn’t exist at all! If She truly existed, why wouldn’t She answer my confession?! Why wouldn’t She bring Lilian back?!”
“That ‘light’ was right—death is not the end, but a new beginning. As long as enough ‘sacrifices’ are offered, the door to the other shore can be opened… far more real than the so-called Dawn Goddess.”
“Anyone who could write this must be mentally broken. And he even dares to slander the Dawn Goddess like that…” Prinshitt stood behind Ileil, brows tightly knit. “It’s like the ravings of a lunatic.”
Ileil gave no reply. She kept searching. Her gaze landed on a leather notebook buried at the very back of the drawer. On its cover, written in dark red ink, was a single line:
“Path to Redemption.”
She opened it. Page after page was crammed with names, dates, and short descriptions—most of the text had been violently blacked out with ink. Only a few words could still be faintly read:
“Blacksmith… furnace… purification…”
“Merchant… herbs… atonement…”
“…I… final…”
Seeing this, Alyssa reached out and pressed down on Ileil’s hand as she turned the page. “Wait. These blacked-out sections… there’s something wrong with them.”
“What?” Ileil looked up slightly. She watched faint light glow at Alyssa’s fingertips as the mage gently brushed across the paper. The blank areas gradually revealed the hidden words—all the missing content filled itself in.
“Sacrifice List:”
“Blacksmith Henry—burn his sins in the furnace flames. Let his soul be purified within the fire.”
“Clara—offer her guilt as the sacrifice to open the door to the other shore.”
“Kol—the final sacrifice. Use my own flesh and blood to atone for my crimes.”
The date on the last page was exactly two months ago—the day Kol had vanished.
“Sacrifice…” Alyssa murmured. “This madman really was connected to those Mor believers.”
Prinshitt’s face paled with horror. “You mean… all the missing people were killed by him?”
“Perhaps…” Ileil closed the notebook, her voice low. “He didn’t even plan to spare himself.”
Just then, the faint sound of a branch snapping came from outside—like someone stepping on it.
Ileil’s sharp hearing had already caught the approaching presence. Her hand instinctively went to her sword hilt. Her golden eyes locked on the doorway.
“Someone’s coming this way. Stay alert.” Ileil stepped in front of the princess who needed protection, her expression vigilant as she stared at the house entrance.
“Eh? I-I think I heard it too.”
Lily’s cat ears twitched. Unease showed on her face. “Your Highness, I’ll cast a protective barrier for you right away. Be careful.”
“What? You all heard something strange?” A puzzled light flashed in Prinshitt’s eyes. “Am I the only one who didn’t hear anything?”
“It really does sound like we have a visitor.” Alyssa drew her ruby staff from behind her. “Just one set of footsteps—and they don’t sound friendly.”
The footsteps grew closer—heavy, dragging, as if hauling something heavy.
“Let me take point.” Kaze gripped the hilt of his greatsword and moved toward the door, frowning. “I’ll go outside and see—who the hell is…”
But before Kaze could finish, the wooden door was smashed open by brute force—
“Watch out!” Ileil shouted sharply.
Her warning came too late. Kaze hadn’t reacted to the ambush at all.
A black shadow flashed into the room like lightning. The long sword sliced through the air toward Kaze. He barely managed to twist aside to protect his vitals, but the blade tore deep into his shoulder. Blood sprayed out instantly.
“Fuck… you animal…” If Kaze’s reaction had been even a fraction slower, he would have been cut in half. Ignoring the wound, he endured the pain and blocked the attacker’s blade.
“Kaze!” Alyssa cried out.
Only now could everyone clearly see the attacker’s true form. Ileil’s pupils shrank violently. The black shadow attacking Kaze was the missing mercenary under Gro—Kol.
But this Kol no longer resembled a human at all. His skin was an unnatural blue-gray. His eyes were cloudy and white. Most horrifying of all was the wound in his chest, where strands of black-gold flames writhed as if alive.
Ileil smelled a familiar scent—the witch’s black fire.
She wanted to help Kaze, but Kol gave them no time to react. With terrifying strength he shoved Kaze away and changed targets, aiming his sword straight at Prinshitt, who stood at the back—
“Your Highness!” Lily screamed.
Ileil’s dual short swords flashed out like lightning. She stepped in front of Prinshitt. Silver blades clashed, sparks flying.
But Kol’s strength was monstrous. Ileil was forced back two steps, arms numb.
“Step back, Prinshitt.” Ileil ordered coldly, no longer bothering with formal address. Her golden eyes locked onto Kol’s face.
Kol raised his long sword again. He seemed intent on removing the obstacle first. The blade thrust straight for Ileil’s throat. The silver-haired girl dodged sideways. Her sword sliced across Kol’s abdomen, but it only drew a thin trail of black-gold “blood”—it wasn’t human blood at all, but a mass of concentrated black fire…
“Damn it!” Alyssa cursed. She quickly helped the injured Kaze up. “This guy isn’t human anymore!”
Prinshitt trembled as she gripped her holy staff. Her voice shook. “What do we do?”
“First let us restrain him, Your Highness!” Kaze gritted his teeth and pressed on his bleeding shoulder. “This guy is one of our missing mercenaries, but his current state is completely wrong!”
Ileil and Kaze barely held him back, but Kol’s attacks grew increasingly savage. Ileil felt her arms were about to lose all feeling.
Damn it… if I still had my old body…
A similar thought flashed through Ileil’s mind, but turning female was irreversible—
“Wake up, you old bastard!!! You still owe me money!!!”
Kaze swung his greatsword, aiming for Kol’s back—
Kol’s expression never changed. His thin arms bulged. The long sword pressed down on Ileil with terrifying force. Her blade was slowly forced toward her own shoulder. Her arms trembled from the immense pressure. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head—he sidestepped Kaze’s strike and kicked toward Kaze’s abdomen at the same time. Kaze groaned and slammed into the wall with a painful cry.
Prinshitt chanted a spell. A golden barrier unfolded in front of Kol, temporarily halting his assault.
“He’s not Kol!” Ileil shouted sternly. “His eyes—it’s the witch’s black-gold fire!”
Only then did the others notice that the flames burning in Kol’s eye sockets were exactly the same black-gold flames that had attacked the camp last week—only denser and far more insane.
“Controlled?” Prinshitt’s voice trembled. “Just like the living corpses in the reports…”
Kol raised his long sword. This time his target was clear—Prinshitt’s heart.
“Protect Her Highness, Ileil!”
Kaze, pinned against the wall, shouted. Unable to move, he could only call out Ileil’s name.
Ileil did not hesitate. She lunged toward Prinshitt, shoving her aside while stabbing at Kol’s throat with her other hand—
But Kol was faster.
The sword changed trajectory. The sharp blade tore through the air, slashing straight toward Ileil’s back.
“Ileil!” Prinshitt screamed, her face ashen.
Schlick—
The sound of flesh being torn rang out.
Ileil’s sword pierced Kol’s throat, but Kol’s blade also sank deep into her shoulder. Blood sprayed out, dyeing her silver hair red.
Kol’s movements froze. A gurgling sound came from his throat as black-gold flames poured endlessly from his eye sockets.
“Death… is rebirth…” He forced out the words with difficulty. Then his body suddenly swelled, as if inflated by some invisible force.
“Mana is gathering!” Alyssa gritted her teeth. “Fuck—this guy is going to self-destruct!”
Hearing Alyssa’s words, Ileil spun around and used her body to shield Prinshitt.
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