Chapter 189 : Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Lilith Eradication Operation (1)

Rachel stared at the scene unfolding before her with a dazed expression.

The entire table had suddenly been engulfed in a huge flame.

Of course, Loki had tried to put out the flames, and just then, a sword that had popped out of nowhere pierced his neck.

‘What?’

Rachel hurriedly stared at the point where the sword had popped out.

A deep shadow created by the crimson firelight.

The sword was sticking out from within that shadow.

Thump!

As the sword was pulled out, Loki, who had collapsed weakly on the floor, coughed up blood a few times and then died.

It was a futile death, hard to believe it was the end of one of the top-ranking High Clerics in the Darkness Council.

The time it took for the flames to rise and Loki to die was only a few seconds.

‘I don’t know who it is, but that’s some fearsome skill.’

Rachel glared at the shadow flickering along with the flames with a tense gaze.

But she immediately relaxed her expression.

“……Ah!”

A man who had popped out from within the shadow.

As he took off his mask, a familiar face appeared.

“I’m glad you’re alright, Rachel.”

“Luis!”

He was Luis, who had come to find Rachel on Gerard's orders.

“You’re more capable than I thought, huh? How on earth did you find me?”

“I was lucky.”

And so, Luis shook the artifact on his finger, the ‘Tracker’s Seal’.

Rachel was about to burst out laughing in relief, but upon seeing the still blazing table, she hurriedly shouted.

“Hey, hey, hey, Luis! Put out the fire!”

On top of it was the data of Bishop Lutus that she had painstakingly obtained.

She couldn't let it burn to a handful of ash.

However, the flames were instantly suppressed with a single wave of Luis's hand.

No.

To be precise, it would be more correct to say that it had disappeared like a mirage.

“Huh, what?”

“It's an imitation. It's a fake flame that I made.”

“But it was definitely hot.”

“It’s an illusion you instinctively feel when you see a fire.”

It was true.

Nothing had changed on the table from before the flames had risen.

There were no signs of a fire anywhere.

Rachel looked at Luis with new eyes.

She, who hadn't seen the fight with Dorian at the Ladrier Hotel, had inwardly thought of Luis as just a ‘butler’ who handled the guild's internal affairs.

But looking at that vision just now, it seems she was mistaken.

‘The thieves of Shadow all have a knack for surprising people. Then that one-eyed man must also have some great ability.’

There was a high probability of that.

Looking at how the Skull Mask treated the two of them, it seemed like he was being rough, but underneath, she could feel a solid trust that would never be broken.

Rachel looked at Luis, who was approaching her and cutting the ropes, with envious eyes.

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

“But what should I do? I don't think I can help you guys anymore. As you can see, I've found out. Huhu. I'm sorry.”

Luis, who looked down at the bitterly smiling Rachel, shook his head.

“Not at all. You were helping us without any compensation in the first place, weren't you? You've done more than enough.”

“Really? Do you think that person? The Skull Mask, will you think so too?”

“Of course. On behalf of the Master, I express my sincere gratitude.”

Rachel winked and smiled.

“Yeah.”

In fact, it wasn't without compensation.

Why would she not have something she wanted from Shadow?

To be precise, from the Skull Mask.

She had something she wanted from him.

‘The life of Bishop Lutus.’

The skill verification had ended long ago.

If it was the Skull Mask and Shadow, they would perfectly erase Bishop Lutus.

The reason she hadn't brought up the request until now.

That was because…….

‘When that request is over, this relationship is over too.’

Because there was no other pretext, she had been dragging it out.

But now, it could no longer be postponed.

“Still, I’m glad.”

Rachel, who had been freed from her bonds, approached the table, rotating her wrists.

“I’ve managed to get all the necessary information at the end. Here, take it.”

“What is this?”

“The payment I promised him.”

“Payment? You mean the request regarding Bishop Lutus?”

“You knew?”

“Yes. But why are you giving it to me now? We haven't even formally signed a contract yet.”

Looking at Luis, who was about to return it immediately without even thinking of opening it, Rachel laughed out loud.

“Really. You must be the only thief who cares about principles.”

“Rachel.”

“No. Take it. It’s a down payment.”

“That’s not it. Are you perhaps going to the Academy?”

Luis blocked Rachel's path as she was about to leave.

“My sister is alive.”

“I know. And I also know that the demon in her body has awakened.”

“So the Skull Mask is there.”

Luis nodded his head with a heavy face.

At that, Rachel's expression also froze.

It was the situation she had wanted to avoid the most.

“……I have to go.”

“You can’t.”

“She’s my sister.”

“She might have been in the past, but now she's a demon.”

In an instant, Rachel's eyes flashed sharply.

She threw a punch in a surprise attack.

As if he had known in advance, Luis lightly dodged it, and Rachel did not miss that gap and, putting momentum into her body, kicked the ground hard.

However.

Clank!

A chain that had already tied her ankle put a restriction on her leap.

At the sudden braking, Rachel, who had just jumped, had to be thrown back down to the ground.

Tadak!

Rachel, who had landed on the floor, looked at the chain holding her ankle and frowned deeply.

“Damn it…… Luis, you…… when did you chain me!”

“I was prepared for this. I’m sorry.”

The chain was an imitation made using the cut rope.

“I don't want to fight you, Rachel. Please stay still until the situation is over.”

“Then you’re telling me to just watch until my sister dies, you crazy bastard!? I have to go! I have to go to my sister!”

Luis shook his head as if he had no choice.

“Huu. Then I have no choice……”

And so, to completely subdue Rachel, Luis approached her.

It was then.

Piiing──!

At an unknown dizziness, Luis grabbed his head and stopped walking.

“……”

What?

Luis lifted his head.

Before he knew it, the surroundings were filled with a hazy fog.

And the color of that fog was made up of pink, green, and blue.

‘A mental attack…….’

“When on earth……”

“I couldn't help it either.”

In his fading vision, the bitterly smiling Rachel came into view.

Thump!

And so, Luis collapsed.

Normally, Luis would not have been defeated so easily.

However, whether it was due to the influence of Lilith's resurrection, Rachel's seduction was exhibiting a more subtle and powerful force than before.

Perhaps because of that, Rachel's expression was darker than ever.

The thought that she had to get to the Academy quickly filled her head.

The thick chain that had been tying her ankle had turned back into the original rope as Luis had fainted and the imitation art was released.

After cutting the rope with her black sword, Rachel immediately threw her body in the direction of the Academy.

* * *

The Academy party, who had passed through the Evil Earth created by Lilith.

Professor Ilai explained the situation to the cadets who still did not know the details of what was going on, and the cadets who heard it all let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank god. It wasn't Rachel.”

“I knew it. What kind of a serial killer is that idiot?”

A faint smile appeared on the party's faces.

Because they could feel the heart of Karina, who was worried about Rachel even as she spoke so bluntly.

“Then where on earth is Rachel?”

“I know, right. I don’t remember seeing her on campus recently.”

“Me neither.”

“Hmm. Could something have happened to her?”

At Gwyn's words, Karina shouted.

“Damn it, you moron! Are you trying to jinx it?”

“I was just talking about the possibility.”

“I don’t need such possibilities. Is she the type of kid to get into trouble? Huh?”

Gwyn nodded his head.

That was right.

They, who had been on several off-campus activities with Rachel, knew her abilities best.

Swordsmanship skills that were not inferior to their own, who belonged to the top of the year's rankings.

“Honestly, it’s to the point where I can't understand why her entrance ranking was so low.”

“What's there not to understand? It's because she's an idiot.”

“An idiot?”

“When I asked her, she said she had no ambition for grades. She said all she needed was a certificate of completion. So of course she's an idiot. An idiot who's letting her abilities rot.”

Karina clicks her tongue with a 'tsk'.

To even know such a story, it must have been that the two of them were quite close, unlike how they looked.

“It might be a blessing in disguise that Rachel is not at the Academy.”

“What? Why?”

“You just heard. That the demon is Rachel's only sister. And we are now……”

Ivan, unable to finish his words.

At the same time, the atmosphere of the group sank in an instant.

That's right.

They had come to resolve this incident, and to do that, they had to catch the culprit, the demon.

And the demon was Rachel's sister, Reina.

In other words, they were currently on their way to kill Reina.

Would Rachel just stand by and watch?

“Ahem. By the way, I wonder if Gerard-sunbaenim is okay.”

Gwyn changed the subject to lighten the mood.

“That person must be the same, I guess. In fact, I'm less worried about that person than Rachel.”

“But unlike what you’re saying, your expression is rapidly darkening. Are you worried about Gerard-sunbaenim?”

“Ah, you just shut…… sigh. Never mind.”

It was then.

Yuria, who had been walking silently until now, suddenly quickened her pace and headed to the front.

So the rest of the people stared at her back.

Because at the very front of the line she was heading to was the Skull Mask.

Was she really going to talk to him?

The prediction was exactly right.

“Excuse me, Skull Mask. I have something to ask.”

The Skull Mask answered without even giving her a glance.

“It’s Jack.”

“……Pardon?”

“Don't call me Skull Mask. Call me Jack.”

Yuria blinked her eyes and then nodded her head.

“Okay. Jack. I have something to ask. Can you answer me?”

Only then did he turn his head and stare at Yuria.

“What is it?”

At the same time, a sharp gaze hidden within his friendly eyes swept over Yuria's entire body.

Yuria instinctively flinched.

However, she didn't feel strangely nervous or anxious.

As expected, a not unfamiliar feeling.

Therefore, Yuria did not avoid his gaze and, looking straight back at him, asked what she was curious about.

“I heard that Lilith’s power only works on men. Then what exactly happens to the men who fall for that seduction?”

Jack stared at her as if to see through her intentions and then opened his mouth.

“They become Lilith's dogs.”

“Dogs?”

“Right. Faithful dogs. A loyal dog that blindly looks only at Lilith, craves her love, and does anything for her.”

“Then does that mean they won't recognize us?”

“No, they do recognize us. They just prioritize the orders of their beloved master.”

Jack's gaze turned to the front.

Beyond Lilith's pollen fog.

“You'll probably be able to face them soon enough. Your friends, who will attack you while shedding tears of apology.”

“……!”

The group's expressions hardened in an instant.

What?

Do they recognize them?

So they'll attack while crying out of apology?

It was a horrific scene just to imagine.

But they couldn't fight them with all their might, because those who were seduced were literally just victims of a mental attack called seduction, so there was hope that they could be turned back at any time.

But paradoxically, because of that hope, they couldn't fight them properly.

“That is the terror of Lilith.”

A disadvantageous fight for them in many ways.

If a battle were to actually break out, what should they do?

And.

‘If sunbae was caught…….’

As the worst-case scenario came to her mind, the corners of Yuria's eyes trembled.

Her fists clenched tightly.

The only fortunate thing was that although a considerable amount of time had passed since they had entered the school, whether it was good luck or not, they had not yet encountered anyone who had been seduced.

In fact, this was because Gerard, who was in front, was using [Detection] and avoiding clashes as much as possible, but of course, the group was unaware of Gerard's efforts.

“What do I have to do to break the seduction?”

“Of course, you have to eliminate the source. The demon.”

“Is there no other way?”

The Skull Mask shook his head.

In fact, there was one more way.

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