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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: An Unholy Alliance
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What is this? Some new way of asking me to kill myself?
‘No, that can’t be right.’
Zion didn’t even know I was a warlock, to begin with.
I tried to shake off the stray thoughts. Then, organizing what I had just heard, I carefully broached the subject.
“So.”
I continued, looking at Zion’s gentle smile.
“You’re saying that I… have to lure out Lady Swanson?”
“That’s one way to put it. We can’t just suddenly visit House Swanson, after all. We thought it would be best if Emily, who has at least some acquaintance with her, could help.”
He had such a refined way of asking me to be bait.
‘He’s dragging me into this while thinking I might be a warlock?’
I thought he’d just ask for help tracking black magic. With that holy face that looked like it couldn’t harm a fly, his actions were quite sinister.
‘And we just shared skewers the other day…!’
I thought we were getting along. What gives?
‘If I were some clueless noble lady, I would have fallen for it.’
What should I do? When I showed a slight hesitation, Zion added more.
“Hazel will be with you, so it won’t be dangerous.”
I glanced to the side and saw Hazel nod. If Natalie and I invited her, it would be possible to slip Hazel in, so it was a rather reasonable choice.
I guess he had a shred of conscience, at least.
“Please, Emily.”
Zion put on another pleading expression. I would think he’d realize by now that his pretty-face attack didn’t work on me.
“…Of course, I’ll help.”
After all, I wanted to get rid of Penelope as soon as possible, too. So, I decided to play along with his scheme for now.
“As it happens, I received another party invitation from her recently. I’ll ask Natalie if Hazel can come along, too.”
At my words, Zion’s face brightened instantly.
“May the Lord’s blessing be with you.”
That was probably the highest praise he could offer. Unfortunately for me, it was closer to a curse.
“May the Lord’s blessing be with you.”
I replied shamelessly. I wondered if a warlock’s blessing would have any effect.
“Natalie will be delighted. She was always pestering Hazel to come to a party.”
“Haha. I hope this will be a good opportunity for Hazel to spend time with her friends.”
Zion then confessed that he rarely got to see people his own age at the temple and had always been envious of that. His shy smile made him look his age.
‘He said he was about my age.’
It was hard to guess his age. Perhaps it was because of his unreal beauty, as if sculpted by God himself.
‘I think he looked a bit younger in his casual clothes…’
His impression was completely different now.
I even had the silly thought that dust might avoid settling on his pure white hair.
“Hazel will go in first to see if there’s anything suspicious inside and will contact us within ten minutes. If there’s no word after ten minutes, I’ll assume Hazel has also been captured, and I will intervene myself.”
The plan itself was simple.
“The moment Lady Swanson is confirmed to be a warlock, the top priority is the warlock’s elimination. The second priority is the rescue of the noble ladies who have fallen victim to the warlock.”
For a moment, I stared at Zion with wide eyes.
“If the warlock takes those inside as hostages….”
He continued with an utterly noble expression.
“We abandon them and focus on killing the warlock.”
“…”
Zion’s face was serene, as if he had just stated the obvious.
‘Why in the world is he saying this?’
I had clearly told him.
That my friend Natalie seemed to have fallen for Penelope’s scheme. And Natalie was scheduled to be at the party that day.
‘Even if Zion says that, Hazel would never let Natalie get hurt… But it would look strange if I just accepted such a statement quietly.’
It would be quite a shocking thing for a normal noble lady to hear.
Pretending I couldn’t hide my trembling gaze, I finally spoke.
“But… my friend is in there.”
“We cannot make exceptions for personal feelings.”
“Isn’t the point of eliminating a warlock to save people? If people get hurt as the price for eliminating the warlock, then…”
“Emily.”
Zion called my name in a gentle voice. At first glance, it even sounded affectionate, but that was only because he was forcefully suppressing his emotions.
“Do you know how many people a single warlock can kill?”
Based on my own standard, probably zero?
“…”
I thought about it quite seriously, but yes, zero seemed right.
When I made a troubled face, Zion continued.
“How much chaos that warlock would bring to this world if left unchecked.”
They could probably mess up my desk. If they’re good, maybe Yulia’s desk too…
“Therefore, it is best to nip it in the bud.”
He touched his forehead with his fingertips. A spot normally hidden by his hair was revealed between his fingers.
A faint scar was visible on the edge of his left forehead.
It was the only flaw on Zion’s face. Amidst his unreal perfection, it was his one touch of humanity.
“Of course, I hope that doesn’t happen, but if there are innocent victims this time, I will gladly stand before their bereaved families and say this: that their sacrifice saved hundreds, even thousands, of lives.”
Zion’s voice was filled with conviction as he spoke. A firm belief that his choice was the right one.
‘How arrogant.’
I commented briefly to myself.
“I admit my methods are harsh. But I cannot compromise on this point. My goal from the very beginning has been the eradication of warlocks.”
Zion smiled blandly, as if his eyes hadn’t just been blazing with intensity. It was the attitude of someone skilled at hiding their true feelings.
“…”
I tapped my forearm with my fingertips. Hmm, alright. To be honest.
‘He’s right, but it’s annoying.’
Sure, that was all well and good. But for a warlock who hadn’t hurt anyone yet, it felt a bit unfair.
‘Does he think anyone is born a warlock by choice?!’
I wanted to be human, too. Perhaps more than anyone!
“Zion… you seem to become a different person when you wear those clothes.”
The words came out sharper than I intended. Zion flinched and looked at me.
I knew I was taking it out on him for no reason. And that Zion didn’t know my circumstances.
Still, my stomach churned, and I couldn’t stand it.
“They suit you well. Your priestly robes.”
I said ambiguously with a bright smile.
“As expected of the Saint, these look much better on you than the clothes from the market.”
Zion seemed to be trying to grasp the true meaning of my words.
I looked back and forth between Zion and Hazel before finally nodding.
After all, I needed Zion’s help to take down Penelope.
“I understand. If Hazel is with us, I suppose a worst-case scenario like that… won’t happen, right?”
I answered in a tone of forced self-justification. Zion smiled in satisfaction.
“Then, once you receive the invitation, please pass it along to Hazel. Thank you for your cooperation. This will surely be a great help in protecting the peace of the continent.”
He added the last part as if to comfort me.
‘A warlock protecting the peace of the continent. Now there’s a contradiction in terms.’
While muttering such pointless jokes to myself, I didn’t voice any refusal.
And so, I willingly threw myself into the heart of enemy territory.
“It’s so good to see you again, Lady Emily!”
Penelope came out to greet me herself, a champagne flute in one hand. The hem of her dress, a tasteful combination of red and black, fluttered in the wind.
The rose corsage pinned in her hair suited her astonishingly well.
It was a beauty in full bloom, like a predator luring its prey with a splendid appearance—a beauty that seemed to hold a hint of poison.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Penelope’s eyes curved as she smiled. Her tone was a little strange.
“Have you been well, Lady Swanson?”
“I told you to just call me Penelope. I’d like to call you Emily, too. Is that all right?”
She was so pushy. Penelope acted as if anyone would grant her any wish if she just stared into their eyes and said, “please.”
The troubling part was that it was somewhat true.
“Alright then, Penelope.”
“Wonderful!”
“Is Natalie inside?”
“She came early and is waiting. There are many other young ladies inside, too.”
Penelope looked much happier than the last time I saw her. She seemed to be floating on air.
Had she been drinking? I wondered, but with the scent of flowers thick in the air, I couldn’t tell if she smelled of alcohol or not.
“Oh, right. You said you were bringing another friend?”
“Thank you for inviting her. She’s a friend who doesn’t usually attend these kinds of gatherings, but when she heard about you, Penelope, she said she wanted to meet you.”
“Any friend of Natalie and Emily is always welcome.”
I wonder. Is that really true?
Just then, I spotted the lily of the valley crest engraved on a carriage approaching in the distance.
“Ah, there she is now. Since it’s their first time meeting, may I introduce you?”
“By all means.”
As the carriage drew closer, my stomach began to churn. I tried to act nonchalant, but it seemed Penelope had also sensed the presence of holy power.
Penelope’s face suddenly twisted into a scowl.
