How a Reincarnated Warlock Lives – Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Black Dawn Society (3)

Pekilla wasn’t a particularly talented witch.

To be a bit blunt, she could be called a dullard. Since she was young, the speed at which she awakened to sorcery was significantly slower compared to other witches her age.

But even so, no one dared to ignore her.

Unlike ordinary mages, the most important thing for a witch was lineage, and Pekilla’s family had produced numerous Grand Witches.

And her mother was considered to be exceptionally outstanding even among those individuals.

Grand Witch Sepharina.

Young Pekilla thought that her mother must surely be the most outstanding mage in the world. And that wasn’t just the wishful thinking of a child, but a somewhat reasonable assumption.

Having awakened to all the ancient sorceries, Sepharina possessed skills that even the Tower Masters of the Magic Towers would fear.

However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that her assumption was a huge misconception.

Astrid Elliger.

On the day the Grand Mage, known to be at the pinnacle of Black Magic, visited Mount Brusia.

Pekilla realized how arrogant her thoughts had been.

It was certainly humiliating that he, alone, visited the witches’ mountain and shattered the Grand Witch’s prepared sorcery, but she didn’t feel that way.

No, none of the witches present felt that way.

The overwhelming presence of the Black Mage, respected by the Archangels and Great Demons alike, was never something they could have handled in the first place.

The emotion little Pekilla felt wasn’t humiliation, but awe.

Even though she was mixed among the witches and at a distance, she still clearly remembered his intense gaze.

The intense crimson eyes that seemed to pierce through everything.

And now, after five hundred years.

“……”

This young man in front of her, for some reason, had eyes that reminded her of him.

Pekilla looked at the Inquisitor named Luciel. Sky-blue eyes.

A strange sense of déjà vu despite the completely different color.

“It will be so.”

The next moment. The air split open, and an orb appeared from within. Then, the powerful Demonic Energy that could be felt.

“……!”

Shock filled the faces of everyone present in the small garden surrounded by walls. No, not everyone.

Because the emotions that appeared on the faces of Vampire Marchena and Shadow Sorcerer Kazan weren’t shock, but admiration and exhilaration.

‘……He was certain.’

From the moment he saw through her identity, which no one had noticed until she revealed it herself, she had thought he was no ordinary person. Of course, that didn’t mean she immediately believed that this young man was the successor of the great Black Mage, but.

“An Inquisitor wielding Demonic Energy……!”

Graviol’s voice was laced with astonishment. His mouth, which seemed oblivious to the fact that his hand gripping the staff supporting him was trembling slightly, was wide open.

Pekilla could understand Graviol’s feelings. After all, she, too, was someone who sought the mysteries and knowledge of the world, just like other mages.

Having lived many times longer than Graviol, she immediately noticed the method of utilizing this mysterious power.

‘He contained Demonic Energy within a mysterious orb that can conceal its appearance, preventing a clash with the Holy Power within his body.’

In other words, creating an additional, artificial storage space separate from the body.

It was simple in words. Theoretically, it had been discussed for a long time.

But the reason no one had done this simple thing so far wasn’t solely due to ethical reasons.

Simultaneously handling two opposing forces was a feat that even the Masters of the Magic Towers couldn’t dare imagine.

It was a hundred times wiser to focus on one definite power rather than handling both powers unstably.

Rustle.

But if her eyes weren’t deceived by something, the precision with which this young Inquisitor in front of her handled Demonic Energy, excluding the absolute quantity, wasn’t significantly inferior compared to the High Priests of the Catacombs.

Of course, it was just her vague guess, as she didn’t know much about the monsters of the Catacombs.

‘……Amazing. No, overwhelming.’

According to the information they received, this young man was only in his early twenties. Since the trainees of the monastery often had records of their past, albeit roughly, finding out his personal information wasn’t that difficult.

Except for those who hid their identities in darkness, the Empire’s Sword Masters, who were making a name for themselves in the world, and the great Grand Mages of the Magic Towers, had achieved numerous feats at the tender age of ten, hadn’t they?

“……”

But she, and everyone here, instinctively felt it.

That the magnitude of the talent this young Inquisitor in front of them possessed was in no way inferior to theirs.

Rumble.

As if reacting to the Demonic Energy Luciel was generating, the small spring located in the center of the courtyard began to vibrate slightly.

“……!”

Rosalyn’s Nightmare.

The spring water, which had never reacted to anyone’s touch until now, began to stir.

Now, after a considerable amount of time, Pekilla was no longer the little girl who would cry because she couldn’t even learn simple spells. Five hundred years was enough time to turn a dullard who inherited powerful energy into an outstanding witch.

However, the thick flow of Demonic Energy surrounding this small courtyard was more than enough to amaze her.

“……Ah.”

The witch, who had entered twilight, looked at the Black Mage in front of her with trembling eyes.

It was as if she had gone back in time.

To her childhood, five hundred years ago, when she watched the great Black Mage from afar.

🔹🔹🔹

“……This Rosalyn’s Nightmare, it is said that the power of the legendary Black Mage Astrid Elliger resides within it.”

Graviol’s trembling voice flowed out.

“The story that it reacts to the one with true qualifications, it wasn’t a lie.”

Slide.

The old man slowly knelt before me.

“I sincerely apologize. I acted without knowing my place.”

An impeccably clean admission. I lightly shook my head and reached out to lift Graviol up.

I didn’t have the bad taste of forcing an elderly person with limited mobility to bow. Especially not to someone who could cleanly admit their mistake.

Marchena and Kazan seemed to have expected it to some extent, but they were still looking at me with faces filled with passionate emotions.

“……”

The witch Pekilla, in the form of a child, had a somewhat complex expression on her face.

And finally, the remaining Dark Elf, Sienna.

“……”

Unlike the others, the Dark Elf, who seemed to have an aversion to the identity of an Inquisitor itself, still had a faint hostility in her gaze as she looked at me.

“I don’t like you.”

Sienna said. After uttering the short words, she remained silent for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth with the face of someone who had finished their internal conflict.

“……But it seems to be true that you are his successor.”

Having finished speaking, she slowly bowed her head.

The eldest, the witch Pekilla, who was quietly watching this, murmured in a low voice.

“With the consent of the majority, I declare that Inquisitor Luciel Lumineger has ascended to the position of the new Leader of the Black Dawn Society.”

There was no fancy crown, no noisy cheers, no extravagant banquet hall.

There were only the polite greetings of five individuals.

But that was enough.

“So, Leader.”

Marchena grinned and looked at me.

“What’s the first order you’ll give? Since it’s the first, I’m willing to listen to anything.”

I smiled back at her, playfully baring my fangs and giving a provocative smile.

“Snake hunt.”

“……?”

A puzzled look appeared on Marchena’s face at my short answer.

“Wait. Don’t tell me……”

But soon, as if she realized the meaning behind my words, the smile on her face quickly disappeared.

🔹🔹🔹

The Black Dawn Society is basically closer to an intelligence group that advocates for a small elite force. The fact that they could directly enter the Shadow Church through specific locations scattered across the continent was a significant advantage in handling information from afar.

In addition, only those with considerably outstanding skills could become official members of the Dawn Society.

In fact, the remaining members who were currently absent were said to be infiltrating various locations across the continent to gather more detailed information. After all, a lot of money was needed to maintain the organization.

Therefore, naturally, the Black Dawn Society wasn’t an organization specialized in large-scale battles. It was true that they had a powerful few, but they couldn’t compare to the Catacombs or Sanctuaries that possessed a large number of forces.

Snake hunt.

Marchena’s expression hardened quickly when she heard my words.

The snake is the symbol of the Demon of Humility, Modesta.

In other words, snake hunting meant formally confronting the Modesta Catacomb.

It wasn’t difficult to grasp the meaning behind it. Moreover, Marchena and Kazan had dealt with the guys who had extended their claws into the Pain Kingdom with me.

“Damn it. Are you saying you’re going to completely destroy the Modesta Catacomb?”

Marchena, with a frown on her face, asked me in disbelief. Then, the old man Graviol, leaning on his staff, spoke to her in a admonishing tone.

“What kind of way is that to speak to the Leader, Marchena?”

Tsk. Marchena grumbled softly and turned her head away.

Kazan, who was looking at me and her with a somewhat calm expression, slowly opened his mouth.

“The High Priest there is a monster. Even if there are differences between Catacombs……”

He continued, hesitating slightly.

“If we clash head-on, we won’t even be able to properly pass through the entrance, let alone the lowest floor.”

Kazan’s words were the undeniable truth.

The situation was a little different from the Caridad Catacomb we attacked first. That place was the weakest among the seven Catacombs. Moreover, the experiments that had been conducted for a long time, pouring in the Catacomb’s resources, had further weakened it.

And there was also the presence of the Inquisitors who infiltrated the place and the Black Mage Harzan who helped me at that time.

The collapse of the Caridad Catacomb was possible due to a combination of various lucky circumstances.

“The Leader wouldn’t have spoken without any thought.”

The witch Pekilla’s words. I smiled faintly and looked at the spring in front of me.

The biggest reason I came here in the first place was this.

“I’m thinking of using Rosalyn’s Nightmare.”

Questioning looks settled on their faces at my words. As expected, they didn’t seem to know the true function of that spring.

It was once quite famous among mystics. It seems its function has long been forgotten. Of course, even in the past, only a very small number of people had actually been here.

“Was there anything else besides the fact that the power to maintain this place resides in that spring……?”

Graviol asked with a somewhat puzzled expression.

On the other hand, the witch Pekilla, as if she knew something, slightly frowned.

“This place is a ruin from the ancient times. No one has been able to properly handle that spring so far. I heard that only the one who first discovered this place could. Even if you are his successor……”

I tilted my head slightly, looking at the witch who trailed off.

She was right. Understanding and handling the hidden function of that spring was near impossible, even for someone with exceptional skills.

As she said, except for one person.

Five hundred years ago, the Black Dawn Society’s standing was powerful enough to be compared to the Catacombs.

Of course, now it has become a small information group forgotten by most. Compared to then, it could be said that it has become ridiculously weak now, but it didn’t matter.

The important thing was that I had returned.

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