Evan D. Sherden, Added Sub Party (4)

Black magic was an indispensable subject in the Yo-Ma Great War series. Its very existence was taboo; it was difficult for those who had mastered it to live in society. Witches were reluctant to encounter civilization because they were persecuted in the past for toying with black magic. Then why was black magic so taboo? That was because, unlike common magic, the way to learn it which, were ugly rituals that required a sacrifice.

“But that’s also the best way to disguise it as a religion. Sacrifices and secrets. It’s perfectly equipped for the elements needed for a pseudo-religion. If money is added to this, it’s like adding flowers to embroidery.”

“That’s the worst.”

“It’s even worse when the aristocrats were involved…”

It was so dangerous and terrible that black magic appeared in each series because it was impossible to completely eradicate black magic from the continent. There has always been a demand because it provided a radical increase in power compared to general magic, and even if you try to catch and kill the people who used black magic, it was hard to track them because most black magic was practiced in hiding.

“But I never thought there would be an idiot trying to make it public in Leonine’s front yard.”

“They’re trying to kill us all and hide the evidence. That is, even his…”

It meant that he was trying to kill even his younger sister here. Shine was gritting his teeth and held Anastasia’s hand tightly. Some people couldn’t have a family even if they desperately wanted one, but some people wanted to hurt their precious family with their own hands. Anastasia held Shine’s hand and sighed.

“But I still believed in my brother.”

Did she believe that her brother would take care of her as a family member? No, there was no such belief from the beginning. Evan just wanted her to judge the situation realistically and move forward. He believed that she had fully realized it the day he summoned the Kraken.

[I’ve heard about that.]

The Ghost Lady said with a suspicious look.

[He thought the Kraken was a monster summoned by Master Evan. He says everything that happened that day must have been an act to bring him down.]

“Oh, well. Everything just happened by coincidence. But it’s all because he was wearing the damn octopus clothes…”

It was a possible misunderstanding because Serena had even tamed the Kraken. Of course, it was proof that Matthew was an idiot when he misunderstood the epic battle as an act.

[So, according to his logic, this must be revenge. Master, you attacked him first, so it’s his turn to attack.]

“Okay, I know enough about his position now. Anyway, it’s tonight. Do you remember what the Magic Circle looked like?”

[Yes! I grasped it the moment I saw the Magic Circle. But it’s amazing; how do I remember it so clearly…?]

Evan felt like the Ghost Lady was throwing a sub-scenario bait, but he ignored it with all his might and held out a paper and pen. The Ghost Lady used the pen with her mana to draw a very precise magic circle.

“Ah.”

Evan recognized the magic circle at once. It was the magic circle that he had seen once in the middle boss battle of the main scenario of Yo-Ma Great War 4. It was normal not to remember it, but he could because it was a common element that appeared in every dungeon added as DLC. It was similar to the fact that the middle boss, who had been caught in the main series, appeared in large numbers when he entered a bonus dungeon.

“That’s the most annoying thing. It is a high-ranking black wizard who takes us as scapegoats and summons the monsters directly from the Mana World with our counter attributes and the energy extracted from us. It’s a ridiculous way of praying for the continent’s destruction. How did they come up with this?”

“It always amazes me that you recognize terrifying things like these right away, Master.”

[Well, as I said before, it doesn’t seem to have been installed all of a sudden, but it seems like it’s been installed secretly for a long time.]

Evan once again ignored the sub-scenario with his power. Yes, it didn’t matter when the Black Magic Circle had been installed. It would be a mere illusion for the Ghost Lady to appear to have something to do with it.

“We can’t let this work.”

“I agree with you. I can’t even imagine how terrible the monster summoned by your mana would be.”

“I can’t deny it. The stronger I am, the higher the level of my enemies…”

So, in the game, they would invoke the trap with their opposite attributes, switch with each other, and fight against the other monsters…Evan, who recalled the game with a longing look, soon came to his senses and ordered the group.

“It would be best to get rid of it right now, but if we don’t gather as many enemies as we can, this operation will mean nothing. So, first, we’ll pretend that we don’t know about the Black Magic Circle, and then we’ll be waiting somewhere else and set up dummies to replace us. When they gather to invoke the Black Magic circle, we destroy the Black Magic circle and get rid of them all. Simple, right?”

“Is there something we need to take note of?”

“We need to let one person live. It also gives the impression that we’re having trouble chasing them. That way, they’ll flee Leonine in a hurry. The ideal progress would be for them to take all their money and go to Sherden, pledging revenge on me.”

“Well, if we do that…”

As Evan first said, only empty houses would remain.

“Now that we’ve got ourselves a plan let’s move.”

“How do we set up the dummies?”

“Shine, the alchemy I’ve mastered is meant to be used for moments like this.”

Bernard’s alchemy, which was the key to all the Yo-Ma Great War 2 scenarios, flourished here by his student’s hands! When Evan hid the blood off himself and the group members in each of the dolls and placed them in the appropriate spots, the dolls began to emit similar energy as the group members. Evan was confident that they wouldn’t see the dummies’ identities unless they were a wizard at Arisha’s level or an alchemist at Evan’s.

“Lua, use the cognitive protection seal on us.”

“I’ve done it, Master.”

“Already? …Lua, you’ve become a lot more powerful since you got the rune.”

The group, which succeeded in a perfect camouflage operation through Evan and Belois’ collaboration, hid their presence and left the room, heading straight to a place no one knew. It was the secret flower garden of the royal villa that only Anastasia knew.

“It’s nice to be here again.”

“I met Asha for the first time here.”

“Yes, Shine was really cute back then…but now, he is so cool.”

“Asha.”

Anastasia, who was depressed about Matthew, also regained her vitality when she entered the garden and began to flirt with Shine. While the rest of the party implicitly widened the distance from them in the secure private space, the Ghost Lady sat still in the corner of the garden, frowning without even arguing with Shine.

[I feel like I forget something important. I always thought it was a familiar place every time I came here, but it’s especially worse today. Is it because I saw the dark magic circle earlier?]

“I think what is important is the now, Ghost Lady.”

Evan desperately…ignored…the sub-scenario…!

[Now is important…yeah; why did my family falsely accuse me in the first place? What was the name of my family…?]

“Hey, Shine! The Ghost Lady is lonely!”

“Anyway, we’re always together, and you never give me any free time.”

Shine, who was spending time alone with Anastasia, smiled bitterly and called her in. It was that moment. The Ghost Lady raised her head and shouted as if something had popped up!

[I remember everything now! I used to live here! I was the owner of this palace!]

“Ah, ah, ah…”

Even the sub-scenario had begun in a situation where everything would be solved even if they stayed still!

Evan mourned and touched his forehead. They were about to fight the Black Wizards, and she was about to make a scene!

[I can’t stay like this. Yeah, Shine! The Duke is in danger! The magic circle isn’t a problem right now. Maybe it had an incidental purpose to kill us!]

“What are you talking about all of a sudden, you…?”

Originally, there were many cases where quests overlapped while playing games. In particular, online gamers often failed to clear both of them because they received two important, time-restricted quests at once. Now Evan felt like he was in that situation.

[Magic circle! It was set up when I was alive. I was from the family of pioneering lords who were dispatched to the West before Leonine. But we were involved with the Black Wizards…Yes, I was the scapegoat! We were accused of using black magic to plot treason!]

“Oh, damn it, we’ve finally started a grand scenario…”

Perhaps this was the DLC of Yo-Ma Great War 4. Evan sighed with such useless thoughts. The Ghost Lady’s kind explanation of the scenario continued even as the other party struggled to understand the situation.

[The magic circle. It’s not what Master Evan thinks it is. The magic circle you see is only a fraction, and the entire castle is covered in black magic. It’s a double-summoning magic circle! It’s a Magic Circle that had been offered many times, and it’s summoning even more terrible disasters! It’s the last of humanity’s dark magic circles that bring destruction to this world! I’m sure that’s what I learned!]

“…Did you learn it?”

[I said I was involved with the Black Wizards.]

‘This lady. So, it wasn’t a false accusation!?’

[I couldn’t help it, I couldn’t survive on this land if I didn’t join hands with them…besides, I didn’t know black magic was bad because I was locked in a castle by my father’s strict orders. They brought me everything I needed…]

“And you got caught on, so the Black Wizards cut you off.”

[Yes, of course. Unfortunately, the great lady wizard, who was a great help to the royal family, was staying in the West…now that I think about it, I think she was a member of the witch family.]

It was a valid inference. The witch’s village existed in the West, and it was quite likely that the witch who came out for a while noticed the existence of the black wizards. But…the Ghost Lady, who had been recalling her memories of her past life, was staring at Anastasia.

[I didn’t think you were unfamiliar from the start…You look like that wizard back then.]

“Oh.”

Anastasia, who developed the ability to read scenarios with Evan, looked pale after roughly noticing who the beautiful lady wizard the Ghost Lady was talking about.

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

[You didn’t do anything wrong. We were the ones who did the wrong.]

Surprisingly, the Ghost Lady was calm about it. No, it was probably because there was something more important than that right now.

[Anyway, we need to plan again, Master Evan. The Double Summon Magic Circle can expand the magic circle that you know. Then it includes not only this castle but also more than half of this estate.]

“What?”

Evan stood up straight from his seat. If the Magic Circle included more than half of this estate…

“Maybell is still in danger.”

“If she had seen you now, she would’ve died in shock due to her happiness.”

“Let’s move now. Right now.”

It wasn’t a problem to root out the Black Wizard forces. Evan blinked as he prepared to free the Devil Rune of his Boots. At that time, the Ghost Lady carefully raised her hand and said.

[I think I can do something about the magic circle with the dark magic I’ve mastered.]

“Okay, Ghost Lady. Start right away, please.”

[Okay.]

The Ghost Lady nodded bravely and seemed ready to move right away but suddenly looked back at them and said in a small voice.

[Call me Christina from now on.]

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Evan answered back.

“I was expecting that to be your name.”