LS2RW 66

Chapter 66…………………….

“How… how do you intend to bring someone back from the dead?”

“You take Lady Adel’s soul out from the Underworld.”

“…So that’s why you were looking for a dark sorcerer?”

“Yes. We’ll contact the demons who’ve made contracts with dark sorcerers and summon Lady Adel’s soul from the Underworld.”

“….”

I hesitated slightly.

‘Is this person even sane right now?’

How could anyone bring the dead back to life? It was absurd.

[Hmm, that’s strange. Resurrection is prohibited in the human world, right? Did I misunderstand?]

What?? Resurrection is actually possible?

[Even now, soul transfer and resurrection are absolutely forbidden. That’s why our Lord Lian wants to keep soul transfer a secret.]

[What are you talking about? Didn’t the contractor say last time? If we get caught, the soul transfer would fail. Isn’t that why it’s supposed to be secret?]

I didn’t even know soul transfer was truly possible…

[You ignorant fire lizard, why do you think our Lian did that? If he told us humans might kill him, we’d worry, so he lied!]

[Then why are you yelling like crazy! Damn it, my ears! Gnome, are your eardrums okay?]

[…]

It was the second possession cycle when I first realized.

That this world allowed the transfer of souls and could even resurrect the dead.

‘I thought it was a skill unique to the failed author.’

But apparently, others could do it too, if certain conditions were met.

Though meeting those conditions would be extremely difficult.

‘Then Owen didn’t just turn away because of some foolish delusion… Wait a minute.’

So, if a cleric colludes with demons to attempt resurrection and gets caught, what would happen?

‘What do you mean what would happen! They’d probably end up on the guillotine together!’

“Insane.”

“Do you think so?”

What I worried about was what would happen after today.

‘Will Owen stop here?’

I had a bad feeling.

That Owen might do something even more dangerous to find another dark sorcerer.

I watched Owen’s expression closely and tried to gauge him.

“Since you couldn’t find a dark sorcerer… I suppose you’ll have to give up.”

“No. I’ll search until the very end.”

“…What?”

“I won’t stop. I’ll keep trying until I die.”

‘This bastard… he’s really going to keep doing that!’

Bang!

“A cleric trading with demons to resurrect a human! If this isn’t madness, what is? Do you want to be expelled from the temple?”

“I don’t care.”

“W-what did you say?”

“I’ve lived in the temple since I was five. I’ve devoted my entire life to serving the god. There was nothing I couldn’t do for the sake of the god.”

Owen’s golden eyes began to blaze fiercely.

“And what did the god do for me? Nothing at all.”

“The god is an observer, not an intervener. Doesn’t a cleric know that?”

“If that’s the case, why believe in the god at all? Why serve a being that just watches and offers no help?”

Owen gave a bitter smile.

“When my mother passed away… I prayed for days and nights to bring her back, but the god didn’t answer. Instead, it gave me holy power.”

“….”

“But I was grateful. With that power, I could save someone whose life was in danger, like my mother. I believed it was my mission.”

I also knew how Owen’s mother had died.

And how young Owen, despite despair, devoted himself to serving the god.

“I did everything for the god. I stayed for months in a village ravaged by plague. I helped the sick until I nearly collapsed.”

“….”

“Strangely, my holy power grew stronger. This doesn’t usually happen… My elder brother said it was proof that the god valued me.”

“….”

“I believed it too. The god values me as a servant, that’s why it gives me power.”

Owen brushed back his hair and stared into the air.

“But it was all an illusion.”

“Owen…”

“When Lady Adel disappeared into the Underworld with the Demon King… I begged to bring her back. I begged to have her returned to my side! I promised to be your servant in my next life, and the life after that, if only you did that!”

Owen closed his eyes tightly, trying to control his overwhelming emotions.

When he slowly opened them again, he looked at me.

“But the god didn’t answer. Instead, it gave me power. As if to say, ‘Here, take this and leave me alone.’ Just like when my mother died, it gave me holy power.”

His golden eyes were moist with despair.

I couldn’t bear to meet them, so I lowered my head.

“I believed in such a god.”

A transparent tear fell from Owen’s eyes.

“Now, I don’t believe in anything. Not even the god… Will I be afraid of expulsion?”

‘It won’t end with expulsion! Do you know what demons are? If you get caught, it’s death!’

Leonhart, Ruspell, Owen.

Of the three, I thought Owen would accept my death most easily.

He’s a cleric.

I assumed he could overcome it with the power of faith.

‘I was wrong again.’

Owen’s wounds were just as deep as the other two.

Perhaps even more, because as a cleric, he felt a profound betrayal toward a god who didn’t answer his prayers.

‘Alright, that’s perfect.’

Owen followed me blindly, just as he had blindly followed the god.

Like a duckling imprinting on the first being it ever saw.

‘And that being is gone, so his world has collapsed.’

I could fully understand why he wanted to risk his life to bring me back.

Honestly, it was even touching enough to make me shed a tear.

‘But… my soul isn’t in the Underworld—it’s right in front of you!’

Even if he brought the Demon King, not demons, Owen’s wish couldn’t be fulfilled.

Because I’m alive.

‘Wow, this is insane. If I leave it like this, he’ll keep causing chaos trying to find a dark sorcerer…’

I should have just told him he was a dark sorcerer from the start.

If I pretend to cooperate and then fail, what will he do?

‘Honestly, how many demons can smuggle a soul from the Underworld? At most, it’s just the Demon King or a few high-ranking demons.’

But I can’t say he’s a dark sorcerer now after all the trouble he’s caused pretending otherwise.

‘What should I do with him…’

As I sighed and pressed my palm to my forehead, the image of Piace I had stashed in my clutch flashed like lightning.

‘Maybe there’s a way?’

Among the characters appearing in Part 1, Owen was the only one who gained a new ability in Part 2.

‘The ability to see auras appeared in Part 2.’

In other words, Owen was an important character in Part 2.

“When I came to my senses, the priest was already by my side. The light that came from my body must have been strong. He heard the rumors and came.”

“To take you to the temple?”

“That too, but when awakening, if a cleric doesn’t guide you, the pain can be fatal. That’s why he rushed here.”

As Owen had told me before, a cleric was essential during awakening.

He was perfect for that role. His holy power was stronger than anyone else’s.

‘I see, so that’s what happened.’

As soon as I roughly understood the failed author’s intent, the instructions appeared as if they had been waiting for me.

[Stage 3: (smiling haughtily) I’ll help you.]

‘As expected…’

I opened my mouth with a triumphant smile.

“I’ll help you.”

Owen didn’t give in easily. He stared at me with a wary expression.

“I’ll refuse.”

[Stage 2: How will you find a being that has disappeared? You need another method.]

“Why wait for the dark sorcerer to appear? You need another method.”

“…Are you saying the Duke knows another method? What is it?”

[Stage 3: A spirit.]

‘Huh? How do I help Owen with a spirit?’

I decided to follow the instructions.

“Spirit.”

“Spirit…?”

[Stage 3: (pouting) I said I made a contract with a dark spirit. The dark spirit is the only being who can freely go in and out of the Underworld. It was born in the Underworld. You had no idea?]

‘Uh… I probably shouldn’t say it like that…’

I hesitated for a moment but followed the instructions.

The failed author must have had a reason to give these instructions. It’s probably not a setting error.

“I said I made a contract with a dark spirit. The dark spirit is the only being who can freely go in and out of the Underworld. It was born in the Underworld. You had no idea?”

Owen tilted his head.

“I know that much. But your spirit is sealed in the sword, isn’t it? It’s trapped. How can it go to and from the Underworld?”

Exactly.

That’s why I was puzzled too.

‘…?’

Why is it so quiet?

I stared at the air, but no new instructions appeared.

Damn… was it really a setting error?!

‘If you screwed it up, you have to fix it! What am I supposed to do if you just run away! You irresponsible fool!’

I was crazy to trust a failed author.

I bit my tongue to calm my anger.

“Did I… say it was sealed? I think I said it dwelled in the sword.”