Chapter 85
He cloaked himself in a shield and strode boldly across the black water—then threw himself into the lake.
Splash!
As the black droplets sprayed up, I nearly screamed, stamping my feet in panic.
“He’s crazy! He actually jumped in! What on earth does he think he’ll find down there?!”
I grabbed Ban and shook him.
“Ban, do something!”
“It’s fine. The inside of the lake might actually be safer.”
“Safer? In this stuff?”
Crackle.
I bit my lip as I stepped back from the black water that nearly touched my toes.
At this rate, I’d only get farther away from Herace.
“My lady, Lord Ban—it’s dangerous. Let’s go back to the village.”
“It’s fine. Even if it looks dangerous, to Herace and Sienna this is nothing. Rina, you’re the one most at risk here.”
Ban turned to her. “The moment this water touches you, your legs will rot. Step back.” Then he wrapped his arms around my neck.
“Don’t worry. That guy will handle it just fine. Let’s go and rest.”
Even as Ban urged me to leave, I just stood there, staring at the black water.
Why am I okay? The shield had only barely worked this time…
In truth, there was something that had been bothering me ever since we were underground.
Maybe…
I slowly opened my mouth.
“…Ban, when you say nothing happens to me—”
“Yeah?”
“—is that because I managed to use the shield?”
Or—
“—because I’m a nullification sorcerer?”
I’d been suspicious ever since the moment I opened the basement door.
I hadn’t done anything special—just willed the magic to disappear and the door had opened.
A normal sorcerer couldn’t possibly do that.
If it were that easy, Herace could have solved everything without needing me.
There was only one kind of person who could.
A nullification sorcerer.
‘It erases another’s magic—literally neutralizes it. From unlocking magically sealed boxes to breaking brainwashing spells, even undoing curses or seals depending on the strength of one’s power.’
‘The method is simple. Just think: I want this magic gone. I want it back the way it was at the start.’
Herace’s explanation from the dream floated up in my mind.
It was exactly the same as what he’d taught me in the basement.
And the fact that he’d called out to me specifically—didn’t that mean I had that ability?
I urged Ban, who was now avoiding my eyes.
“Ban, you’re not going to answer?”
“…Does my answer even matter now? You already know.”
“I see. So that’s how it is.”
I smiled faintly at his grumbling tone.
“Rina.”
“My lady, please don’t. Stop right there.”
Rina reached out urgently—she must’ve already guessed what I intended to do.
“I’m Herace’s master, at least in name. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“My lady!”
“It’s fine. I’ll be right back.”
I stepped toward the black water.
An ordinary person would have melted away instantly—but if I truly was a nullification sorcerer, and this was all caused by magic—
Then to me, it’s nothing more than ordinary water.
And I was right.
Splash. The cold temperature of the lake made me let out a long breath.
“Sienna, if you go there, Herace will be angry.”
“Good. I’m angry too.”
He went without me even though I told him not to?
And he hid that I’m a nullification sorcerer?
There were several things he needed to be scolded for.
Splash, splash.
As I ran across the water like shallow puddles, voices rose behind me.
“Look, look there! How is she walking through that like it’s nothing?”
“Isn’t that the young lady?”
“How could the young lady possibly—!”
The murmurs reached me—and among them was Ethan’s voice.
“Sienna! Are you insane?! Come back here right now!”
“Sienna! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Noah had spotted me too, shouting at the top of his lungs, his face twisted in frustration—like he desperately wanted to come after me but couldn’t.
I raised my voice toward the two of them.
“I’ll fix this and come back! You and brother just guard the forest!”
And with that, I dove into the lake.
“Hup!”
The moment I plunged in, eyes tightly shut, I regretted it.
The filth and black liquid made it impossible to see anything.
At this rate, I’ll die buried under this sludge before I even find Herace.
As I hesitated, something poked my arm.
Ban puffed up his cheeks, then exhaled a huge breath—whoooosh!
A bubble, large as a soap balloon, formed from his mouth and slowly enveloped me.
Pop. I gasped as I found myself inside the bubble.
“…I can breathe?”
“Phew! Sienna! You’re being reckless! You’re not at Herace’s level yet—he can handle everything with a wave of his hand!”
Ban, having slipped in after me, grumbled as he wrung out his tail.
“Ugh, this water—no matter how much I squeeze, it keeps coming out.”
He complained about his soaked body, then gave up, sitting down with a sigh.
“Finally, I can see a little ahead.”
Just as he said, the deeper we went, the clearer it became.
Beneath the lake, where the blackness thinned, the water was surprisingly pure—so clear I could see all around.
“This lake’s… really deep…”
It felt less like a lake and more like the ocean floor.
“What was Herace thinking, coming here alone…?”
“…You’re probably the only one in the world worried about that guy.”
Ban gave me a look like I’d said something ridiculous.
“If you’re that worried, go see for yourself. We’re almost there.”
Then I blinked in disbelief at the sight before me.
“…What is that?”
“An ancient ruin—it’s been here since the old days.”
Ah, that explained it. Even from afar, it had looked unusual.
A massive temple stood before us, surrounded by greenery impossible to find on the surface.
“How can trees grow under a lake?”
I pointed at the transparent dome covering the area.
“So what’s that clear barrier?”
“Something like this bubble. You can breathe inside.”
Ah, so that’s why plants could thrive here.
“Wow… that’s amazing.”
“‘Amazing,’ she says. I don’t even know how that thing’s still standing.”
Ban snorted, but I was too awestruck to care.
The bubble drifted down and burst with a soft pop once we touched the ground.
I landed safely and patted Ban’s head.
“Good job, Ban.”
“Hmph. Then buy me cake.”
“I’ll buy you a whole one.”
“Yay!”
Leaving the delighted Ban behind, I looked around.
‘If I can just reach Paradise—just there—!’
“Could this be the ‘Paradise’ the cult leader mentioned?”
The name fit perfectly—it truly deserved to be called paradise.
Unlike the eerie forest and unsettling chapel above, this place overflowed with life.
No real sky, yet the blue lake, the fresh air, the gentle warmth—
If a utopia existed, it would look like this.
And yet, the longer I stood there, the more déjà vu I felt.
It was my first time here… but it felt strangely familiar.
Suddenly, pain lanced through my head.
“Ugh.”
“Headache?”
Ban tugged at my skirt worriedly. I pressed my temples and shook my head.
“Maybe because I jumped into cold water.”
“Told you not to rush in.”
He fluttered up, heavy wings beating, and touched my forehead.
“…What are you doing?”
“Cooling you down might help, right?”
“Maybe…”
I gave a dry laugh as a trickle of cold water ran down my face.
“At least you could’ve wrung the water out of your paws first.”
“Pff—” I spat out the water that got in my mouth and wiped my face—then froze.
Rustle.
There was movement behind me.
“Sienna?”
“Herace!”
I turned toward the familiar voice with a bright smile—then fell silent.
Why does he look completely dry?
Unlike us, who looked like drowned rats, Herace had not a drop of water on him.
He, too, seemed startled to see me.
Then, rubbing his eyes, he sighed.
“…I told you to wait quietly.”
“Would you have stayed put? You just jumped straight into a lake! How could I sit still? It could’ve been dangerous!”
“That’s why you shouldn’t have come.”
I hadn’t expected a warm welcome—but this much scolding?
I pouted, kicking a pebble at my feet.
“Whatever. I just didn’t want to leave you alone.”
“…”
“And if I had gone somewhere dangerous, you would’ve followed too.”
At that, Herace’s lips closed wordlessly.
I smiled in victory.
Unable to argue, he changed targets.
“Ban. I told you to keep her safe.”
“Whoa, hold on—why am I the one getting yelled at now?”
Ban huffed, squeezing more water out of his tail with an indignant snort.
