Bloodline is a Cheat Code - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 70
I was fortunate that I was so absorbed in the flames I had conjured that I hadn’t even noticed being abandoned by Serpina Rosena.
“Tiae, if you have something to say, just call for me right away. Why are you waiting like that? Did I make it difficult for you to speak?”
“No, Serpina Rosena. I was curious about something, but it seemed like you and Minabell were studying, so I didn’t want to interrupt your concentration.”
“She’s not incapable of magic, but the results aren’t as good as I expected. It seems she’s unconsciously set limitations on herself.”
She’ll improve with continued practice. Serpina Rosena, who had been muttering to herself, looked at me as if urging me to ask my question.
“Dark magic.”
“Yes, dark magic. Did someone try to cast dark magic on you? What’s their name? If you don’t know their name, you can just describe what they look like. If you don’t remember their appearance either…”
“No, nothing happened. I just came because I was having a conversation with His Highness, and I wanted to know the answer to a simple riddle he posed.”
“Ah… What is it?”
The moment Lucian Advein’s name came up, Serpina Rosena’s interest dropped sharply, and she deliberately adjusted her tone before looking at me again.
It seemed as though she was thinking, ‘No matter how much I dislike it, this is my younger sister’s question!’
“What’s the most representative example that gave dark magic a bad reputation? I thought it was one of the magics that kills people, but if that’s the case, there are too many examples. It seems like it should be narrowed down to just one.”
Serpina Rosena tilted her gaze thoughtfully at my words and tapped her cheek.
I spent the time thinking how beautiful her contemplative face was when the answer came.
“It probably isn’t death. People can be killed with holy power too. And of course with ordinary magic as well. Such uses aren’t something unique to dark magic alone.”
“Ah…”
“When you say it gave dark magic a bad reputation, there’s really only one thing that comes to mind, but I’m not sure if this is the right answer. It’s such an old case, after all.”
I nodded as if to say anything was fine and to just tell me, and Serpina Rosena responded matter-of-factly.
“Immortality magic.”
“Immortality magic?”
“Yes, so-called those who craved eternal life tried to create it. By natural order, people eventually die, don’t they? Those people felt that wasn’t right. Their argument was: why must we die when we have so much left to do?”
People fear death because of their attachment to the talents, wealth, and fame they possess, or to things they lack.
Thus began research into immortality magic.
At first, under the name of life-extension technique, it mimicked a form of healing magic, so society didn’t impose any particular restrictions on it.
The optimistic thinking was that if more people lived longer and overcame disease, wouldn’t that make society flourish?
The mages conducting the research also initially only pursued immortality magic on those whose lives hung in the balance, so it appeared to be action for a true ‘greater good.’
“That was the case at first.”
“So it became corrupted later.”
“Healing is supposed to cure sickness. But even if someone’s life hangs in the balance, if they suffer in pain and merely cling to life, can that really be called healing?”
“…”
Serpina Rosena continued speaking calmly.
They became obsessed with merely sustaining life.
They paid no attention to the suffering of the humans undergoing those experiments, their worsening conditions, or the damage to every other part of their bodies.
Ultimately, the research subjects of immortality magic typically met horrific ends.
Their bodies rotted away as they died, or they became mere moving corpses without a soul.
“But the worst came after that. People emerged who claimed that a state where the body doesn’t move but only the soul remains alive was actually the final form of immortality magic.”
“That’s… what do you mean?”
“If the mind lives even after the body dies, then it isn’t death. They believed that if they could only extend life force from somewhere, immortality magic would be complete.”
Binding a fading soul isn’t simply treating wounds or disease—it’s an entirely different domain.
Serpina Rosena created two small human figures floating in the air to help me understand the principle better.
“Humans possess both a body and a soul. The body dies from illness or injury, and when the body is completely destroyed, the soul leaves it. Usually, it simply disappears.”
“I see.”
“Conversely, when the soul disappears, the body remains intact yet the person dies. You’ve seen those who died without any wounds, haven’t you? Mages claimed that since sacred power can heal physical injuries, if they could cure soul damage, that would be immortality.”
Serpina Rosena’s expression twisted with disgust at even being called the same type of mage as them.
Though she rarely wore expressions of warmth, she seldom displayed such blatant hatred.
Even hearing the sanitized version through her made me feel sick—I could only imagine how she felt having directly learned and absorbed this history.
“So…?”
“Eventually, they began capturing healthy people without any illness and using them as research subjects for immortality magic. Those people never even knew why they were there, becoming mere materials for magic as their souls deteriorated.”
“…Such things existed in The Empire’s history?”
“They did, Tiae. Strangely, you can’t find it in any of The Empire’s official texts. I only learned of it after spending considerable time at the Magic Tower and finally gaining access to the forbidden sections.”
And the horrifying truth that most of those who committed such atrocities were Imperial Household mages.
“Did they come to oppose magic because of immortality magic?”
“The exact reason isn’t documented, so I’m not entirely certain either.”
Considering the current Imperial Household’s stance of opposing magic, these stories seemed utterly unimaginable.
But Serpina Rosena would never fabricate lies. As my expression grew increasingly grave, she paused briefly.
“Should we stop if this is too much?”
“No, keep going. I need to understand this properly.”
“Mm… Well, ultimately they perfected immortality magic by draining life force.”
“Draining?”
“Yes, by extracting others’ life force to extend the soul’s existence. That way, even if the body rots and decays, the soul continues to survive and live through consciousness. The downside is that since the soul cannot be transferred to another body, one must continue living in the decaying corpse as it deteriorates.”
“What use is maintaining only the soul? My will cannot reach anyone.”
“A dark mage who understands immortality magic’s principles can supposedly comprehend the soul’s intent and will. While they can’t transfer the soul into a body, they can temporarily lend parts of the body—eyes or hands—in a sort of possession.”
It seems there’s more than one downside. I barely restrained myself from asking what the advantages even were.
I held back from picking apart every flaw in their logic one by one.
After all, Serpina Rosena didn’t create this magic, and she was graciously spending her precious time explaining history to me.
“Tiae! Sister Lepina!”
Our conversation was interrupted shortly after by Minabell, who had belatedly realized she’d been left behind and came running.
Though it seemed more like she blamed herself for not noticing my arrival rather than feeling truly abandoned. I felt apologetic, but decided to let the misunderstanding stand for now.
“Tiae, how are you feeling today? Did your date go well?”
“A date? Today was work again… Bel, how’s your magic study progressing?”
“So-so… The status window keeps recommending different jobs to me, and honestly it’s making me want to rebel right now.”
“It recommends jobs too?”
“Actually it’s classes, not jobs, but explaining it would be pointless since you wouldn’t understand anyway. I guess I’m not suited to being a pure mage.”
“Huh? There are mages that aren’t pure mages?”
When I looked at Serpina Rosena, she tilted her head slightly, as if hearing such a thing for the first time.
Minabell, noticing our confusion, smiled shyly and said she’d explain once everything was finalized, then scurried off to focus on kindling a modest flame.
If she’s satisfied, that’s all that matters.
“Sister, I should get going now.”
“Have you figured out the answer to the riddle?”
“More or less. His Majesty has an audience scheduled for tomorrow, so I should probably retire early as well.”
Serpina Rosena nodded in acknowledgment.
As I returned to my bedchamber, I felt my expression growing darker with each step.
This much was certain.
The Emperor was undoubtedly behind all of this.
And he was a terrifying creature dreaming of immortality, scheming to exploit even his own children as currency for vitality.
“Hah….”
How absurd.
Why were they all so terrible at keeping secrets?

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