Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 42

The reason he bothered to tell me that was probably a warning that if I reported him to the Temple, he would report me as well.

I didn’t know how strongly the traces of dark magic Chaser spoke of remained on me.

However, the Temple didn’t seem like they would show mercy whether I was a dark mage or a victim of dark magic.

The crime of being involved with dark mages was that heavy.

Now we each held one of the other’s weaknesses.

I continued to ask.

“What are you after by approaching me?”

“I fell for you at first sight, customer.”

“It would be good to test whether such jokes work at a divine trial too.”

“You really are a difficult customer.”

Chaser pouted his lips sullenly, and somehow I felt like I was seeing Chaser’s real expression for the first time.

“What I want is to thoroughly observe the traces of dark magic remaining on you, customer.”

“And?”

“That’s all. When Sprout’s lesson ends, just lend me some of your time, customer. Oh, I’ll need to hold your hand too.”

‘That’s all?’

I couldn’t believe it.

Chaser was a skilled liar who could even fool lie detector glasses.

I needed proof that his words weren’t lies.

“I need to know your purpose at least to trust you.”

“Customer, we don’t need trust between us. I don’t trust anything. Except magic.”

I lowered my eyes and organized my thoughts.

Perhaps this might be my last chance to find out why I possessed this body.

However, this was a deal where who was more desperate would determine who held the upper hand.

On the surface, Chaser seemed very relaxed, but wasn’t he the one who started this game after all?

‘It must be because there’s something he desperately wants from me.’

Though I couldn’t tell how much desperation was hidden beneath his leisurely attitude, like a cat grooming its fur.

Having organized my thoughts satisfactorily, I lifted my chin with an authoritative attitude.

“I’ll let you investigate the traces of dark magic you say remain on me. But there are conditions.”

I enumerated the conditions one by one, extending my fingers.

“Find out who cast dark magic on me to the best of your ability. Don’t ask what effects the dark magic had on me. Don’t cause any harm to me or Jui-bam-tol. Continue Jui-bam-tol’s magic lessons. Oh, and it would be nice if you could reduce the rental fee too.”

“Customer, you know you really have no conscience, right?”

“One more thing. Tell me your purpose for what you’ll do with the traces of dark magic you discover from me.”

Chaser’s face, which had maintained composure throughout, darkened for the first time.

“I would have gladly agreed if not for that last demand.”

Snap.

A golden light appeared in his eyes, and the rope binding him loosely unraveled and fell to the floor.

I tensed up completely, wondering if I should immediately summon Lord Penandel and Terry who would be guarding the door.

However, making my worry pointless, Chaser remained seated and wiggled his outstretched hand as if requesting a handshake.

“I have one condition to add. Don’t reveal our contract to anyone. I’d like us to make a vow of silence magic for that.”

“Vow of silence magic…?”

“It’s magic that prohibits disclosure. It requires the other party’s consent. If you want to deal with me, customer, you just need to intertwine fingers with me.”

Chaser whispered with an angelic face as if he knew no malice.

However, I didn’t lower my guard and asked.

“Don’t you need to prevent me from reporting that you’re a dark mage?”

“It’s just right for us to hold each other’s weaknesses, between us.”

A relationship holding each other’s weaknesses. Not bad. In the end, I clasped hands with him.

Then a complex magic circle I’d never seen in Leo’s lessons appeared on our clasped hands.

“Contract complete. Then, master.”

Interlocking fingers and gripping my hand as I tried to shake his off, Chaser looked down at me with eyes containing traces of magical power.

But what he was seeing wasn’t me.

Probably the traces of dark magic he claimed to see.

With eyes holding brilliant light, scanning the remnants of dark magic, Chaser whispered softly.

“What I want is to kill a certain soul. It’s something that can’t be done with ordinary magic.”

Eventually Chaser released my hand and regained his usual smile.

“Since we’ve newly arranged our relationship, I’ll tell you – it seems someone is trying to slowly kill you, master.”

“What?”

“But helping you wasn’t included in our deal, so I won’t tell you the details.”

This bastard, making people feel uneasy for no reason.

* * *

Knock knock knock!

Someone roughly pounded on Cesar’s door.

When Cesar sighed softly and opened the door, Terry with a flushed red face stuck his head in.

“Sir! Isn’t that smooth-faced mage suspicious? After magic lessons end, he’s always doing something alone with the master, and who knows what that damn mage might do to the master using his honey trap!”

“R-right! Suspicious! Who knows what he’ll do! Damn honey trap!”

Vivian, peeking her head out from behind Terry, shouted as if cheering.

Despite their heated opinions, Cesar calmly said just one thing and closed the door.

“I think he’s suspicious too.”

And ten minutes later.

Knock knock knock!

When Cesar opened the door again, Terry shouted with the same intensity as before.

“Sir! You must protect the master! A guard knight staying cooped up in his room! It’s dereliction of duty!”

“R-r-right. P-please keep good watch! Dereliction of duty!”

Cesar answered calmly this time too and closed the door.

“Lady Blanche’s room is next door. Go check directly.”

Only after Terry grumbled and moved away from outside the door did the bird in the cage open its beak with a chirp.

-Who dares knock on Your Excellency’s door every ten minutes? I’d like to see the faces of these bold individuals and give them some praise…

“Penandel.”

Cesar cut off Penandel’s words and slumped into a chair.

Since a week ago when Belinda began making secretive deals with the suspicious mage, Terry and Vivian had been coming to Cesar grumbling for him to do something about it.

However, Cesar had no way to handle it either.

Because it was Belinda’s will.

-Where did we leave off. Ah, right… it was about finding the young master…

Something like guilt seemed to seep through Penandel’s tone as he continued asking.

“There hasn’t been any particular progress yet.”

-I see. But I’ve had some progress!

Penandel continued speaking so quickly it seemed like he was changing the subject.

-I confirmed the sealing stone purchase route you mentioned. The red sealing stones were rare enough that we could track them all.

Penandel rattled off the current locations of the sold sealing stones.

Among them, three had mysterious whereabouts.

He reported that all were presumed to have flowed into the slums of the capital city.

-But Your Excellency, why are you suddenly looking into sealing stones?

“I discovered illegally distributed sealing stones. I should report it to the royal court according to protocol.”

Though he answered mechanically as if reading from a predetermined script, Cesar had another reason for tracking the sealing stones’ locations.

Giving sealing stones as gifts without the recipient knowing – such intentions could hardly be considered good.

The biggest problem was that Belinda probably wasn’t being cautious of whoever gave her the sealing stone.

So instead of Belinda, he as her guard knight had to be wary of Belinda’s enemy.

Of course, asking the person who gave her the necklace would be the fastest and most accurate way to find out, but somehow Cesar was reluctant to ask Belinda.

Even if Belinda eventually learned the truth about the sealing stone, he hoped it wouldn’t be through a third party like me.

‘It would be easier to track if I could get my hands on the actual item.’

Just then, Cesar’s head turned toward the window. There was a commotion outside.

-So a large-scale troop deployment is expected for the next quarter’s subjugation… Your Excellency? Are you listening to me?

“I’m not listening.”

-Yes, of course you’re listening… What?

“Penandel, contact me again later.”

-What? I still have a lot more to report? Your Excellency?

However, despite Penandel’s shock, Cesar cut off the cage’s magical power.

Leaving behind the mechanical bird that drooped its head with a thud, Cesar hurriedly went out to the Front Yard where the commotion was taking place.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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