1.
Peter.
A member of the <Black Wolf> Mercenary Corps, infiltrating <Aria’s Main Church> under the orders of Nahan, the Black Wolf’s Captain.
– At dawn today. The main church will be attacked.
– Ah…!! Finally…!!
A year had passed since his infiltration, and now the long-awaited time had come to eradicate the remnants of the false god.
“How dare you insult me, an Archbishop!! You must have completely lost your mind!!”
What should be done about this foolish and pitiful lost lamb?
Peter pondered for a moment.
– Ahaha! Peter! Everyone mocks me for being weak, but you alone are truly kind!
– Fine, if I become an Archbishop, I will make you one as well!
– Wouldn’t that be great! Ahaha!
Memories of the days spent with Hendrickson, the Archbishop of Love, briefly passed through his mind.
“…Gulp.”
“…?”
Hendrickson was startled by the sound that came from Peter’s lips, but Peter remained unwavering in his contemplation.
Of course, his concern was—
“Ah… how should I kill this wretch who dared to blaspheme the Lord…”
Only about how to kill him.
“…Kill? You mean me…?!”
“Is there a problem?”
“Hah!! I thought we were close!! No matter which path I walked, I intended to go all the way with you!!”
“Ah… what a useless <Blue Magic Tower Gate>…”
Even if they had spent a year together, that was not something Peter needed to know.
“This…!! You…!!! Fine!! I’ll kill you first, then plan my next move!!!”
“Ah… what a waste of a <Red Magic Tower Scroll>…”
“You bastard!!!!”
Having finished his thoughts, Peter smiled at Hendrickson, who was reaching out toward him.
“It’s been decided.”
Your crime is that you dared to refer to the one true god, Nahan, as merely ‘the one behind him.’
The divine punishment befitting that crime is—
“【The Black Wolf has spoken: For the sin of blasphemy, one shall cut out one’s own tongue in repentance.】”
The moment Peter finished speaking—
【Skill No.1 – <Brainwashing(SS+)> has been activated.】
A system window, sticky and melting with an ominous black hue, appeared—unlike anything before.
At the same time, Hendrickson’s hand, ensnared by the shadows, slowly moved toward his own face.
“Ja, j-just a moment!!! Wait!!!”
…Crack.
Crack, Crack.
His tongue was being pulled out mercilessly.
Hendrickson instinctively understood.
‘If I don’t cut it off, I will die.’
Slash.
His unrestrained left hand, holding a dagger, moved and severed his own tongue.
“Haa…!! Huaaahhh!!!”
His bloodshot eyes twitched violently, radiating resentment toward Peter.
But—
“【Oh, lost lamb, your resentment shall not reach the Lord, but only His shepherd. Resent all you wish, but for daring to look upon the divine, you shall also pluck out your own eyes.】”
“Aah…!! Aiyaa, aiyaaooo!!!”
A grotesque mix of screams.
His uncontrollable right hand, led by the shadows, reached toward his pupils.
‘I have to kill him before I die!!’
Whether it was Peter before him.
Or the Black Wolf behind him.
Or even the brute standing in front of him—anyone!!
【<Charm(S-)> has ranked up!】
【Unless the caster – <Hendrickson(A+)> cancels the skill, the status effect – <Charm(S-)> will last forever!】
Hendrickson’s final desperate struggle.
‘It worked!! I took the brute as a hostage, so Peter won’t be able to…!!’
A highly rational thought—that since he had taken a hostage, they would no longer be able to act recklessly.
However, he did not know.
The members of the <Black Wolf> Mercenary Corps only gathered around their Captain, Nahan, the Black Wolf. If Nahan were in danger, it would be one thing, but if they themselves were—
“【…Child, you have ultimately failed to be enlightened. Offer me your heart. I shall cleanse your sins from within it and dedicate it to my Lord. Do not doubt and simply obey.】”
They simply believed that as long as they gave their lives for their Captain, Nahan, that was the end of it.
“…Huh?”
Thrust.
Rip.
“Huargh…!! Huaaahhh!!!”
Before Hendrickson lost his sight, the last thing he saw was—
“I pray that you may at least realize the sins you have committed before you die.”
“A-ah… Aaahhh!!!”
“Shhh.”
“Guh, ghh…!!”
—A blood-drenched priest and the cold, indifferent gaze looking down upon him.
“If you are afraid, you are free to run away.”
“Oi…!! Oiiooo…!!!”
“Where should you run, you ask? Isn’t it obvious?”
Through death.
“…Ah.”
A moment of pure realization.
Crunch!
At last freed from his fear, Hendrickson trembled and smiled.
“…Uuuh… this… is… salvation…”
…Thud.
Peter carefully cradled the heart Hendrickson had offered him, wiping away the tears that trickled down, and quietly prayed.
“Salvation… I heard it clearly. You only realized it at the very last moment. I truly hope that in the place you now ascend to, you will find happiness. May you feel the warmth of my touch and not be afraid.”
As Peter, overwhelmed with joy and sorrow, sobbed uncontrollably, Nahan silently thought to himself.
‘You’re the scariest one here, you lunatic.’
Every time he thought about it, it seemed like this world was utterly devoid of sane people.
Regardless, it was true that thanks to Peter, they had dealt with the Archbishop of Love quite smoothly.
It had been a bit brutal, but there was no guilt.
‘In the original story, that bastard committed all manner of vile sins under the guise of “spreading love.”’
Nahan rose from his seat and immediately strode toward Han-Ryang.
【Warning.】
【<Charm(S-)> is currently active.】
【Interfering with the Mental World – <Charm(S-)> may result in death.】
Han-Ryang stood in complete silence, his thick hands reaching into empty air.
“Ah… damn…”
What was he trying to grasp?
No matter how much he flailed in the void, there was nothing to hold onto.
“Should I wake him up?”
Peter had approached at some point and asked, but Nahan shook his head.
“It’s dangerous.”
Through various experiences and growth, Nahan had realized—
‘If I force Han-Ryang awake now, he might become an enemy like Luna did.’
Soon, <Heroes of Light> would hear of this and arrive. Before that, they had to bring Han-Ryang back to his senses and escape.
‘…But how?’
None of the skills Nahan had unlocked so far could intervene in Han-Ryang’s state.
Blindly interfering would be reckless, as he knew too little about this particular Mental World.
【Caster – <Selena(SS-)> has activated <Detection(S+)>】
Before he could even think further, a delicate, thin thread of mana spread through the air.
“It’s the Heroes of Light.”
“I sensed it.”
Since the detection spell had been cast the moment the news spread, she would likely arrive within ten minutes at the most.
As Nahan continued to silently observe Han-Ryang, Peter, unable to hold back any longer, cautiously spoke up.
“…He must be killed.”
A truly efficient choice.
Nahan had already thought of words to stop Peter, but—
“No. That would leave traces.”
“Please do not worry. If he is melted down, no magic will be able to detect him. I will also terminate the contract beforehand, so there will be no risk to the Lord.”
Peter seemed to have already made up his mind, waiting only for the command to act immediately.
…Right.
This was a wretched fantasy world where swords and magic existed.
As the head of a shadowy organization within a novel, abandoning Han-Ryang, who was nothing more than a mere character, wasn’t an incomprehensible decision.
【Would you like to intervene in the Mental World – <Charm(S-)>?】
【Accept / Decline】
But to Nahan, they were no longer just fictional characters.
“Stand down, Peter.”
They were living, breathing people.
“My Lord!!”
【Accept.】
【Intervening in the Mental World – <Charm(S-)>…】
Without hesitation, Nahan pressed accept.
2.
Mental World.
A domain accessible only to the highest A-rank individuals or those who had reached S-rank.
Thus, each Mental World differed in form and abilities. The abilities of this particular Mental World—<Charm>—were—
“Han-Ryang, I feel like taking a stroll today.”
“…My lady. The backlog of work is mountainous.”
“Oh? Talking back, are we?”
“…Haa. Just this once.”
“As expected, I like the softer side of you.”
It was simply a world that replicated the target’s past memories, trapping them in an illusion.
Originally, the caster could also drain the target’s Aura or Mana, but since the caster was now gone, the illusion simply remained.
Within this delicate and vivid illusion, Han-Ryang was nothing but happy.
And understandably so, because beside him was—
“The flowers smell lovely.”
“Do you know what kind they are?”
“They must be plum blossoms.”
“Correct.”
—The lady, Celosia.
“Ahem. As a reward, I shall extend our stroll.”
“…Ten more minutes.”
“That’s too short. Let’s make it an hour.”
“But my lord…”
“Now, now. Think about it, Han-Ryang.”
The lady, smiling playfully, reached out her blind hands and gently touched Han-Ryang’s face.
“Just feeling your face like this takes a long time. Isn’t an hour far too short for that?”
A teasing smile.
Han-Ryang barely managed to tear his gaze away from the enchantingly curved, soft pink lips.
“…If my lord scolds me, you must save me.”
“That is my specialty.”
Step, step, step.
Tap, tap, tap.
The two walked together.
“Now, now. Can’t you come a little closer?”
“…Yes, my lady.”
Their hands, clasped lightly under the excuse of guiding blind steps.
“Han-Ryang, never let go of this hand.”
“…I will not.”
It was a warm afternoon, sparkling with sunlight, filled with happiness.
.
.
.
【Warning.】
【<Regret> will soon be recreated.】
