Rachel's face tightened as Ashtar spoke, her tone businesslike and unemotional.
"Rachel, you lost your family to the cultists."
She pursed her lips but didn't respond. Ashtar continued, indifferent to her reaction.
"I fully understand your desire for revenge. However, I am not a demon worshipper, a pagan, or a black magician. I can guarantee that."
"…Then what on earth is this phenomenon? I know the blessed sacred stone only reacts to evil magic possessed by pagans. It turns black depending on the magic they possess. But this person destroyed the sacred stone itself. This is unprecedented!"
"It's not just evil magic that the sacred stone reacts to."
Rachel remained silent, eyes wide.
"It also reacts to curses."
"!"
"If it's a blood curse, carried out through the life of the evil dragon Fafnir, the sacred stone blessed by the bishop wouldn't be able to withstand it. Did you know that, Seil Sieghart?"
I shook my head.
"…This is the first time I've heard of it."
"That's understandable. Only your ancestors and a few transcendent beings know about this. Didn't your father die young?"
"…Yes."
"That's because of the curse in your clan's blood. The Dragon Slayer, Sieghart. As his nickname suggests, your ancestors hunted countless dragons and even defeated the evil dragon Fafnir to save the empire, but they were cursed in return. It's a curse that eats away at your life force every time you use your magic. Have you heard of Bloodline Inheritance? Usually, it comes in the form of blessings or powers, but you've inherited a curse. Because of this, both mana and magic coexist in the blood of the Sieghart clan. That's why your father died young."
"…So will I die too?"
"If you don't break the curse, that's what will happen."
Rachel stood in stunned silence as the instructors who had surrounded me gradually dispersed.
"Now, could you please put away the sword?"
Rachel finally lowered the sword from my neck and bowed her head.
"…I'm sorry. I misunderstood."
But I noticed it—the look on her face wasn't one of genuine apology but of disbelief. Perhaps due to her stubbornness, she was a woman with a keen sense.
"It's okay…."
At that moment, Ashtar interrupted me.
"Chief Instructor Rachel. Is that all you have to say after branding the family of heroes who saved the empire as heretics based solely on your own convictions?"
Rachel bowed her head again, more formally.
"I'm truly sorry. I misunderstood."
Ashtar stared at her in silence, forcing her to apologize again.
"…I am deeply sorry. My stubbornness caused you this humiliation."
Her gaze remained fixed on the floor as she continued.
"Really…."
"… … ."
Finally, Rachel knelt and pressed her forehead to the ground.
"I'm sorry."
Thud-!
"It all happened because of my stubbornness."
Thud-!
Ashtar watched quietly before speaking.
"As the proud head instructor of Salomon Academy, I hope you will conduct yourself properly."
Thud-!
"If only you would forgive me."
Thud-!
"Anything…."
I stopped her.
"It's okay now. Get up."
Rachel looked up, blood dripping from her forehead from where she'd hit it on the floor.
"I have been very rude. I am truly sorry…."
I smiled softly.
"It's okay. I understand."
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, that could happen."
"Thank you so much…."
I approached her slowly. Even though this situation was resolved, I knew she would continue to observe and monitor me.
"But."
I had a little gift in mind for her.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, I leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"In truth, I am a black magician. And I am also an apostle blessed by the demon god."
For a brief moment, no one noticed the six-pointed star that flashed on my forehead.
Rachel's face turned ghostly pale.
"Haha! Just kidding, just kidding. Can I go now?"
She stared at me blankly, nodding as I walked away to the second testing site, leaving behind countless stares from all around me.
'Living like a dead rat is a lie.'
Although things ended well, some questions remained unanswered.
The chairman of Salomon Academy, the great magician Ashtar—what was her purpose in helping me? Knowing she was such an elusive character made her even more difficult to understand.
'I'll find out soon enough. But this time, it was really dangerous. I'll have to be more careful from now on. And…'
I need to become strong as soon as possible. Strong enough that I don't have to worry about what anyone thinks. Just the fact that I can use black magic makes me a traitor.
'…Will Rachel die in about a week? It's my first time using this curse, so I'm not sure.'
The Covenant of the Dead.
Despite its grand name, it's one of the most basic forms of black magic. The curse is simple enough that even a novice priest could cast it, but if the victim doesn't realize they're cursed and doesn't treat it, it will eventually kill them. It's black magic designed purely to kill.
'I won't be seeing her again, so don't worry about it. Just focus on my exam.'
With that thought, I opened the door to the second testing room.