“Hand over the Sacred Artifact! If you return it obediently, we’ll let you off with just one eye!”
The leader of the Elf Rangers issued her threat, her bowstring drawn tight. The scarlet lingerie she wore was… quite the sight.
Setting aside the unexpected eye candy, the situation was undeniably dangerous. We were completely surrounded by elves, their arrows nocked and brimming with densely compressed mana.
Above all else, there was the Mental Bind between the elves.
Above all else, there was Mental Binding—an ability akin to constant telepathic communication between allies. Their arrows wouldn’t overlap or interfere; instead, they’d form a deadly, synchronized barrage, nearly impossible to dodge.
But the fact that they issued a warning before attacking was a good sign. Didn’t that mean that they were still open to negotiation?
It was proof that the wise crow’s trap had worked.
I pushed Bennett forward.
“Alright, Bennett. Now’s the time.”
“…What do you mean, now’s the time ?”“Seduce the elves and make them stand down. Your companions’ lives are at stake. For the greater good, you wouldn’t back down now, would you?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett stepped forward with a sour expression. Still, since avoiding unnecessary combat was essential to pursue the Dark Wizard, he clearly understood the necessity.
But as soon as he took a step, he hesitated. Was there something bothering him?
“What’s wrong, Bennett? Do you need me to fix your hair or something?”
“No⋯⋯ Crazy Wizard. Look at the elves’ eyes. Look where they’re actually focused.”
“Well, obviously, they’re staring at yo⋯⋯.”
H u h.
I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had misread the situation. But no, reality didn’t conveniently warp just because I wanted it to.
Most of the elves⋯⋯ weren’t looking at Bennett.
They were looking at me.
“…Every time I see that black hair, my heart starts racing⋯⋯.”
“The gray hair caught my eye too, but there’s something different about that person…”
“I- I’m embarrassed. I wish I had worn a prettier triangle clothe⋯⋯.”
Their expressions were eerily similar to schoolgirls looking at the handsome senior they had a crush on. I glanced at the shy elf sitting on the outskirts of the group. The moment our eyes met, she let out a high-pitched Heeiiiyat and squirmed.
Another elf straightened her back and thrust her chest out—as if she was showing off her figure. It was slightly bigger than Selvier’s. From my understanding, this kind of reaction typically signaled romantic interest.
I wondered if I was misjudging or something, and I turned toward Selvier.
“⋯⋯Kyaaat!”
She was glaring daggers at the elves like a heroine spotting stray cats encroaching on her territory. Since Selvier’s detection radar was going off, this definitely wasn’t just my imagination.
What the hell? Why are the elves looking at me instead of Bennett?
The wise crow explicitly said he had edited and implanted Tara’s memories properly⋯⋯.
⋯⋯⋯⋯.
Let’s take a step back. If I were the crow, what would I have done?
An Elf Harem Party chasing Bennett was an effective and fun idea so that would have been a priority. Therefore, ensuring Bennett’s presence in the memory trap was confirmed.
But that alone wasn’t completely foolproof. I didn’t know exactly how important the Sacred Artifact was to the elves, but I had to assume the worst-case scenario—that they would track us to the ends of the continent if necessary.
In that case, no matter how long it took, the crow would have assumed that Bennett would eventually need to reunite with the original Crazy Wizard.
So, I—no, the crow—would have prepared for that outcome.
Whether through smooth-talking or brute force, the original Crazy Wizard would need a way to handle things. So, naturally, alongside their feelings for Bennett, I would have added a secondary emotional trigger—one directed at the original.
A set menu of affections, like a meal upgrade at a restaurant.
At just the right intensity—enough to de-escalate future conflicts with words alone, even in an escalated situation.
And even if that caused chaos, well… that wouldn’t be my problem. The original would be the one dealing with it, anyway⋯⋯.
Everything clicked. A chill ran down my spine as if I’d been struck by lightning.
“You crazy crow bastard⋯⋯!”
For a brief moment, I swore I could see that damn crow winking at me from beyond the sky.
Bennett, having pieced together the situation as well, smirked and shoved me forward.
“Alright, Crazy Wizard. Now’s the time.”
“⋯⋯What do you mean, now’s the time ?”
“Seduce the elves and make them stand down. Your companions’ lives are at stake. For the greater good, you wouldn’t back down now, would you?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
I didn’t expect my karma to come full circle in under three minutes .
Activating 『Pseudo Illusion Magic: Mirage』 , I neatened my clothes and added a soft-focus effect around myself. I cleared my throat.
Time to roleplay. I’m the host. I’m the host⋯⋯.
“Lovely ladies, if I may have a moment to prove my purity and innocence ──”
Selvier’s glare burned into me with the intensity of someone seconds away from homicide , but somehow, I managed to get the elves to sit down for negotiations.
===============================================================
“The Dark Wizard stole the Sacred Artifact, and you just happened to be trying to stop them… Doesn’t that sound a little too convenient?”
The Elf Ranger Leader crossed her arms, legs swinging as she studied me. She was clearly trying to maintain a strict and solemn expression, but there was still a flush on her cheeks.
Honestly, it was impressive that she managed to keep it to just a blush. Given that she was under the curse of an evil crow—one that made her feel embarrassment—holding onto her dignity in a situation like this was akin to standing in the middle of a crowded street in nothing but lingerie and trying to look authoritative.
On top of that, factoring in the romantic emotions she had been force-fed, her mental fortitude was truly leadership-worthy.
I continued speaking with the most benevolent and gentle smile that I could manage to make.
“You’re right. Even if we opened our hearts and spoke with complete sincerity, you wouldn’t trust us 100%. Unlike you noble ladies of the forest, humans don’t possess such capabilities. However⋯⋯ that’s precisely why we’ve prepared countermeasures.”
“Oh? You think you can earn the elves’ trust? Go ahead and try. But if you fail… you won’t like the consequences. Not too much bitterness, but⋯⋯.”
“What I’m offering⋯⋯ is a deal.”
“⋯⋯A deal?”
If trust was uncertain, the solution was simple—make them want to trust me. Stack enough incentives on the scale, and even the gamble of trusting humans would start to look tempting.
“I am a wizard of the Purple Magic Tower and the master of the crow. I can remove the ‘Curse of Knowledge’ placed on you, and simultaneously reinforce the security vulnerabilities in Mental Binding that this incident has exposed. Additionally⋯⋯”
“Eum.”
“have ties to the Empire’s First Princess, Second Prince, and Third Prince. As far as I know⋯⋯ the Second Prince lost an eye and an arm in the Great Forest. I can arrange a meeting of reconciliation to settle that grudge.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The Elf Leader’s face stiffened as she fell into deep thought.
“I’ve heard of an Imperial Prince entering the sacred grounds of the elves, where the main body of the World Tree is. He claimed he was acting under the Emperor’s orders and demanded a World Tree sapling. The elves, of course, refused.”
“Oh ho.”
“When his demand was denied, the Imperial Prince tried to steal a sapling. A battle broke out, and he was driven out without achieving his goal. It was the humans of the Empire who first disrespected the elves. So tell me—why would we want a meeting of reconciliation?”
…Was there such an incident?
The response to this was simple though.
“Because we’re stronger.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Our group alone has more than three Metamorphosis-level fighters. If we were to. Even if we were to fight you to the death right now, we could win without taking any casualties. The relationship between the Empire and the elven race is similar to this.”
“⋯⋯Are you threatening us?”
“I would hope that, rather than a threat, you’d take it as proof of our sincerity. We have the power to use force, but we are choosing not to. Once we capture the Dark Wizard, we’ll return the Sacred Artifact, as promised. And we’ll provide compensation for any disrespect shown. So please, consider it.”
The Elf Leader bit her lip, then rose to her feet.
“You say you’re pursuing the Dark Wizard, then? We’ll be watching. Don’t forget that we’ll be observing from between the leaves. We’ll always be watching.”
“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”
At her signal, the elves melted into the foliage in perfect unison. Their ability to blend with nature was incredible—without focusing my senses, it was nearly impossible to detect them.
If I looked at it this way, their leaf-clothing was certainly effective.
It seemed they intended to tail us, maintaining their distance while remaining hidden like this.
I exhaled, relieved that negotiations had succeeded. It was fortunate we didn’t have to harm innocent elves.
And, unexpectedly, I might have just stumbled upon a clue.
The story of Irid trying to acquire a World Tree sapling under the Emperor’s orders… If his goal was to harness the Mental Binding of the World Tree…
If he was desperate enough to try stealing it, perhaps the purpose was to⋯⋯
⋯⋯detect and eliminate ‘That’ when it had infiltrated the Imperial Family.
The Emperor might know a lot about ‘That’. I had never been particularly interested in the Emperor before. But now… perhaps I should meet him at least once.
While I was lost in thought—
Rustle . The bushes quivered as an elf cautiously emerged.
Then⋯⋯
“H-Hey⋯⋯ this. Please take it.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
“I- I don’t know. What should I do!”
She placed a delicate bracelet woven from leaves into my hand, then vanished back into the undergrowth. I stared at it, wondering what exactly it was made of.
Silently, I observed the leaves that still held a strange warmth.
Though they were nothing more than leaves, the gesture felt strangely touching. Wasn’t this what one might call a wholesome cultural exchange between different races? Maybe I should cast a preservation spell on it and pass it down through generations.
At that moment, Selvier issued a cold command.
“Throw it away.”
“But Selvier, this has academic value⋯⋯.”
“Academic value or not, toss it, Oppa. Before I burn it all!”
“Hing⋯⋯.”
Reluctantly, I let the leaves slip from my grasp, filled with regret.
With the neutralized elf group in tow, we resumed tracking the Dark Wizard.
===============================================================
A squirrel perched on a tree branch watched their departure with an unsettling, obsessive gaze.
===============================================================
Something felt off in this peaceful forest. It was unnaturally quiet, steeped in an eerie stillness.
Odd. No birdsong, no rustling of snakes through the grass, not even the faint flutter of insect wings. Every trace of movement—every sign of life—had been erased. No, devoured.
A lone deer wandered aimlessly, its herd having vanished overnight.
There had certainly been companions—others to graze and drink alongside—but now, they were simply gone. Had some fearsome predator emerged from the depths of the forest?
The deer lifted its head, scanning its surroundings for any sign of danger, but nothing seemed out of place.
A question flickered through its clear, wide eyes.
“『Flesh Manipulation(精肉自在)』.”
Something pale dropped from the treetops. A white-haired girl descended, her hair fluttering around her, and in the same instant, the predator’s fangs sank into the deer’s throat.
The grotesque dagger grazed its flesh.
In the blink of an eye, the deer was torn apart, its form reconstructed and absorbed into the girl’s small body. Every drop of blood, every ounce of muscle—its short existence—was repurposed, fueling a body built for swift pursuit.
Crack.
Newly generated muscle fibers strained under the surge of acceleration.
Not even a bloodstain remained where the deer had stood.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯Heu.”
Faceless thought as she raced down the forest path, her true body in motion.
Using her Metamorphosis ability, she had scattered small squirrel-like creatures throughout the area, forming a simple surveillance network. Through them, she had learned that the number of pursuers had increased—and that Crazy Wizard was closing in on her.
Crazy Wizard.
A monster capable of manipulating an entire tournament with Illusion Magic. Someone who had deceived and warped the mind of the Eastern Front’s representative knight, altering her Metamorphosis. A man who had, in an instant, comprehended Faceless’s own Metamorphosis.
And he was hostile to Redburn.
That stupid brother Roderus should have succeeded in the assassination. That incompetent failure never did anything right.
Crazy Wizard was a major threat to the family. So he had to die.
Of course, the circumstances were far from ideal.
She had no spare meat puppets. She couldn’t rely on her father’s 『Lantern of Foresight』 for support. Even worse, her main body had been exposed, leaving her in a unstable situation.
Should she keep running? Escape now, regroup, and fight once she was fully prepared?
No.
She was willing to take this risk because that Crazy Wizard bastard himself was also in a considerably vulnerable state right now.
His soul had been fragmented.
Recently, 『Lamb that Devours Pain』 had sent out a wide-area telepathic message—a secret meant for four Dark Wizards and their close associates.
The message had revealed that the Crazy Wizard’s soul had been split into multiple pieces, some of which now functioned as artifacts. The directive was clear: retrieve them and send them back to her if possible.
This was why Dark Wizards had begun gathering wherever Mima fragments surfaced. They had mobilized as a group after receiving this message.
Because ZCrazy Wizard’s abilities were critically weakened after he had been caught in the Goddess’s 『Forced Exile』. If they were going to kill him, this might be their only chance.
His abilities were dangerously unpredictable.
If he managed to unleash his illusions that had tangible power under the protection of the Purple Magic Tower Master, the culprit would probably go around causing chaos everywhere and shatter all their plans with unimaginably clever schemes.
So, he had to be eliminated now.
The elves’ Sacred Artifact—it was originally meant as an offering to her father—but he might be even happier if it was used to kill Crazy Wizard.
Faceless crushed the souls of the animals she had obsessively collected while passing through the forest. She scrawled the form of the Evil God into the earth using them as a catalyst, then transmitted a message.
“『Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear』⋯⋯ I have obtained something you were interested in. The elves’ Sacred Artifact. Come here. You can also meet the wizard who has completely ruined your plans.”
She prepared for the counterattack.
***
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