Chapter 145
Bail trembled as he stared at Caron. It felt as if insects were crawling all over his body—no, they truly were. He experienced a searing pain that felt as if it was ripping through his veins, blinding and overwhelming him.
"G-Guk..."
Agony engulfed him. The pain was so unbearable that he considered biting his tongue to end it. He could barely think anymore, unable to even pinpoint where things had gone so wrong.
Bail wondered how Caron Leston knew about the maw worm, and how he had uncovered the infected. But there were no answers forthcoming.
The stabbing pain from his foot, where the sword had pierced through, was nothing compared to the torment surging through him. The suffering hovered just short of making him pass out—but ironically, it kept him conscious.
Amid that unrelenting torment, Caron's voice slid into his ears like cold steel. "Go ahead and faint if you want. I'll just wake you up again."
There was a lethal calm in his words, and the weight of his murderous intent was so thick it seemed to seep into the air. It was a bloodlust strong enough to make even knights recoil. For a mage—one who was already subdued—it was impossible to endure.
"If you're thinking of spouting some nonsense about being a victim, don't bother," Caron continued. "I know maw worms all too well. A female maw worm's host is never a victim. At best, they're middle management. Isn't that right?"
Bail felt a chill as he realized the depth of Caron's knowledge. This wasn't just a coincidence. Information about maw worms had been meticulously purged from the records. If it were someone who remembered the events from fifty years ago, then perhaps it was possible they would have that information. But for a mere seventeen-year-old to know how maw worms worked, it was unthinkable.
I have to die, Bail thought.
There was only one escape now: Death. It would be far less painful than enduring what lay ahead.
Thankfully, Bail had come prepared. A self-detonation spell had been placed on his body long ago for situations just like this. Even if pain rendered him unable to chant a full incantation, all it would take was a flick of his fingers. He gathered every ounce of strength and willed his hand to move.
But just as his fingers began to twitch—
Slash!
Guillotine flashed, severing both of Bail's hands in a single stroke.
"Trying to form a hand seal? Tsk tsk. What a disgrace. You were going to blow yourself up in front of all these students? What a contemptible bastard," Caron said.
With a dull thud, Bail's severed hands hit the ground. However, no blood spurted out. Caron had sealed the wounds with Pluto's power, cutting off any chance for blood to escape.
It wasn't an act of mercy, however.
"Can't have those larvae escaping through the stumps, can we?" Caron said with a vicious grin.
It was calculated cruelty, an act born of pure malice to prolong Bail's suffering.
But Caron soon realized that he'd been thoughtless—his actions had been too bold. The stage wasn't the right place, as there were too many eyes watching. Several students had already fainted after witnessing the grim spectacle of Bail's severed hands falling to the floor.
"I'm going to earn a reputation as a butcher at this rate, not a troublemaker," Caron said with a click of his tongue. He beckoned casually toward Drogol, who stood frozen behind him, pale as a ghost.
"Y-Yes, did you call for me?" Drogol stuttered as he got closer.
"The Oceanwolf Knight Order and the Imperial Guards should be right outside the main hall by now. If this many people try to leave all at once, someone's going to get hurt. Go out there and bring the knights inside," Caron instructed.
"Yes, understood!" Drogol shouted before sprinting toward the exit with all his might.
Caron turned his attention back to Bail, his eyes sharp with malice. "I'll make you a deal," he said. "Tell me everything you know, and I'll take away all the pain."
The words came with a light, almost playful tone—they were utterly impossible to believe. It was nonsense. Stopping the maw worms infesting Bail's bloodstream without specialized equipment was impossible.
But before Bail could dwell on that, Caron suddenly drove his sword into the top of the man's foot once more.
Whoosh.
Bail felt an unfamiliar energy seep into his body. For the first time in what felt like eternity, a portion of his excruciating pain eased. The agony from his severed hands and punctured foot remained, but something else—the writhing of the maw worms—seemed to halt.
"As you can see," Caron said calmly, "I can stop the worms' activity."
"How... How is that possible?" Bail asked.
"I'm the one asking questions," Caron growled. He grabbed Bail by the collar and hoisted him upright. "Your job is to answer. Have you decided to cooperate yet?"
Bail's voice trembled as he replied, "I... I can't. The answers you want... I can't give them. There's a curse. The moment I reveal the secret, I'll die."
Caron frowned, his brow creasing slightly. Without a word, he glanced at Guillotine, still embedded in Bail's foot.
"Guillotine," he asked, "Is this bastard telling the truth?"
"There's definitely some kind of enchantment near his heart. Looks like it's tied to a self-detonation spell..."
"Can you break it?" Caron asked.
"Of course. What do you think I am? Owner, watch closely."
Whoosh.
The sword's blue aura flared to life, rippling outward like waves on a midnight sea. It surged over Bail in a sudden rush, washing him in an eerie, cold light. Bail had no idea what was happening. All he could see was Caron's face, calm and composed as the young man orchestrated something terrifying.
When the glow subsided, Caron smiled and said, "The curse is gone. So, are you feeling more inclined to talk now?"
"How... How did you do that?" Bail asked.
"Do you expect a merchant to reveal his trade secrets?" Caron chuckled. "I've always been fond of mages. Do you want to know why?"
Sssrrrrr.
Darkness spiraled up around him, rising like smoke from unseen flames. The shadow of Pluto spread outward, forming a vast curtain that shielded the stage from view. It was a small mercy for the students.
Having created his own dark domain, Caron adjusted his grip on Guillotine and spoke again. "Mages have almost no tolerance for physical pain. That's what makes torture so delightfully effective."
Bail had ruined his plans for becoming a legendary troublemaker. But a lone conspirator wouldn't dare act like this in the middle of the academy—there had to be more behind it.
"Let's get started," Caron said. "No need to spill everything at once. Ah, it's been a while since I interrogated someone, so even if I'm a little rusty, I trust you'll forgive me."
Guillotine's blade gleamed with a deadly edge.
Leaning close, Caron murmured, "We'll begin with your right arm. How does that sound?"
And so, the hellish experience began.
***
Just as Caron predicted, the Oceanwolf Knight Order and the Imperial Guards had already arrived outside the great auditorium. They swiftly began evacuating the students. Mages dispatched urgently from the Magic Tower positioned artifacts around the premises to prevent any unforeseen incidents and unfurled spells to trace the presence of the maw worms.
While frightened students rushed outside in a panicked mass, the commanders of the two orders hurried into the auditorium. Inside, they immediately came face to face with the ominous curtain of darkness draped over the stage. The vast auditorium was unnervingly silent.
Luke, the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guards, moved quickly toward the shroud of shadows. Behind it, a few unconscious students lay sprawled on the floor.
"Move those students outside," he commanded his subordinates. "They're in bad shape—don't waste a moment."
Before they could act, the curtain of darkness lifted, revealing two figures within.
"Don't touch the kids, Sir Luke," came a calm, youthful voice. "They're infected with maw worms. We'll need to treat them."
Caron, with his blond hair and piercing blue eyes, exhaled slowly as he addressed the Vice Commander. With a casual motion, he let a limp body drop to the floor.
"At least you're not too late," he added with a smirk.
"The evacuation is proceeding smoothly," Luke replied.
"No need to rush. There's no immediate danger anymore," Caron said.
He wiped the blood from Guillotine's blade by running it across the clothes of the man he had just discarded—Professor Bail. Once it was clean, he slid the sword back into its sheath and glanced at Luke.
"You mentioned a string of serial murders in the capital recently, didn't you?" Caron asked.
"Yes, I did," Luke confirmed.
"Well, they're responsible for it," Caron said, jerking his chin toward Bail. "He confessed."
Luke didn't need to ask how Caron had obtained the information. A glance at Bail's ruined body told him all he needed to know. The man clung to life by a mere thread.
"Bail Freedman," Luke muttered, recognizing him. "The professor of magical studies at the academy... He's the main culprit?"
"Not quite. More like one of the arms of the main culprit," Caron answered.
"Then you've uncovered something substantial," Luke said.
Caron's expression darkened as he continued, "All the murders in the capital were caused by maw worms. They weren't just using them—they were modifying them. Breeding a nastier, deadlier version."
He had learned the characteristics of this new strain of maw worms from Bail.
"They ramp up aggression in the infected and spread through saliva. Dangerous as hell, even at a glance," Caron explained.
Unlike the original maw worms once used to control slaves, this variant had clearly been refined into a biological weapon.
"The host of the female worm seems to emit a signal that triggers the aggression, but we'll need more research to confirm the details," Caron added.
Luke's expression grew grave. Maw worms had vanished into obscurity decades ago. Their mere reappearance was alarming. Learning they had been weaponized was a threat the empire couldn't afford to ignore.
"But didn't you say 'they,' a few moments ago?" Luke pointed out.
The fact that Caron had referred to the culprit as "they" implied that there could be an organization behind them.
Caron nodded slowly and replied, "Yes."
"...Then we must strike immediately," Luke said.
"I was already thinking of doing that. So, while we're at it, could you assign just a few people to me?" Caron asked.
"Wouldn't it be better to launch a large-scale operation?" Luke asked.
"There's a high chance that information would get out that way. According to this professor's words, it seems his connections reach high-ranking officials," Caron explained as he nudged Bail's unconscious form with his foot. He added, "For now, we'll need to control the flow of information from here."
Luke didn't need more explanation. If Caron was right, and if influential figures were involved, any overt move would send the culprits scurrying.
"Maintaining order in the capital is our responsibility. There's no need for you to get involved," Luke protested.
"Sir Luke, would you let someone ruin a perfect feast and simply walk away?" Caron asked, his voice low and deadly. The killing intent that radiated from him was suffocating. "Because I can't stand that."
Ruining his plans? That alone was reason enough to annihilate these people. But Caron had far more compelling motivations. He recalled every word Bail had uttered about the faction he served.
The Revanchists, Caron thought.
They were lunatics who claimed allegiance to the Malevolent Emperor—a ghost that should have been buried fifty years ago. Learning that they were behind this made it impossible for Caron to let go of the incident.
"If I walked away now, I wouldn't sleep a wink. So, I'll hit their hideout with a small team," Caron said.
In truth, he felt good about seeing them again.
Welcome back, Caron thought.
He was incredibly glad and joyful that the spirit of the Malevolent Emperor still lingered and remained in the empire. It was a channel through which his long-unresolved grudge could be released. With a happy heart, he resolved to kill those fools.
"Shall we begin the hunt?" Caron asked.
A deadly game of cat and mouse had begun.