CHAPTER 127………………………………………………
“What… did you say the title is?”
“Soul Transfer Technique. Don’t you know what that is?”
“Like possession or something? I’m not exactly sure.”
Until now, I hadn’t cared at all. I thought it had nothing to do with me.
“A long time ago, a noble with an incurable disease sought out a dark sorcerer. He said he would pay any price to be reborn in a young, healthy body.”
The method the dark sorcerer obtained from his contracted demon was exactly the Soul Transfer Technique.
“Humans naturally want to live in beautiful bodies. For old, sick nobles, this was a golden opportunity, even if they had the money.”
Though the fee was enormous and only a select few nobles could afford it, there were indeed nobles who received the Soul Transfer Technique from a dark sorcerer.
“At that time, Soul Transfer wasn’t illegal. Surprisingly, there were volunteers. If someone wants to die, who’s going to stop them?”
“There are always people desperate enough to give themselves up for money.”
“Exactly. The nobles would buy the most beautiful, young volunteer and go to the dark sorcerer. Only that person could perform the Soul Transfer.”
Ivela removed her glasses and sighed, her expression somber.
“But human greed has no limits, and the nobles weren’t satisfied. They wanted to choose the body themselves.”
“All sorts of illegal things must have happened.”
“They would threaten the person whose body they wanted, or the people around them, forcing them to comply. If that didn’t work, they simply kidnapped them.”
“Eventually, they’d just abduct whoever they wanted.”
“Exactly. The problem was the numbers. According to old texts, there was a noble who kidnapped over 300 people just for Soul Transfer.”
“Over 300? Was that because the Soul Transfer might fail?”
“If the body isn’t suitable, the Soul Transfer doesn’t last long. There’s a body meant for each soul.”
“……”
“It caused chaos back then. Uprisings broke out, some countries fell. That’s when people designated Soul Transfer as a forbidden dark technique. Yet… here it is, back in the world.”
Ivela fiddled with the golden cover and murmured quietly.
“Honestly, I’m not a good person. I’m a dark sorcerer—I’ve never lived righteously. If you want, Duke, I can translate it for you. Your needs are more important to me than my sense of justice.”
She paused briefly, then lifted her head with a determined expression.
“Just tell me one thing, though. Why do you need the Soul Transfer? You’re young, more beautiful than anyone else.”
Ivela continued cautiously.
“Have you… contracted a serious illness?”
“……”
“Your health… really isn’t good?”
I chuckled and snatched the book from Ivela’s hands.
“No. I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Then why… the Soul Transfer?”
“I didn’t realize what kind of book it was. I wanted a different one… seems there was some mistake.”
“Really?”
“Forget today. There’s no need to translate it.”
“Ha, thank goodness! I was so worried something had happened to you.”
Ivela drank the now-cold tea in a single gulp.
“What will you do with the forbidden book? Return it to the temple?”
“I’ll find an opportunity to do that.”
“Good choice. Anything related to demons brings misfortune the longer you keep it. Get rid of it as soon as possible.”
“I will.”
I replied casually and rose naturally.
“Hmm, it’s getting late. Midnight’s soon. Are you okay? It’d be dangerous if you transformed into a familiar on the way.”
“I’ll stay in the lab. More importantly… I have something urgent to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Ivela’s smile stiffened slightly.
“I received a request.”
“A request? Ah… that kind of request.”
“Yes. I had been taking small jobs while hiding my true identity as a dark sorcerer. But after the second prince incident, I said I would quit. Strange that one still came in.”
“You said you quit, didn’t you?”
“Many people don’t know that, so requests still come occasionally.”
“And?”
“Yesterday, a client came asking for a favor. They said money was no object, but they wanted you… and your fatal weakness discovered.”
“So that’s why you rushed here as soon as you got the letter?”
“They probably want to exploit my abilities to bring me down. I figured they might try using a spirit mage’s help—unaware that the spirit mage is actually a dark sorcerer.”
“Huh, someone willing to pay a fortune to discover my weakness…”
First, the Molten Marquis and his wife. The Marchioness would likely have devoured me if she could.
Then the second prince, humiliated out of the crown prince competition and estranged from the first prince. If he discovered my weakness properly, he could reverse the situation.
Other potential enemies included professors I got expelled from the academy, nobles who supported the second prince, and those who originally bore grudges against Adrian…
“Too many possible targets.”
“So I accepted the request just to get a sample of hair. That way, I could figure out who it was.”
I patted Ivela on the shoulder for her cleverness.
“Well done.”
“Hehe, nothing.”
Blushing, Ivela twisted slightly and whispered discreetly.
“It’s the Raven Cycle. We can go now… shall we today?”
“No rush. Let’s plan first, then proceed slowly.”
“Good!”
I hoped the client was the first prince. This would cement Leonhart as the crown prince candidate.
“Want to stay over? I’ll give you the best guest room. How’s that?”
“Eh! Really? Then can I also see the Ibrante Museum? I’ve always wanted to go.”
“I’ll guide you tomorrow.”
“Thank you!”
I left Ivela with the butler and returned to my bedroom.
As soon as the door closed, spirits popped out of the air.
- “What’s all this? Adrian planned the Soul Transfer?”
- “Apparently, he wanted to swap bodies with Piace. He requested the pink-haired five-year-old orphan.”
- “Humans are so irritating… but how did he know Piace’s body would fit him? Gnome, your thoughts?”
- “……”
While the spirits discussed, I glared at myself in the full-length mirror.
‘I never noticed, even though I see myself every day.’
I had wondered who the final villain would be, when they would appear… I was foolish.
The villain had never been hidden in the first place.
“Guys, let me be alone for a bit.”
- “Kind of late to say that… remember, you need to infuse the lab shield with magic today.”
- “One day should be fine. We’ll return to the spirit realm. Call us if needed.”
- “Contractor, whatever Adrian planned, it doesn’t matter if you don’t act. No need for guilt. Gnome, let’s go.”
- (nod)
With the spirits gone, the forced smile I’d been holding slowly faded.
I collapsed to the floor.
Adrian knew he could only live with an imperfect body.
He must have felt anxious about when he might die, then eventually rage.
He had everything… yet a mere heart held him back.
It wasn’t difficult for a dark sorcerer like Adrian to conceive a forbidden technique.
That’s why he sought the golden-covered forbidden book and the pink-haired orphan.
‘The cold-blooded demon tried so hard to adopt Piace for a reason.’
Adrian had to pass everything to Piace. Only then could he continue to live as he does now after swapping bodies.
To do so, he needed a familial bond with Piace—but being unmarried, adoption was impossible.
So he took him in under the guise of sponsorship, waiting for an opportunity to adopt.
Now I understood why the Doomscribbler stayed quiet when I planned the temple heist.
He wanted me to know—no matter how much I struggled, the story wouldn’t change.
“Why did you make me inhabit this body! Why! What did I do wrong! I was just an ordinary college student…”
I screamed, as if my chest would burst, but nothing changed.
This was still a novel, and I was the villain who would drive Piace to death.
“Ha…”
It felt like the rope I’d been holding onto had snapped.
‘No matter what I do, I can’t escape the Doomscribbler. I’ll move exactly as he intends.’
Maybe I should just give up. Nothing would change anyway.
I buried my face in my hands and collapsed on the floor.
“I want to go home…”
The carpet soaked up my tears.
As I stared at the spreading wetness, shiny tips of shoes appeared in front of me.
I didn’t even hear the door open.
I jumped up, startled.
“W-who… Spirit King?!”
