The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 163
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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 163
“Emergency!”
“The… The Empire… suddenly declared war… No, no. Without even declaring war, they fired some kind of magic cannon… and civilian homes…”
“What?”
The Empire’s hidden ultimate weapon created by the Magic Tower was carelessly fired due to the demons’ schemes.
It was just a matter of pressing a few simple buttons.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Bombardment, it’s bombardment!”
“Everyone get down! Cover your ears!”
“What is… what is that…”
“Evacuate right now!”
That bombardment pierced through Centa’s magical barrier and crashed into the ground. People’s limbs flew off, and bodies were crushed by debris.
“The Empire has started a war!”
“It’s a world war… The whole world will become a sea of fire!”
The fire did not go out.
“They say the Ascetic fired it, but what does that mean! The Ascetic would never do such a thing!”
“The Ascetic?! You’ll get arrested. Watch your words. From now on, you have to answer that you don’t know the Ascetic.”
The news that this incident was caused by the Ascetic spread quite quickly. As if someone had conspired to make it so.
“Mother!”
Casualties from the magic cannon launch.
Combining Centa and the Demon Realm, the total was.
90,000 people.
*
Celestia Evergrace.
Her abilities were at a level sufficient to be recognized as an Archmage, but in terms of experience, she was severely lacking.
“A weapon developed by the Magic Tower…?”
So when the pillars of the Magic Tower gathered, they held regular meetings to impart knowledge to Celestia that could substitute for various experiences.
“Yes. Because of that, the Magic Tower began to be persecuted and started getting entangled in the power of all sorts of politicians. The Magic Tower judged that this went against the will of the Sage who founded it, so it has maintained neutrality until now.”
“Then if they fired it like this…”
Celestia’s expression hardened.
“Yes. Even if the Saint protects us… the Magic Tower is probably finished now.”
The teacup vibrated. Ripples formed in the tea. Headmaster Theodor, reflected in the tea, subtly frowned.
“In this situation, whether the Saint… whether the Ascetic will be safe is also uncertain…”
Celestia suddenly stood up from her chair.
“I need to go see the Ascetic.”
“What are you going to do by going there?”
“Anything…! I’ll help the Ascetic.”
Headmaster Theodor stared at her intently.
“The Magic Tower will become endangered.”
“Everything that made my life what it is now is thanks to the Ascetic. For that, I can do anything.”
Professor Wolfgang pressed his forehead with two fingers.
“I’m not telling you not to go help him, Celestia.”
“Then what?”
“Think and act a little more like a mage. Like a sage.”
“…Like a sage?”
“Wisdom and intelligence. Everyone uses these words interchangeably, but there’s a big gap between them.”
Celestia, who looked like she was about to storm out immediately, turned toward him.
“I think one should become a wise person rather than a smart person.”
He fiddled with his teacup with his thumb.
“Celestia, you are a smart mage.”
“…”
“However, to save your benefactor… the Ascetic, you can’t just be smart. Smart people are prone to being used.”
*
“Inquisitor Yelena.”
“Hm? Yes. Why are you calling me?”
A junior inquisitor called her hesitantly. The junior inquisitor’s eyes showed a complicated expression through the helmet.
“Everyone told me not to tell you, but I think you should know about this.”
“…?”
“Well…”
Yelena froze for a moment after hearing the story. Then she swept up her bangs, looked at the sky, and turned her eyes back to the junior.
“Is that true?”
“…Yes. But please don’t say I told you. I don’t want to… get on their bad side too.”
“I understand. Thank you for telling me.”
Yelena patted the helmeted junior. The junior quickly disappeared. She muttered in the empty training ground with a frighteningly expressionless face.
“The Ascetic is going to be executed. And they kept it all secret from me?”
Her fresh green eyes became calm. Like leaves that had melted because they were too hot.
“Haha. Even the person being executed kept it secret from me.”
Yelena suddenly shouted into the air and threw her precious weapon to the ground.
“What do they take me for?”
Yelena, breathing heavily with anger, neatly adjusted her clothes. Then she brushed the dirt off her halberd. It was a series of actions to calm her mind and body.
“I should go visit him. Since I’m an inquisitor, I should be able to visit. If not, I’ll break the prison… What is the Ascetic thinking?”
Yelena was smart. Being an inquisitor wasn’t just about being strong – the process of catching heretics was close to deduction, so she inevitably had to possess intelligence.
“There’s no way the Ascetic went crazy and fired that thing. That man absolutely hates seeing people get hurt. If he was going to do that, he wouldn’t have agreed to a ceasefire in the first place! These idiots!”
So Yelena deduced.
“If I don’t know about it, it must be proceeding in utmost secrecy. But then everyone else knows about this? Has the trial already taken place?”
How exactly is this situation unfolding? The Young Lady and Harmony that we supposedly allied with… there’s been no contact at all.
Does Antonio even know about this? Kalebrin, if Kalebrin knew about this, she would definitely cry.
But they won’t let the execution proceed as is. Surely the Ascetic will escape midway or come up with some clever plan…!
Hmm, but then we’d become enemies with the Empire? We said we allied with the Demon Realm, but did that bombardment ruin everything?
‘No wonder it’s been strangely quiet since that bombardment – they were all negotiating underwater like this…’
Yelena sighed deeply, spun her halberd once, then set the head down on the ground.
“I should go see Mother.”
Like this, time flows quickly.
*
Click, click, click.
The sound of high heels echoed through the underground prison.
A large shadow was cast beyond the flames.
Click.
In front of her was someone whose eyes, neck, arms, and legs were currently restrained…
“Cel.”
The Ascetic was there.
He smiled wryly.
“…Are you here for a visit?”
“I don’t understand what you were thinking when you caused this mess.”
Teacher seemed quite flustered for the first time.
“You’re right. It wasn’t planned on my part either.”
“From what I can see, it seems like that child Eon did it on his own. Why are you taking responsibility for it?”
“Just because.”
At my delinquent answer, an ominous vein bulged at Teacher’s temple. I used to get hit by those hands quite a lot in the old days.
“Did you want to try some belated rebellion?”
The Teacher’s voice tone rose.
“Teacher, you don’t want me to die, right? You look unusually anxious, which isn’t like you.”
“Of course I don’t want you to die. The teacher raised you, so my heart aches thinking that small child might die.”
Honestly, if there were a demon of pretense or deception, it would probably be Teacher. I’m also a man whose conscience has run away from home, but that person seems to go even further than me.
“…I know that the child named Eon doesn’t fall within your family range.”
When I didn’t answer, Teacher brought up the words to get to the main point.
“Well, do I have to be family to do this kind of thing? I’m doing it because he’s a friend. A friend.”
“Even friends don’t go to prison in your place or get executed for you.”
I see~
“Is that so? I didn’t know since I don’t have friends. Teacher made me study without time to make friends.”
The Ascetic’s body no longer trembled in front of Teacher.
“Sernuan Lumiere. I told you not to answer in such a manner.”
Oh, the full name came out. But I’m not someone who gets intimidated by something like this.
“Are you angry?”
Teacher let out a deep sigh and swept back her curly hair.
“It’s not too late even now. Teacher will help you. From now on, follow my instructions…”
“No, Teacher.”
The Ascetic cut off her words abruptly.
“I’m going to die here.”
“…What?”
“Teacher, you know, don’t you? That’s why you came and went to the Demon Realm so freely in Alderion’s body, like it was your own house.”
“Speak step by step, Cel. If you keep acting like this, Teacher will really get angry.”
“Oh my, how scary.”
As soon as I spoke, Teacher’s threads slashed through the prison bars.
Clang, clatter!
The bars fell to the floor and rolled around noisily.
The tips of my ears, face, and several pieces of my clothes were torn. I restored my skin with healing ether and my clothes with the power of creation as if nothing happened.
Teacher always shows a rational and calculated appearance, but inside, she’s always filled with anger ready to explode.
Even when I just provoke her slightly like this, she resorts to violence.
The more Teacher figures out about me, the more I figure out about Teacher too.
I opened my mouth.
“You know about being a demon, don’t you?”
“…”
“I figured out what Teacher is thinking.”
“How presumptuous.”
“If Teacher helps me a little, I’ll cooperate with Teacher’s plan.”
“What makes you think you know what my plan is?”
“You don’t like pointless conversations… Right. Teacher wants to kill me, don’t you? I’m saying I’ll obediently follow those words.”
I smiled brightly.
“But why wait several years for Teacher’s plan like that…? It’s inefficient. Wouldn’t it be better to just do it now? At this execution.”
*
Click, click, click.
The sound of high heels grows distant. Teacher’s distinctive aura also rippled and disappeared from range.
I still muttered in the pitch-black darkness.
“Teacher seems angry.”
[Teacher’s psychological analysis: Displeasure, bewilderment, possessiveness]
“I feel good because I seem to have gotten her.”
[Ascetic’s psychological analysis: Rebelliousness, amusement, freedom]
“Could you not analyze mine too?”
I steadily made plans while tied up, peering through others’ vision.
Incidentally, I also checked on Eon’s… No, it’s Gretchin now.
I also looked at Gretchin’s vision, whom I had named. Gretchin looked somewhat depressed and wanted to die but couldn’t die and continued living.
Then the system… Sernuan asked a question.
[Ascetic, may I know why you don’t inform your ‘family’ members?]
“To bring about the future like the prophecy I glimpsed back then, it was unavoidable. The more people who know the future, the more it changes.”
[I see. What do you think about the 10% chance the prophecy might be wrong?]
“Still, I was right about Teacher coming to find me like this. Well, half of it was my own prediction too.”
Then, the shadows in the corner of the prison rippled. A familiar and ominous aura rose from the blind spot where torchlight didn’t reach. If Teacher hadn’t neutralized all the surveillance devices, it would have been discovered long ago.
“You’re in quite a state.”
It was the Demon King. I couldn’t even lift my head properly and moved my dry lips.
“You came personally. How dangerous.”
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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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