Noble Soul (13)

Soya tried to understand Baek Yuseol's words with a puzzled expression.

'Who did he ask me to kill?'

It was definitely Chelriban.

The black sorcerer who challenged the Dark Sorcerer King, lost, and fled to preserve his worthless life. He was now known as the "traitor," with his whereabouts unknown...

"Chelriban? Did you say Chelriban?"

"Yes. Why? Are you scared?"

"Hah... You humans really don't understand..."

She brushed her hair behind her neck and continued.

"Chelriban is the worst criminal in the black magic society. Just bringing his head to the Dark Mage King would grant an enormous reward. Why do you think no one has hunted him down yet?"

Because Chelriban was strong enough to challenge the Dark Mage King, and his whereabouts had been unknown for years.

"He's been missing for years. I've tried to find him a few times, but hunting Chelriban is impossible..."

"Stop babbling."

"...What?"

Baek Yuseol cut her excuses short, knowing there was no benefit in prolonging the conversation.

"Do you think I'd make such a proposal without considering these trivial matters? I know where Chelriban is. And I also know that you can't defeat him."

Soya's expression hardened.

She couldn't defeat Chelriban.

That was a clear fact. How many existing black sorcerers could defeat him? Probably none except for the Dark Mage King...

So, Soya was about to refuse the offer. Even though she was tempted by the promise of "fully absorbing the spirit's heart," it wasn't worth risking her life.

Baek Yuseol needed to present a tempting condition for her.

"You can't kill Chelriban in a direct fight."
"But there is a way to win."

"What? That's the same thing. Are you playing with words?"

"It's different. You don't seem to understand."

Soya's mind lit up as she finally understood Baek Yuseol's words.

You can't kill him in a direct confrontation, but... there is a way to win.

"If you only need to bring his head to the Dark Mage King, why bother with a direct fight?"

"That means..."

"He has a fatal weakness. I know what it is. So, will you make a deal?"

"A weakness for Chelriban? Even if that's true, how can I trust it?"

What else could he say to convince her? What proof could he present?

In truth, all of this was a lie.

Soya was dangerous.

Not only did she have the unique ability to steal the spirit's heart, but her physical abilities alone would ensure Baek Yuseol's defeat in a direct confrontation.

But he couldn't just let her, who threatened Leafanel, go.

'It's like fighting fire with fire.'

She couldn't defeat Chelriban.

Even if the sky fell and the world began anew, that fact would not change.

In the original game, Aether World Online, scenes of Soya and Chelriban's battles were shown several times, and Chelriban always won overwhelmingly.

Because Chelriban's abilities were a superior version of Soya's.

So, sending her to Chelriban was a way to deal with her without lifting a finger.

'If I want to tempt her, I have to...'

Baek Yuseol, who was about to stir her mind with another lie, suddenly narrowed his eyes, sensing a strange feeling as he looked into her eyes.

[Doubtful, Positive, Excited, Slightly Suspicious, Cautious, Indecisive.]

Fragments of emotions were visible. It was unmistakably the ability of Yeon Hong Chun Sam Wol.

'...More positive than I thought?'

He expected deep suspicion, but she was already half-convinced.

'In that case, instead of a clumsy lie...'

Baek Yuseol cleared his throat and spoke with a nonchalant voice.

"You're full of doubts. The proposal is off. I trusted your reputation for having the guts to steal the spirit's heart, but now I see you're just a coward, no different from Chelriban. I'll ask someone else."

Just as he picked up the shoe and was about to leave, Soya's clone, who had approached silently, grabbed his wrist.

Whack!

He didn't even feel the movement, but he wasn't surprised, having anticipated her reaction. Pretending to be unbothered, he spoke calmly.

"Well, have you changed your mind?"

"...I'll listen. What is this weakness? Can I really take his head? And can you help me absorb the heart?"

She was hooked.

Baek Yuseol hid a slight smile and nodded.

"Alright, let's talk slowly."

"...Whew!"

As the clone returned, numerous memories flooded into Soya's mind.

Slowly opening her eyes, she shook her head to clear the throbbing pain and reflected on Baek Yuseol's words.

'Chelriban's weakness...'

He must have been chasing Chelriban for a long time. He knew more about Chelriban than any black sorcerer.

The only contractor of Dungal Toiwol in the world, who survived after challenging the Dark Mage King.

'I don't know why a non-black sorcerer is chasing him...'

Baek Yuseol was determined to hunt Chelriban, even offering to help in the fight.

'Why?'

Baek Yuseol remained a mystery. Was he really a sorcerer? Was he even human?

There was nothing certain.

But it didn't seem to matter.

Baek Yuseol's goal and her goal aligned this time.

That's all that mattered.

"Soya~ You're back?"

Hearing a woman's voice from behind, Soya turned her head with a hardened expression. There stood a woman in a highly revealing outfit, ironically called a "robe" meant to cover the entire body.

(TL: I don't understand how a robe meant to cover the whole body gave her a revealing look. maybe she was wearing the robe like superman, exposing her whole body and her panties)

It's truly ironic.

The woman, with her light green robe fluttering elegantly, walked over to Soya and whispered.

"Toa sent me. Recently, you seem to be up to something foolish... He's planning to kill you."

"...Did Master Toa really say that to me? Hmph, that's absurd."

Soya scoffed, but she couldn't easily dismiss his words.

Toa Legron.
(TL: is she the one Eltman talked about with that other 9th class wizard.?. i don't really recall)

A 9th-class wizard and the master of the Light Green Tower, his teacher was none other than the "King of Pureblood Witches."

There are very few who inherited the bloodline of pureblood witches in this world.

Soya, a half-witch herself, was closer to being either human or a dark sorcerer.

"There are now so few witches left in this world that you can count them on one hand, including yourself. Even if you are a half-witch, he wouldn't want to kill one of the few remaining witches with his own hands. So why don't you keep a low profile?"

No matter how powerful a witch is, in the end, they were nearly exterminated by witch hunters and wizards.

So if she drew attention to herself, she would quickly become a target. Master Toa Legron didn't want that.

"Hah, a wizard being so arrogant..."

"Hm, really?"

"Why don't you mind your own business and get lost before I decide to kill you?"

"Oh my, how scary~"

The woman made an exaggeratedly surprised face, then waved her hand and turned to walk away.

"I was going to leave anyway~ There's a boy that Master has taken an interest in recently. Was his name Baek Yuseol?"

"What?"

"Hm? Have you heard of him?"

Soya reacted for a moment to the woman's words, then shook her head.

"Hm. Anyway, I'm off now, so stay quiet! Bye~!"

After she left, Soya licked her lips and gathered her thoughts.

'So that old hag has taken an interest in him...?'

The fact that she, who had no interest in anything except for matters of witches, had taken an interest in Baek Yuseol was proof enough that he was not ordinary.

'He could certainly be useful.'

Chelriban's head.

And the spirit's heart.

The thought that all these things might fall into her hands made her smile even wider.

Crunch!

"Guh...!"

With both arms, Chelriban snapped and broke the neck of the dark sorcerer. Of course, this wouldn't kill a dark sorcerer.

To completely stop their life, you must pierce and burst their heart, destroying the source of their dark magic.

Splat!

As if swatting a mosquito, Chelriban nonchalantly plucked the heart of the dark sorcerer with his bare hands and sighed in annoyance.

"Whew... That was dealt with quietly."

He made sure the dark magic didn't leak out. He realized it was harder than he thought to fight without unleashing his power.

"Will I be able to pass quietly this time?"

Chelriban muttered as he brushed his hands off.

"Who said you could?"

A young man's voice echoed like a reverberation from the air.

The familiar yet irritating voice made Chelriban's face contort in frustration.

"...What the hell are you?"

Leisurely lifting his head, he looked up at the sky.

Walking down what seemed like invisible stairs in the air was Aryumun, and their eyes met.

"You've been hard to find. If those pests hadn't bothered you, it might have been a bit harder..."

A lazy and relaxed voice.

The strange tone that made even the listener feel sleepy only served to annoy Chelriban.

"Ha... Can't we just let this pass? Do you really want to fight here? I shouldn't be saying this, but if we fight, this World Tree will collapse, causing countless innocent casualties."

"I don't care."

This time, someone else answered.

Quickly turning around, he saw a woman dressed in a completely black robe walking gracefully toward him.

'The Elf King.'

He could tell immediately.

Such a unique and vivid aura of the World Tree could only be possessed by someone special.

Even the World Tree itself wouldn't be purer than her.

"The World Tree won't get hurt."

"...This is troublesome. What brings the Elf King here? To catch me?"

"It's not for such a trivial reason, so don't worry. You're just a minor task I need to deal with in the middle of a very important matter."

Florin seemed genuinely displeased. Whatever her "very important matter" was, the fact that it was more important than Chelriban, who had made a name for himself in legends, was quite shocking.

"I'm not someone who should be treated like this..."

What should he do?

Chelriban sensed and imprinted the auras of the Elf King and Aryumun blocking his way from both sides.

One was a 9th-class wizard.

The other was a high elf blessed by the World Tree.

No matter how powerful Chelriban was, having once challenged the Dark Sorcerer King, it seemed he wouldn't be able to avoid a tough battle.

'But... I can't avoid this fight.'

Thinking that far, he felt excited. Chelriban slowly lifted the corners of his mouth into a bizarre smile, a smile filled with pure 'joy.'

"Alright... I was bored anyway. Come at me, both of you."

He cracked his wrists.

"But one of you better be prepared to lose your head."