Episode 1211

Episode 1211

-The cowardly empire’s minions are trying to break through the gate!

-Noble ones, assemble! Those worms dare to steal what’s ours!

‘Were they still fighting?’

Lee Han turned his gaze in surprise at the shouts of the vampire undead.

It seemed that the evil god cultist priests, whom he had reluctantly offered as sacrifices earlier, were now attempting to breach the fortress gate.

“How did they get all the way to the front of the gate? The fortress’s offensive power wasn’t ordinary…”

-The one leading those evil god cultists must be quite skilled. Well, you’d need at least that much skill to rise within the order.

This fortress was by no means an easy place.

Though it was broken and ruined now, in its heyday, hadn’t the vampire rebels used it as a strategic point?

Even the weakened undead could unleash formidable attacks inside this fortress, as long as they absorbed the swirling, tainted magic.

But not only did such a small force reach the gate, they were even attempting to break through.

-No. Skill is one thing, but they seem to be enraged.

“Pardon?”

-Those evil god cultists didn’t come here out of personal grudge. They’re here because of contracts and deals. And yet, they’re refusing to back down and pressing the attack like this…

The hamster analyzed coolly.

By the time one becomes a bishop of the evil god cult, acting on madness alone is impossible. Such people usually fall out during their days as an ordinary priest.

In a situation like this, a tactical retreat would be the right call, and yet they were trying to break through.

This was clearly an emotional response — furious, and deeply so.

“Indeed. Evil god cultists dislike each other. Did the power of Sanguiros make them that angry?”

-What are you talking about? If they’re mad, it’s probably because of you.

“???”

Lee Han was bewildered.

Of course, he did sell out the evil god cultists outside, but he’d had no choice.

More importantly, there was no way the enemy could know that.

“Why are they angry at me?”

-Because while they were only watching the fight outside the swamp, you quietly snuck into the fortress.

“……”

From the perspective of the evil god cultists led by the bishop, Lee Han was nothing but suspicious.

He only watched the fight with the undead, but as soon as the fortress appeared, entered first.

From their perspective, it wouldn’t be strange to suspect that ‘there’s something inside the fortress, and the wizard wants to monopolize it alone.’

Lee Han lamented the nonsensical misunderstanding. As expected, the wicked were so greedy that their misunderstandings were arbitrary as well.

“How ridiculous. I was just curious about the professor’s school days.”

-…?

The hamster tilted his head.

Didn’t he come here because of the fortress’s magic?

Why is he talking about the professor’s school days…

-…You bastard!!!!

‘Oops.’

Lee Han realized the hamster had only just figured it out.

In truth, Lee Han was not very interested in ancient magic.

-■■■■■■■! ■■■!!

‘Good thing I don’t know the language.’

The hamster, excited, began hurling curses mixed with ancient language and regional dialects.

Lee Han could usually tolerate him—since he staggered just from being pelted by grape-sized objects—but this was a rare instance of real anger.

At the sight, Lee Han hesitated.

Had he lied too cunningly?

‘No. I didn’t lie. If the hamster had even a bit of interest in Professor Baegrek, he’d have realized immediately.’

In the end, the evil magical criminal’s malicious indifference had bitten him back.

Finishing his self-justification, Lee Han headed for the upper floors. Anyway, the hamster’s anger would subside once he saw the magic.

-You! You’re the kin who alerted us about the enemy’s invasion!

“Wa—”

Lee Han tried to deny it, but the undead had already made up their minds.

-Tell us what you know about their weaknesses!

The undead crowding near the gate exuded a truly threatening and ferocious aura. Helplessly, Lee Han blurted out anything.

“They are wicked ones who worship Prahgal!”

-So that’s it! I see! They’re running wild, relying on their regeneration. Bring some poison! Ruin their regenerative abilities!

‘Uh-oh.’

Lee Han hadn’t expected such throwaway information to be useful, but the undead were more competent than he’d thought.

Despite losing most of their memories, upon simply hearing their enemy’s identity, they miraculously devised an effective counter-strategy.

Against foes who use regeneration as a weapon, disrupting them with poison and curses to immobilize them was a solid tactic.

“…At this point, what can I do? I’ll just head upstairs.”

Lee Han cleanly gave up.

He felt a bit sorry for those outside, but it was unavoidable.

There wasn’t anything he could do now, after all.

-……

Even as he raged, the hamster peered at Lee Han with shocked, horrified eyes.

This…

‘Was he shouldering some kind of doomsday fate on his back?’

Seeing every villain tangled up with him suffer hardship made Lee Han shiver to the core.

The most chilling part was that, even though he didn’t intend it, things always ended up like this.

This wasn’t something that could be planned. It was pure, genuine improvisation.

How on earth?

“Have you calmed down, by any chance?”

-…Y-yes.

The hamster’s tone unconsciously became a bit more polite.

It was a visceral fear.

A pure harbinger of doom, unrelated to the level of magic skills!

‘…Has he really calmed down?’

Lee Han wondered, a bit suspicious.

The old fellow, who’d been shouting a moment ago, had suddenly turned calm—if anything, it was more untrustworthy.

Was he making a show of his sulking?

‘It’s not like he’s Gainando. He’s not that old, surely.’

---

The fighting at the gate had become even more intense, but as Lee Han made his way to the upper part of the fortress, he encountered no resistance.

Occasionally, powerful vampire guards spotted Lee Han and spoke to him.

-You must be the kin who reported the intruders. The elders are above.

“…Th-thanks.”

-Your honorable devotion shown when the traitors emerged will never be forgotten.

“I am… a bit honorable. Sure.”

Lee Han made his way up almost suspiciously smoothly.

Suddenly, his expression changed. The hamster also stiffened belatedly.

‘The magic is different!’

Unlike the various swirling polluted, filthy magic within the fortress, this was dense, pure magic.

It had been completely sealed away, so Lee Han hadn’t felt it outside. But upon entering the upper floors, he felt the presence of that magic.

Strangely, he sensed the smell of blood in that magic.

“…Can the smell of blood really be so strong in magic too?”

-A mage with a sensitive nose can read even more from magic. Since they’re Sanguiros worshippers, it’s probably magic gained by offering sacrifices.

With a tense face, more so than before, Lee Han walked the corridor slowly.

The feeling of magic only grew stronger and more pungent.

-Has the magic still not awakened? Hm?

-It’ll awaken soon. Wait! Just wait with faith. You’re not going to act like a traitor just because a few imperial minions are lurking around, are you?

-Such an insult! Watch your tongue!

Though Lee Han didn’t know their houses or names, he guessed these were the highest-ranking members of the western vampire families.

These patriarchs wore the most valuable and powerful ceremonial garments Lee Han had seen in this territory. More than simple magical enchantments, the blessing of Sanguiros was so deeply embedded as to be chilling. It could hardly have been obtained by simple sacrifice.

“…Hm. Ahem.”

He cleared his throat, but the patriarchs paid no attention. It was as if only the magic and they themselves existed in the world.

No matter what happened outside the fortress—even if an intruder coughed in their presence—it meant nothing to them.

-They’re properly bewitched by the magic.

“Bewitched by magic…?”

-It’s not just mages who get bewitched by magic. Even those unrelated to magic get bewitched.

For the hamster, this scene was not unfamiliar.

How many mages had been devoured by the magic they studied? There were countless magical criminals who disappeared as they desperately clung to magic, even while their bodies burned.

-I wondered why they dared challenge the empire, but so this was what they had.

When their evil faith and criminal acts were exposed, the western vampire families had chosen rebellion instead of acknowledgement and cooperation.

At the time, it seemed like simple fanaticism, but now it appeared they had a foundation after all.

They were using the evil god’s power to prepare a great spell.

So much so that patriarchs of several distinguished houses were enchanted by it, thinking, ‘Once this is complete, we can turn the tide of war!’

-What kind of magic is it? Try tinkering with it. I need to see its reaction.

The hamster pleaded desperately with Lee Han.

Nothing excited a mage more than a spell of unknown identity.

But the magic prepared by these vampire patriarchs, though pure and immense in power, was otherwise unreadable—because it wasn’t an ordinary ritual but one conducted through the evil god’s power.

I thought you’d take an interest. Within this spell, an ancient devil is sealed.

The voice of Sanguiros rang thunderously. The patriarchs, even at their master’s words, only stared blankly at the magic.

The hamster, excited, asked repeatedly.

-An ancient devil?! Which devil? Is it one I’ve heard of?

Hahaha… Yes, yes! It’s a devil so infamous you’d be shocked to know its name. What if you could melt that devil down and consume it yourself?

-Melt it and consume it? Nonsense! That’s impossible!

The hamster shouted, almost in convulsion.

But in that outburst was a desperate hope for an explanation he could accept—as a mage.

How could a mortal absorb the power of a great devil?

If he did, his soul would burst apart.

It’s possible! If you have power exceeding that of a god, it’s possible! Do you know how many offerings are poured into this spell?

-Y-yes! Use the souls of those sacrificed in the West as reagents… So they evolve themselves!?

The hamster, forgetting even the circumstances, shouted in an entranced voice.

It was a truly fascinating notion.

He’d thought it was just a reckless rebellion by idiotic vampires, but never imagined such captivating ancient magic lay hidden.

If one sacrificed enough souls, even a mortal’s soul could evolve and expand.

No matter how powerful a devil, the same applied. Continued offerings would increase their magical firepower, and eventually even a devil could melt away.

It didn’t matter which patriarch had prepared this ancient spell, or how heavily Sanguiros was involved. The hamster, his body flushed with heat, shouted.

-You absolutely must not let the undead have that spell!

Hahaha… There’s no need to worry. I am a generous god. I know how to reward those who serve and respect me. Mortal, sweep these undead into the magic and complete it. I shall bestow the completed spell upon you!

-!!!!

The hamster felt as if his heart would stop from excitement.

Who would have thought that accidentally gaining favor with a tainted evil god would come back as such a golden opportunity?

He regretted that he himself could not obtain that power, but to simply witness the spell’s completion felt satisfying enough.

-Sweep them in! Quickly! Before the evil god changes its mind!

Even before the words were finished, a torrent of immense magical power surged from Lee Han. The hamster nodded enthusiastically.

‘He’s realized the importance of this spell!’

But something was wrong.

For the supposed power of the spell, there was too much thunder…

RUMBLE!

Suddenly, the power of the Thunder King Perkuntra was shaking the surroundings. The hamster panicked.

-Why would you summon such a spirit just to deal with those dazed undead?

At that moment, the hamster locked eyes with Lee Han. Within the wizard’s gaze, another presence flickered.

From the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons, the hunter demon Mafuda had come forth to aid Lee Han.

At this, the hamster felt the most intense foreboding he’d ever experienced.

That was absolutely not the attitude of a mage eager to gain magic.

Could it be…

Could it…?!

The lightning spear was complete.

-It’s the Lightning Spear of Demonic Subjugation!

Perkuntra and Mafuda shouted in a belligerent chorus.

These two understood the situation instinctively.

Rather than bothering the wizard with pointless questions, all they could do now was cooperate!

“Throw!”

Lee Han didn’t give the hamster even a chance to persuade him. He pulled out the most powerful grand magic and hurled it without hesitation.

At that horrifying destruction, both the hamster and Sanguiros screamed at once.