Chapter 1 – Relics

If you are born as a man, everyone has at least a spark in their heart.

It is a flame that never fades even if it is not enough to burn the world, and that does not throw away under any circumstance.

People call the flame by various names. Mission, romance, dream… I just want to ask a simple question.

What spark remains in your heart as a man? Is it currently on fire?

My childhood dream was to become a teacher.

A classroom with sunlight pouring through the windows, students huddled inside, and me standing in front of it teaching something. I used to imagine things like that.

Why do I suddenly think of the old days in the middle of bleeding?

I do not know. It looks like this is a kaleidoscope.

“Florian you son of a bitch! Stop!”

Is being a son of a bitch to an orphan a compliment or a curse… I’m grateful for making parents, but dogs are still a requirement.

And even if you stop, dying is the same dude. Give all the strength in your running foot.

The value of dreams and goals rises the more difficult others find them to achieve.

Elfriede Dyce, a wicked woman who stained this world with drugs, crime, and blood.

I am being chased by her elite henchmen, the ‘shadows’.

‘He really did what a teacher would do.’

Yeah, I didn’t become a teacher after all.

However, he was not young enough to blame the gap between reality and ideals, and soon after found a job that suited his nature, so he devoted his whole life to working.

My job now. The flame I lit.

I am the shadow of Elfriede. 1 among them.

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It sounds obvious, but in order to become Elfriede’s elite henchman, ‘Shadow’, you have to be competent.

I pride myself on being competent. There is nothing she has not worked for her. Fraud, murder, politics, etc…

However, no matter how great my ability was, the world never remembered the four letters of my name.

Because I am the shadow of Elfriede. Whatever it is, it’s my job to make it with Elfriede’s merits in the end.

“Damn it.”

This getaway was unplanned.

Of course. Because I didn’t think I’d get dumped.

No, in fact, I expected it, but even if I expected it, Elfriede’s power was so strong that I couldn’t stop it.

I’ve worked hard all my life, but I’m a tosagupin, ha.

It is only natural that the escape route is not set for an escape that was not planned. Eventually, I was driven to a dead end.

“Is the horizon of dawn nearby?”

The horizon of dawn is not a sentimental metaphor that I spat out out of romance.

It’s just the name of the rift that was created when the human world was broken down a bit.

Come to think of it, Elfride threw her princess into her teeth and killed her.

Well, out of all the eccentricities she has, this one is pretty.

If the princess had survived then, Elfriede wouldn’t have gone this far.

The energy of black magic rising from the ground. Thanks to that, my skin stings.

I didn’t expect the shadows to follow me this far.

Of course, they wouldn’t have thought I’d run this far.

It was a long, long run.

From the academy, the best educational institution on the continent, to the Lucht continent, the Arbedo Mountains… She has already lost one of her arms in the process.

“Under. It really is the horizon of dawn.”

He stopped with a frustrated expression.

Elfriede tried to open a passage connecting the human world and the demon world, but failed spectacularly, leaving only cracks visible in front of her eyes.

A merciless rift that rips away anything that gets inside. Nothing exists in it.

Empty and empty again

Isn’t it like my life? I lived harder than anyone else, but in the end, there are no footprints left in this world along with my name.

It’s empty. You or me.

“Florian.”

I heard a low voice calling my name from behind.

The second rank among the shadows. This person was Becca.

“Give up. The dawn horizon. If you go inside, of course you will die.”

“He has grown up a lot. Becca.”

“This is my job.”

“Is it your job to make a joke?”

I should have been more disciplined. I’m sorry that I came back now.

No matter what I say, Becca is still expressionless. That guy is just that kind of guy.

“Florian. When you are selected as a shadow, there will be a mission you have received.”

“Yes.”

It was simple and intense, befitting the mission given to a leader.

Kill anyone for Elfriede. She said that was the mission given to me.

“Do you know what my mission was?”

Her eyes shine brightly

“…Monitor Florian’s every thought and action. That was my mission as Lee In-ja.”

“Is that so?”

In short, she is telling me that what she does to me is to be faithful to her mission, and not to be slanderous.

Becca is such a tough guy. To the point where she wouldn’t take a joke.

While we were talking, other shadows arrived one by one and blocked my escape.

No one had a look that looked calm. Everyone is sweating profusely and out of breath, but seeing that look makes me a little proud.

When they didn’t hide their proud expressions, their expressions became sharper.

“Becca. What should I do.”

“Wait. Things come first.”

Yes, stuff first.

That’s why my life is still attached.

One of her arms was missing and she was bleeding profusely. Had I gone through the battle, I would have been thrown into that rift as a corpse long ago.

However, that doesn’t happen. At least while this thing is in my arms.

“This?”

I carefully took a syringe out of my pocket.

This is the treasure that still saved my life, and the reason they had to run all the way here.

Exactly, the syringe is not important, but the liquid contained in it is important. This golden liquid called the prayer of the goddess.

To get this, he terrorized the academy.

Actually, the level of terrorism is not that difficult, but the process of assassinating the president who reached the level of the archmage was very difficult. If you ask me to do it twice, I can’t.

As soon as I put the syringe into my field of vision, Becca’s eyes widened.

“…That belongs to Elfrieden-sama. Bring it now.”

“Then tell Elfriede to come here. I’ll give you an injection myself.”

“Such cheeky… !”

Becca put her hand on the handle of her sword as if she was about to unleash it. If it’s her speed, I’m not far behind either.

Her hand holding her syringe stretches out to almost touch the world’s horizon.

“Ah… No! What are you trying to do!”

No matter what happened, Becca’s expressionless face was full of cracks.

Also, human beings have to live long. I can see all of Becca’s bewildered expressions.

In other words, this is an important item enough to embarrass Becca in the world. It seems that he was stuck in the lowest basement of the academy for no reason.

“It’s amazing.”

“What’s amazing!”

“Even I, the number one person, don’t know what effect the goddess’s prayer has. Why do you, Lee In-ja, make a fuss about her as if you know everything?”

“Elfrieden-sama told you not to tell me about the goddess’ prayer.”

“Why?”

“He said he was afraid of being taken over, and his eyes were right this time too.”

After hearing Becca’s words, I sighed and laughed.

One eye that really sees is accurate. She is that woman.

Becca added urgently.

“Florian. You have done great things as Elfriede’s shadow. As long as the finish is perfect, we will all remember you forever.”

“So?”

“Please return the goddess’ prayer. Then we will help you with a beautiful finish.”

“Hmm. Well, good.”

As her words of affirmation run out, Becca lets out her sigh of relief. But I haven’t raised my arm yet.

“By the way, I’m going to die anyway. I want to hear what this is. Can you satisfy that level of curiosity?”

“Great. Great… ”

Becca lets out a deep sigh.

“But put away the shy thought of getting the shot yourself. It’s a holy thing, so if you inject it without preparation, it’s just poison.”

“I asked what this is.”

“Ha ha.”

She reluctantly nods her head.

“Dark magic doesn’t require too much cruelty in return.”

“Yes.”

“This is a holy relic that allows you to use black magic for free. Elfrieden-nim has recently been interested in the Pandemonium and black magic, so he wants the goddess’ prayers.”

“If it’s a relic related to black magic, it should be kept by the imperial family, not by the academy.”

“Isn’t that why I can’t answer? I did the answer. Please give me the prayers of the goddess.”

Becca holds out her hand.

“No.”

But I firmly shook my head.

“Your lies are too obvious.”

“I didn’t lie.”

However, I saw it clearly. The slightest trembling of her eyebrows.

“The relics kept at the academy are mainly relics related to white magic. And even though it is such an important sacred object, Elfriede did not directly step forward.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t that strange? It is Elfriede’s principle to always step forward in important matters.”

Wouldn’t this be important? That’s absolutely not the case.

Doesn’t the appearance of the shadows that chased me prove that this was a very important event?

In other words.

“…Elfriede, where is your body so bad that you can’t walk around? This is a sacred object related to it.”

“Anyway, give me back! How much longer do I have to listen to your bullshit!”

“Gibberish?”

Bleeding is still profuse.

Even if I die, I won’t see Elfriede, who vomited me, do well, so my actions were decided.

“Becca. You lied one more time.”

Woowook Koo—

“This holy relic doesn’t need preparation, right?”

After taking the syringe in her mouth and inserting the needle into her forearm, she bit the top of the syringe vigorously. Becca’s face turned pale in an instant.

“What what what… What are you doing!”

“It looks like that too.”

I stumbled at the same time I spit it out.

The senses become overly sharp.

Pain spreads from the tips of her toes to her body as if her body was burning. It feels like burning alive.

“Right now… Kill me now! We need to drain all the blood! Grab it now!”

Becca drew her sword and kicked her across the floor. The shadows beside her also run towards me all at once.

I chuckled and threw myself back.

The moment the purple aura of the rift wraps around my body, I head towards them.

“Whoever wants to.”

I stopped with all my might.

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Does time flow slowly inside the rift?

Thanks to this, I could clearly see the process of my body being torn apart from the tip. I want to close my eyes, but my eyelids are also torn, and even that is impossible.

[My prayers have finally reached someone. ]

Suddenly, such a voice was heard.

Even though I don’t know anything about the goddess, my brain recognizes it as if I already knew that it was the voice of a goddess.

[ Blessings. Curse at the same time. ]

Tick. Tick.

Suddenly, I heard the ticking of the clock hands.

[The choice and responsibility are solely yours. ]

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound increases exponentially. My head can’t stand it and it feels like it’s going to explode.

[Save you. Florian. ]

Tick.

The ticking of the clock stopped the moment she called my name.

At the same time, the field of view flickers in golden light.