Chapter 2

Chapter 2

‘So…… I have been possessed, is that it?’

Although it was an absurd situation, Roan quickly began to accept the reality.

It was unclear whether this was an instinct revealed when facing a crisis, or because of the personality of Roan whom he possessed.

‘First of all, there is one thing I must check.’

Namely, whether his black magic has awakened.

If he had not yet awakened, there was at least a chance for him to live as an ordinary student.

The character information only said he possessed a talent for black magic, not that he would start with it already awakened.

‘……Even I think it makes no sense, though.’

Roan closed his eyes and focused for a moment, clinging to straws.

Naturally, he did not know in the slightest how to use something like black magic.

However, with a bizarre talent stat of a whopping 100, releasing mana should not be difficult.

Yet, from the start, Roan earnestly hoped that nothing would happen.

‘Please let nothing happen!’

Exhaling, he reached his hand toward the empty wall.

If he had awakened black magic, even this much would bring out a faint trace of the unique black mana…….

Kwaaaaaaaaak─────!

“…….”

And the wall was immediately struck by the exploding black mana and half-destroyed.

Roan, speechless, blankly watched the scene he had caused.

So much for letting nothing happen.

He had succeeded in pulling up and releasing black mana as naturally as breathing.

To the extent of simply shattering a stone wall.

“Damn it all───!”

Roan spat out a barrage of curses, thinking that he had wished for too much in the first place.

“Fuuh……”

He had already awakened black magic.

And extremely, extremely well at that.

Once he released mana, he definitely got a feel for it.

The violent wriggling of mana surging through his entire body.

Even the black magic circles he had vaguely glimpsed while playing the game began to come back to him vividly.

Roan, who was realizing whether this was the reality of a talent stat of 100, shook his head.

‘Right, I should wish for something realistic.’

To awaken black magic or not.

If there were such choices, no one would choose the former.

Even if the character description did not state that he had awakened black magic, wasn’t that the natural flow?

Only Yu-han had tried hard to ignore it.

As his wildly surging heart began to calm down, he started to take in information one by one.

If this was truly the world inside God & Devil, there would surely be many things he knew.

Whatever anyone said, he was the player who had achieved an all-clear on that absurd difficulty.

Roan’s ash-colored eyes calmly scanned the surroundings.

‘I definitely remember seeing this.’

First, the dragon statue.

Usually, dragons in God & Devil were depicted with three claws.

On the other hand, that one had four.

Such a dragon statue only belonged to the four major families of the Empire.

Furthermore, the crest of the Darc family was engraved on the bronze mirror where he had confirmed his possessed appearance as Roan.

Roan had definitely stopped by here.

‘The abandoned Lord’s castle of the Darc family.’

Among other things, it was a kind of secret space that could only be entered by activating a hidden gimmick in the castle.

‘I’m glad I came all the way here during my discard runs.’

God & Devil was a game that continued until the character’s death even if they fell into a branch point off the ending.

At first, players would despair because they didn’t realize that fact in time, but.

After becoming somewhat experienced, they would utilize such runs cleverly.

It was what they called a ‘discard run.’

It was a run where they freely experimented with things that were hard to do in runs aimed at clearing the game, before moving on to the next run.

This was also a place he had visited during the discard run of the adventurer character ‘Nik Borazin.’

If it was the abandoned Lord’s castle of the Darc family, it also explained the reason why he started here.

No, there was no need for a reason.

It was his own family’s castle.

‘Back then, there was no such thing as this black magic transmutation circle.’

However, when he had come here as Nik Borazin, this place was literally just an empty stone chamber with nothing but a hidden door.

How frustrated he had been when his expectation of finding a secret place of the Darc family was crushed.

Yet it turned out that it was actually the starting location for the hidden character.

“Should I be happy about this or not……?”

If it were simply a game playthrough he was enjoying, he might have been shedding tears of emotion by now.

However, right now, he was possessed by the body of Roan Darc.

The situation was far too dangerous for him to discover the identity of the hidden settings and enjoy it.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

Rather, once he thought that way, was it competitiveness?

A determination to break through this situation somehow welled up.

Roan grinned fiercely and turned around.

The direction was not toward the exit, but rather the opposite.

‘In this kind of situation, it’s highly likely that place will open too.’

In that direction was the secret door he had discovered when he came here as Nik Borazin.

Although he had found out that there was a door using adventurer skills.

— Not an authorized user —

He had been blocked by this notification window every single time he tried to open it.

At that time, he thought it was because Nik Borazin’s skill was lacking, but now, Roan had an intuition.

The authorized user.

That was none other than himself, Roan Darc.

“Was it around here……?”

Roan groped the wall opposite the exit.

A wall made of tiny tiles.

When he pressed several tiles that remained in his memory in a certain direction.

Gugugung—

With a dull sound, the middle of the wall split wide open.

‘As expected.’

Roan cautiously entered the opened door.

The internal space revealed as a result.

The structure itself was simple.

It was about half the size of the outside, and not a single common decoration was placed.

‘That is!’

And in the middle of the stone chamber, there was a stone book resting on a stone pedestal.

Although it was covered in moss, an auspicious light that defied the passage of time radiated brilliantly from the open pages.

Naturally, Roan knew the identity of that book.

‘What was behind this was an Authority?’

Authority.

A fragment of the Lord God Hiloa.

To holy-related characters such as priests, holy knights, and monks, it was a fortuitous encounter no different from a blessing.

An increase in holy power was basic, let alone lost holy magic or various supernatural abilities.

Because it granted all kinds of bonuses that could not even be dreamed of through ordinary means.

However, even Yu-han had not found many Authorities.

Naturally, God & Devil redistributed Authorities to random locations with random contents in each run to prevent fixed speedruns.

‘What does it matter if I’m a black mage? I just need to get the Authority!’

Systematically, possessing both black mana and holy power at the same time was restricted.

But it was entirely possible to activate the Authority dwelling in his body rather than directly using holy power.

There was even a precedent in the lore.

Suppressing a leak of laughter, Roan approached the Authority step by step.

Wait, for a game of extreme difficulty, isn’t this too easy?

The influence of an Authority was absolute within the Holy Empire.

Indeed, in the past, ‘Cain McGodal,’ despite being a giant in the black magic world, obtained an Authority, was allowed to convert, and eventually rose to the position of archbishop.

‘Well…… that was also because the Authority was resurrection, though.’

At any rate, as long as he had an Authority, that alone would be of great help in surviving the Holy Empire.

‘Well, even that would be completely useless if I didn’t know there was a secret door here.’

Indeed, if one lives diligently, blessings come.

Roan thought so.

Who would enter an abandoned estate with no particular reward during a discard run, wander all over, and find a secret door in a secret place?

It was close to impossible if it weren’t for him.

……Putting aside how many people other than him had unlocked the character Roan Darc in the first place.

Just as Roan was swelling with anticipation for the rosy future ahead.

Hwarak—

“……?”

Roan paused for a moment at the sudden change in the Authority.

‘Just now, that color changed, didn’t it?’

It was clear.

Originally, holy white light was all there was to an Authority.

There was no such thing as it suddenly changing to black midway.

Yet, the thing in front of his eyes was definitely.

Hwarak—

“Could it be…… Could it be……”

Roan rushed to the Authority as if he couldn’t believe it.

He had traveled around the world of God & Devil more diligently than anyone.

Naturally, he also knew of an Authority with this kind of bizarre phenomenon.

Exactly one.

‘False Divinity.’

‘Don’t lie to me. Why of all things……?’

Roan stared at the Authority as if his eyes would pop out, but.

Hwarak— hwarak—

The thing playfully changed colors as if confirming he had seen it correctly.

“Damn……”

Thud—

In the end, Roan’s legs gave out, and he fell to his knees in front of the pedestal.

Although it was unintentional, that posture resembled a devout believer taking a reverent pose before a god-given miracle.

And that was also the condition for acquiring the Authority.

Hwaaaak—

‘Whatever, let it be.’

Feeling the light bursting out like an explosion, Roan closed his eyes tightly.

Of all the many Authorities, why did it have to be False Divinity?

Although he resented it.

‘Perhaps if it is Roan…….’

Thinking that this, too, might be fate.

***

Boo— boo—

A crescent moon floating like a thin band, and the gloomy cries of birds.

Since the abandoned Lord’s castle of the Darc family had not been properly touched by human hands for fifteen years, it was now almost no different from a ruin.

Roan looked down at his hand anew, trudging out of the main building.

Hwaaaak—

When he simply gathered mana, his black mana responded so easily and took shape.

‘The effect is solid.’

However, unlike before, it was no longer black but bore the brilliant white color characteristic of holy magic.

The effect of ‘False Divinity’ was thus to disguise all mana as holy power.

In fact, it was the most useless among the Authorities he knew of.

‘It’s just pretty trash, though.’

To put it another way, this Authority was like changing a magic skin.

For example, with black magic.

‘A curse that looks like holy magic, an undead summon that looks like holy magic, blood magic that looks like holy magic…….’

Various applications like those would be possible.

He had never used this Authority as a black mage, but it was difficult to escape the eyes of highly skilled clergymen with just the effect of looking like it.

‘If it were an ordinary Authority, I could at least insist on using only that!’

When he had used this Authority with a former mage character, high-ranking clergymen found it interesting but easily noticed that it was mana, not holy power.

Also, crucially, the Holy Empire did not recognize False Divinity as a proper Authority.

Supposedly because it was not made of pure white holy power.

It seemed that the reason why the color changed unlike other Authorities was for that reason.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was extremely unfair.

“How could someone be this unlucky in the world!”

Roan shouted at the sky in a burst of frustration.

Even so, there was no returning answer.

“……Right.”

He suddenly clenched his fist.

‘Let’s run away.’

Ultimately, that was the only method left.

Since he had unconsciously awakened black magic, shouldn’t he still be able to avoid entering the Holy Academy?

Fortunately, the Ehadan region where the Darc family’s castle was located was a remote place even within the Empire.

Even more so, it was a place where it was hard to find traces of people after the destruction.

Naturally, there might not even be anyone who knew Roan was here right now.

‘Right now, I can easily flee outside the Empire!’

……Roan rationalized to himself.

Dadadak—

At any rate, since he had made up his mind, there was no need to hesitate.

He immediately started to run.

Kwajib— kwajak—

Although his appearance was gradually becoming a mess due to the vines and branches blocking the path, he did not care.

As long as he went outside the Holy Empire.

Whether it was black magic that looked like holy magic or holy magic that looked like black magic, he could settle down somewhere and live quietly.

In front of Roan, who was running like the wind, a half-damaged castle gate revealed its form.

‘If I can just escape this castle first……!’

God & Devil was that kind of game.

If you wanted to see the ending, you took the appropriate route, but even if you didn’t, you could continue playing until the character died.

No matter how difficult the character Roan was, he might be able to clear it once out of a hundred times, and clearing might be the way to return to Earth.

But what if the remaining ninety-nine times led straight to death or life imprisonment?

Furthermore, what if he could only try once?

‘Clear? I have absolutely no need for such a thing.’

Roan would willingly choose to live peacefully here for the rest of his life.

Kreeeak—

‘I am free—!’

When he pushed the heavy door with his whole body and finally made a gap wide enough for a person to pass.

“Oh, Young Master Darc!”

“……?”

Outside, for some reason, stood a priest dressed in high-ranking vestments, and.

—Greetings, Young Master!—

About a squad of holy knights was saluting him.

‘No, why in a place like this?’

Roan stood straight before them, trying hard to hide his bewildered expression.

A priest with a smile all over his face, and knights who even knelt on one knee.

Could they have sensed the energy when he awakened black magic?

‘That…… doesn’t seem to be the case.’

Even if dragged to a tiger’s den—no, a dungeon—one can survive by keeping their wits.

Let alone that, judging by their attitude, they were not hostile to him.

If they had come knowing Roan had awakened as a black mage of transcendent talent, they wouldn’t be acting like this.

‘Is it a trap? It could be.’

However, Roan decided not to let his guard down until the very end.

This was a new world, after all.

Since they were not game characters like before, but actual humans.

“……It is nice to meet you, but what brings you all the way here?”

As if he were truly the master of this half-ruined castle, Roan asked in a low voice.

His ash-colored hair and eyes allowed him to maintain a plausible dignity, even though his appearance was a mess and he was sweating slightly.

Meanwhile, the priest laughed aloud as if he had heard a funny joke.

“Hahaha, what brings us, indeed. Did you not request an escort yourself, Young Master Darc?”

“……Escort?”

‘This guy, what on earth did he do behind my back?’

Roan cursed the previous Roan in his mind.

If he was going to leave, he should have left quietly, instead of doing something useless…….

“Yes. It’s because Young Master Darc’s admission ceremony for Acherandir is coming up soon. Since we have to go there anyway, we decided to escort you.”

Roan glanced behind the priest and the holy knights.

Sure enough, an extremely luxurious eight-horse carriage from the Holy Palace was stationed there.

‘I’ve rarely seen such a giant carriage even during my playthroughs…….’

However, in his eyes, it looked exactly like a prisoner transport wagon.

“……I see, right.”

As Roan nodded, the priest wore a warm smile and made the kneeling holy knights stand up.

“Everyone, please stand up now. It seems the Young Master is embarrassed to have run into us like this.”

—Hahaha, there is absolutely no need for that!—

—What an honor it is to serve the last descendant of the Darc family, by Hiloa!—

Apparently, they were grossly misunderstanding.

Thinking that Roan was pretending not to know because he had shown an embarrassing side while rushing out to avoid being late for the appointment.

Who would ever imagine that the descendant of the Darc family was trying to escape the Empire?

However, looking at them laughing merrily while treating him like a pubescent teenager.

‘……I’d lose if I fought them right now, wouldn’t I?’

He harbored such an impious thought for a brief moment.

‘Moreover, just in case—just maybe—there might be something to the combination of False Divinity and black mana…….’

Surging black mana and an Authority, a combination of opposite extremes.

Even Roan thought it was an excessive hopeful delusion, but since this was God & Devil, which was filled with all kinds of hidden elements, there was hope.

Let’s live with a low profile for four years until graduation, and then flee the Empire!

At that moment, the priest suddenly stiffened his expression and looked back at Roan.

“But you see, Lord Darc. For some reason, there is a completely different energy than when I saw you last time……”

As soon as Roan thought of it, he was shocked by his shattered hopeful delusion.

‘Already?’

What combination of opposite extremes, what hidden elements?

Probably, the Roan they saw last was in a clean state without having awakened black magic.

Furthermore, it was just that Roan hadn’t noticed because everything was awkward for him.

To their eyes, it could be fully obvious.

‘No, despite everything, it is supposed to be an Authority……!’

Was False Divinity a more garbage Authority than he had thought?

“I wondered why you wanted to go to the Darc family’s estate the day before admission of all times……”

By this point, it was certain.

Roan faintly gathered the energy of his entire body.

‘Now that it has come to this, I have no choice.’

If I strike them when they are off guard and confuse them, escaping would be……

Tak—

A touch-and-go situation.

The priest grabbed Roan’s wrist.

“When did you awaken holy power like this!”

“……?”

What?

In Roan’s captured hand, the brilliant black mana that looked like holy power was flickering.

Naturally.

Since he was planning to throw a punch immediately.

However, the priest in front of him even welled up with tears.

“To devote yourself to your studies this much…… I, a servant of Hiloa, am moved!”

—Ohhh! Even before receiving baptism! How many years has it been since this happened!—

Furthermore, even the holy knights in the back began to whisper and cheer after grasping the situation.

“……For the glory and reconstruction of the family.”

—Kuh!—

—Heup…….—

When Roan tossed that single line, it instantly turned into a sea of tears.

—Ah, as expected of the one who carries the destiny of Darc!—

—My unworthy eyes feel like they are being opened by the Young Master’s holy power!—

The knights wallowed in a crucible of fuss and emotion.

“How on earth did this happen? Perhaps a holy relic? A holy fire? ……Or maybe your grief and longing for your family reached Hiloa with a devout heart. No, that’s not what’s important right now!”

Meanwhile, the priest beat his own drum and suddenly raised his voice.

Roan was inwardly dumbfounded seeing the deeply misunderstanding priest.

A holy relic? Holy fire? Grief?

‘It was just a blatant black magic transmutation circle.’

“What are you doing! Let us escort Young Master Darc to Acherandir immediately, with the utmost respect!”

—Yes!—

The holy knights excitedly began to run to the carriage.

Roan stood still in a daze, and the priest winked at him upon seeing that.

“There is no need to be shy. No matter the catalyst, awakening holy power even before admission is a great thing.”

“……No, it’s not like that.”

“I will make sure to inform the headmaster and other professors.”

“You son of a—”

……Somehow, he seemed to have avoided the worst-case scenario, but.

If he was going to be dragged along anyway, he should stay as quiet as possible until graduation.

Roan’s second plan was on the verge of being shattered to pieces.

“?”

“……I do not care about such things. It is a minor matter, so you do not have to inform them—”

“Sob, truly. Lord Darc, you make me weep multiple times today!”

Roan decided to just keep his mouth shut.

“Now, let us go! The future top student of Acherandir, Lord Roan Darc!”

“……Thank you.”

For some reason, Roan, led by the priest’s hand toward the carriage, looked like he was being dragged along, but.

In the dark night, the heavily infatuated group did not notice in the slightest.