Chapter 130 : Chapter 130

Chapter 130 - Something’s Wrong

The blessed land was on Specter, the central island of the archipelago.

At first glance, this might seem obvious, or it could be a case of the darkest place being under the candlestick.

However, the Second Daughter had not mentioned a single word about the central island.

“I almost went around dozens of islands as you said. Even though it wasn't on any of them.”

“I couldn’t just trust someone who stole my brother’s body.”

“Whose fault is it that things turned out this way? Isn’t it because of someone who loves her younger brother so dearly?”

The airship stopped above the blessed land.

The land seen from below didn't particularly look blessed.

However, since the background was the archipelago in the Sea of Monsters, the only normal-looking land felt like the blessed land.

This place, which would look like ordinary farmland in the normal world.

Various crops hung heavy, looking as if they were about to be harvested.

“It looks like an apple tree, but all sorts of things are hanging from it.”

“Whatever you plant, it grows as a fruit.”

“Even if you plant a gold coin?”

“Yes. It’s a solid that doesn’t contain liquid.”

“A convenient land. Is this how you survived in such a harsh place?”

“The order is a bit different.”

The Second Daughter’s head turned towards the rocky mountain.

The summit, still filled with the sound of thunder.

It seemed as if she could see her mother from here, busily moving to please the god.

“Our ancestors realized the existence of the ghost born in the archipelago, and when they offered it sacrifices, they gained talent and the blessed land.”

The power of the land was immense.

Anything hard would grow just by being planted, and even if it wasn't the land, the talent for spirit sorcery blossomed.

“Even though three out of ten die, they don’t stop, and they’ve continued the offering ritual until now.”

“You two were also victims of that ritual.”

The Second Daughter nodded and instinctively touched her legs.

They weren't cut off, but the gaunt lower parts had no sensation even when poked.

Her younger sister lost her sight, and on the rocky mountain, someone else would lose their ears or nose.

But what they sought to gain by doing so was not just the talent for sorcery.

“Mother wants another blessing. That’s why she doesn’t stop offering sacrifices as per the ancient texts.”

“Don’t you need talent to survive on this island? And if you get a blessing on top of that, it’s a gain, isn’t it?”

“The problem is that her greed is growing. She even captures ships in other waters, away from the island.”

“……”

The inside story of the island, heard in a short time.

He wanted to be here even less.

“I must finish this quickly.”

He went down the anchor with the bottle in his hand.

The ground was a bit more moist than ordinary soil.

No, should I say it was literally greasy?

It was by no means a pleasant sensation.

“They planted a variety of things.”

It seemed they had planted all the useful things they obtained by plundering other ships and sailors.

Steel ingots grew in the exact shape they were planted, and not only gems but also good quality swords grew.

“Our sisters’ spot is over there in the corner.”

As the Second Daughter who followed behind said, there was an empty space between the trees.

“Good.”

Enad went close to the empty spot and opened the lid.

The blood scent of the illegitimate daughter of Wisdom grazed his nostrils.

He used Magic Assimilation to move the blood, just as the Youngest Son had done.

The bottle was neatly emptied, and a handful of blood floated in the air.

The young ladies watched this from a short distance.

The Third Daughter looked at her sister intently, just as she had in the Dark Moon Grand Castle.

Though her eyes were closed, the sibling could see more in them than in open eyes.

“I’m not sure either. Whether it’s okay to help like this. I brought him here knowing full well he’d be cursed and lose some part of his body.”

In truth, it was a desire to gain one more sibling to lean on for life, having received the same curse.

Yes. It was a shameful craving for the warmth of a family.

But the youngest was not ordinary.

Even when viewed as a direct-line sibling of Millesdusk, he was not ordinary.

“The youngest knew he was caught in a trap when he fainted, yet his expression didn’t even twitch. And that thing moved his collapsed body again.”

That thing was gathering the blood in its palm and pressing it firmly with both hands.

“When I think I’ve stabbed him, the youngest’s sword is already touching me. Don’t you think it’s like that right now?”

…Nod.

The Third Daughter affirmed.

Her sensory perception, which had become more sensitive to magic in place of her lost sight, had noticed the change in the blood.

“Done.”

The magic sword, Enad, holding a pebble the size of a thumbnail with a sly smile.

The thing held between his index finger and thumb could no longer be called a liquid.

“You mean I just need to plant this?”

“Yes. While saying pretty words so it grows well.”

“Bullshit.”

He dug out a handful of soil and put in the bloodstone.

Close the entrance again, and the farming is done.

“I’ve finished my job. Now it’s your turn.”

Enad looked up at the rocky mountain where the Youngest Son’s soul would be.

It was deafeningly noisy just a moment ago, but now it was quiet again.

So, it was time for the sorcerer who realized one of the offerings for the ritual was missing to find this place.

“Was it Enad? Get out of the way.”

He didn’t ask why.

Because the spiritual body that flew up from the summit of the rocky mountain was staring fiercely this way.

“I will.”

The magic sword, who was excellent at listening to such words, put his foot on the anchor.

“Honestly, I didn’t believe it. You really helped, just like that punk said.”

“…The youngest did?”

Both the Second and Third Daughters turned to look at him, startled.

“Yeah. He said something about how the sisters probably didn’t have any bad intentions.”

“……”

“Let’s not meet again.”

The anchor carrying the captain quickly went up.

As the target went up, the spiritual body also changed its direction.

But it couldn't just fly away.

“Mother. Please stop.”

The Third Daughter, with Giant Knight Mhul and Gale Demon King on her back, blocked the way.

The giant sword of the ghost knight, wrapped in a biting wind, had a ferocious aura.

Yet, the great sorceress of this archipelago scoffed.

“Is pointing a sword at your mother the first thing you do after coming home in 8 years?”

“We’re not a proud daughter and mother to each other. It’s meaningless to talk about filial piety.”

“Ha. Move aside. What’s over there is an offering to be presented to the god. It’s something you brought, nothing else.”

The daughters said without backing down.

“We brought only one person, and that one person went to the temple. There’s no need to give more, is there?”

Faye didn't open her mouth anymore.

The stubbornness of these daughters could not be broken no matter what.

If it could have been broken, they would have stayed in the archipelago and become sorcerers of Gu'an long ago.

“Right. Let’s see how strong you’ve become after going to that great Millesdusk.”

“I learned something more valuable than extracting people’s souls under you, Mother.”

The Second Daughter spread her arms.

Her sleeves, already large and drooping.

Swaaaaaaaaaaa─

From within them, an innumerable number of blue-gray butterflies poured out.

Faye recognized the identity of the butterflies at a glance.

“Hmph. You extracted spirits with the ‘Soul Harvest’ you learned from me and refined it with Millesdusk’s technique. In the end, you used the talent given by the god.”

“All that can be done with the talent it gave is to fill the sky with vengeful spirits, just like you did, Mother. But I. And we.”

The swarm of butterflies waved in the air.

As if painting, it covered Mhul and the Gale Demon King.

Gradually, the spirits disappeared, leaving only the butterflies that had covered their surface.

“I learned at Millesdusk that you can fly even without legs, even without sight.”

Swoosh─

The Third Daughter, Melaine, raised one hand.

The Second Daughter, Melisende, raised the opposite hand.

A series of hand gestures were as elegant as the butterflies they had spread, but what was held in their hands was not just beautiful.

The butterflies that had absorbed the two spirits.

The swarm split as it was and hovered around their respective masters.

“I met a brother at Millesdusk who felt like family. So I brought him here, wanting him to receive the same curse, but…”

She raised two hands, large and small, to the sky.

The butterflies gathered on the small hand had sharp wind from their flapping wings.

The butterflies gathered on the larger hand had large wings and were exceedingly sharp.

“Now, I don’t care what happens. Whether the youngest has a curse or not, unlike you, Mother, he sees us as family. Right, Melaine?”

Nod, nod.

Two nods.

For Melaine, a vehement affirmation followed.

“Haa… I raised my children wrong.”

“That might be right.”

The clash between mother and daughters showed no mercy to each other.

***

An unexpected bet with a god.

Although it was just a pig god or an archipelago ghost, it believed itself to be a god.

In fact, it had reason to.

‘It’s not like it has seen the Family Head of Millesdusk or a Marquis of the demon world.’

Having been born and lived its whole life in the archipelago, this ghost was indeed a god within it.

A frog in a well.

Or maybe a toad.

However, the sin of not recognizing a Millesdusk on eastern lands was great.

Even more so when a sorcerer from its own village became the maternal family of a Millesd-usk.

[The preparation is done!]

It righted the cauldron it had thrown in a fit of anger and filled it with water.

It was a thick something that he wasn't sure was even water, but at least the cauldron was bigger than a person.

“Oh, God. It is sufficient for me to enter, but how do you plan to enter?”

[Do you think I am limited by size like you lot!]

Ssssssssssk─

The archipelago ghost, Goul, shrank its body.

The thing, which had become about the same height as the Youngest Son in no time, had its flesh jiggle even when it shrank.

He wanted to ask why it couldn't shrink its belly fat, but he skipped it.

“Thank you for accepting the bet.”

[Hmph. Just don’t burn to death. I need to chew you up from the tip of your little toe.]

He entered the cauldron with a smile.

A sticky sensation, as if falling into a swamp, ran from his toes to his neck.

Next, Goul also entered the cauldron.

For a moment, it felt as if the water level had risen even higher.

[Kehehehe. Now, shall we begin?]

Tap─

The god of the archipelago snapped its fingers.

The ashen spark that was created then floated down and touched the firewood.

The firewood, which seemed to have been made by roughly cutting logs, quickly burned with a pale blue color.

Compared to the high-purity fire of the Blue Flame Spirit, it was an unbelievably murky color.

However, regardless of the color of the fire, the firewood quickly began to burn fiercely.

The cauldron heated up in an instant.

[Hehehehehehe. How is it? You feel like something’s wrong, don’t you?]

“Yes. That’s certainly true.”

As the temperature rose, the inside began to thin out like water.

His arms aimlessly paddled in the water, feeling the temperature.

“How can you boil anything when it’s this lukewarm?”

[…?]

“I’m confident with fire, so shall we raise the temperature a bit more? You don’t need to go easy on me.”

[…Fine. Don’t regret it!]

Tap─!

Goul snapped its fingers once again.

The echo, louder than before, called for a bigger fire and headed for the firewood.

The fire grew twice as large, as if it would leave no ash behind.

[How is it! Now─]

“It’s not enough.”

[Now─!]

“Still a bit.”

[Kraaaaaak!]

Tap─! Tap─! Tap─!

The firepower grew stronger and stronger.

So it went for 10 minutes. 20 minutes. 30 minutes. An hour passed.

The bottom of the cauldron was red-hot, to the point where it was unclear whether it was for cooking or smelting.

[Haaaah….]

Goul was stretched out limply on the water.

He looked just like a carrot in a soup.

The Youngest Son brushed the surface of the water with his hand.

The water, boiling with a frenzy of bubbles, had already evaporated quite a bit.

Now his feet touched the bottom of the cauldron.

This was enough.

“Oh, God.”

[Huuuu…. Don’t talk to me.]

Goul was holding on with all his might.

It even seemed like he had lost some weight, as if the ghost had sweated.

But it wasn’t fat that he had lost, but his power.

“Goul.”

He called again.

This time, by name.

So, the god of the archipelago couldn’t ignore him and raised its body.

[…How dare a lowly creature call me by my name─]

At the same time, its voice was cut off.

The boiling water turned red.

Far from being able to see inside, the smell of blood hit his nose.

[You…. What is this….]

Tap─

The Youngest Son snapped his fingers.

Something that popped out from his fingertip.

The Blue Flame Spirit broke through even the ghost’s dimension and showed off its firepower.

Kwooooooooooo─

A blue flame, incomparable to that of the archipelago ghost, began to heat the cauldron once more.

[Wh-what is this…!!]

His body, trying to jump out, was now firmly bound by the hardened blood.

Normally, within his own dimension, he could easily break something like this, but now his power was completely drained.

Because he was made to be that way.

“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”

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