Chapter 84
It was clear that they had suffered for a long time after I disappeared.
On top of that, the building had collapsed, so they must have thought it was a huge disaster.
I could vividly imagine their trembling, terrified at the thought that something might have happened to me.
Feeling a pang of guilt, I patted Lucas on the back.
“You did well.”
“Oh, it’s nothing… sniff.”
Noah, watching the scene with disapproval, asked,
“The cult leader?”
“Heraeus took care of it.”
Lucas was the first to react to that. His eyes brimmed with anticipation as he looked at Heraeus.
“Then, the brainwashing has been lifted too?”
“Yes.”
With a thud, Lucas sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands.
“It really worked… then our village… will return to normal…”
“Master!”
“Lucas, Master!”
At the familiar voices calling his name, Lucas lifted his head abruptly.
In the distance, he could see the villagers running toward them.
“So everyone’s back!”
The joy was brief.
Something felt off. If the brainwashing had been lifted, they should have been rejoicing, but the expressions on their faces were not of happiness—they were of terror.
“Heren, something’s wrong.”
Their faces were as pale as paper, a sign that could not be ignored.
“Leader! Miss!”
And then there was Igus, at the front of the group, pushing past the villagers.
“Yeah, something doesn’t feel right.”
Seeing Igus running frantically reminded me of him searching for us just a few hours ago.
It hadn’t been good news back then either…
Running at an alarming speed, Igus spotted the duke and called out in a voice full of relief.
“Duke! I’m glad you’re safe!”
“I’m glad you’re safe too. What about the others?”
“They’re all fine. But I don’t know how long they can hold out.”
“Hold out? Against what?”
No sooner had the duke asked than screams erupted from the forest.
“Ahhhh! Save me!”
The terrified villagers clung to Ethan.
“Priest, please save us!”
“At this rate, we’ll all die!”
“What’s going on? What could cause this…”
Ethan tried to calm them, but it was useless.
In their panic, it was impossible to get a proper answer.
Then there was only one person left.
All eyes turned to Igus.
“…The lake is strange.”
Swallowing hard, Igus spoke with a grave expression.
“If we don’t stop it, as they said, everyone will die.”
I finally understood why everyone was trembling in fear.
Arriving at the lakeside, I was horrified by the sight before me.
The lake had turned completely black and was overflowing, swallowing everything in its path.
Dried-up grass, tree roots, stones, even the ground itself…
The black water burned everything it touched to pitch-black ash.
That black water was death itself.
“God is angry…”
Someone muttered from a distance.
“…Allowing heretics to remain here, defiling the sacred lake, they’re being punished, no doubt.”
Those who witnessed this phenomenon, impossible by human hands, thought of divine wrath and instinctively clung to the priest.
But even the priests they trusted were powerless.
It was impossible for a small group to stop such a vast lake.
“Everyone, return to the village and evacuate!”
The knights rushed about, trying to evacuate the people to prevent casualties.
But even that was not easy.
Some fled, some were stunned, having lost their homes, and some struggled desperately to stop the flood.
Watching the chaos, Heraeus clicked his tongue in irritation.
“That troublesome brat keeps causing trouble until the very end.”
“What happened?”
Heraeus seemed to know the source of the disaster.
Then Ban suddenly jumped onto my shoulder, patting his chest.
“I know! That arrogant guy offered himself as a sacrifice to trigger a pre-set spell! It’s an ancient spell!”
Clearing his throat, Heraeus added some explanation.
“More precisely, it’s an ancient curse. Not exactly magic. That’s a curse.”
“A curse…”
“If we really want to stop it, we can’t purify it. We have to find the medium of the curse and destroy it, but I guess you didn’t know.”
Trying to purify it would be like pouring water into a bottomless pot, Heraeus clicked his tongue again.
“What if Ethan purified the medium?”
“That kind of power might be enough. But the problem is, he only has one body.”
As he said, Ethan was already busy treating the injured and trying to hold back the rising lake.
“…Purification is impossible. The lake will engulf the village as soon as Ethan steps away.”
“Then there’s no choice but to destroy the medium.”
Heraeus shrugged off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
“What are you doing?”
“We need to solve this quickly to go home. I’ll handle it. Just wait here.”
“You’re going… alone? Where?”
“Probably into the lake?”
His tone was astonishingly calm.
I almost let it pass, thinking, ‘Oh, I see,’ but I shouted instead.
“What? Into the lake? The black water is boiling!”
“Yeah, it looks a bit dirty.”
“It’s more than just dirty!”
I grabbed his wrist urgently as he moved away after adjusting my coat.
“If you go, at least take a priest. The water burns anything it touches.”
“No need. It’ll just get in the way.”
He waved off the idea that anyone with him would be anything but a burden.
He really intended to go alone.
“Even if it’s to save people, that’s too dangerous!”
Heraeus laughed, as if hearing a funny story.
“Do you think I’m doing this for the villagers?”
“Not…?”
“Whether the village dies or disappears forever, I don’t care.”
Despite his gentle tone, his words were merciless.
“But you wouldn’t leave. You and your family won’t leave until this is resolved.”
He was right. My father and brother would never abandon this place.
And as long as they remained, I wouldn’t leave either.
Heraeus, knowing this from the start, had discarded the option of leaving.
“So what choice do I have? Annoying as it is, I have to eliminate the source myself.”
“Heren…”
“Sis, I just want to get home with you as soon as possible.”
Heraeus reached out, gently brushing damp hair off my cheek and tucking it behind my ear.
“Staying in such a filthy place isn’t good for your health either.”
“But…”
Did he really have to go? It was a curse, after all, regardless of his strength.
I looked at him anxiously.
“…Can’t you not go? Or go together?”
“I told you not to give me that look. Only learning dangerous things, huh.”
Heraeus glared at me, then covered my eyes completely.
“Hey! I’m not joking!”
“I’m not either. If you’re so worried, how about a kiss to see me off?”
“That makes no sense…!”
I swallowed hard. The unfamiliar warm breath on my face was both ticklish and thrilling.
My hair stood on end as I froze, hearing his low voice near my ear.
“Not pushing me away?”
“…Go ahead if you want to lose your lips to me.”
“We have many days ahead. Losing your lips now would be troublesome. Then I’ll give you a victorious kiss when I return.”
“Who says so!”
A short laugh echoed near my ear.
The hand covering my eyes finally disappeared.
“It won’t take long. Stay near the young duke, or go with Lina to the village.”
“Wait, Heren!”
But Heraeus had already slipped from my grasp before I could stop him.
