Episode 222: That day, he and I (3)
Morgue Snake.
He was a member of the House of Morgue and at the same time a formal warlock enrolled in the Imperial Army.
12-73062191, this is his serial number. In other words, he is a person whose identity is guaranteed and is a soldier under the control and surveillance of the Empire.
But he also had a secret space.
The cellar of Amdang’s headquarters. An underground space extending over 600 floors below.
-Dark part 666th floor-
This was a space known only to the representatives of the dark party, out of the Empire’s surveillance and out of the eyes of the Morgue family.
Walking down the endless spiral staircase, Snake said to Camu, who was following him.
“Sogaju.”
“yes. Master.”
“Do you know the beginning of ‘Morg’?”
Snake was still using a tone that gave off a sense of distance.
Camus shook his head without saying anything about it.
Snake said, raising a lantern to illuminate the darkness underground.
“The first beginning of the Morgue family was a morgue, a morgue.”
“… … !”
“It was also a small family that took full responsibility for keeping only unidentified corpses.”
‘Morgue’ is a name for a very old bloodline that has been passed down since before humans established the concept of family or nation. it was
Retrieving corpses that were so damaged that it was difficult to recognize them before they were alive, finding the bereaved family, handing over the corpses, and receiving compensation.
As a result, there were many things that were naturally with the dead, and as time passed, those who could communicate with the dead gradually appeared.
Even when they once enjoyed power comparable to that of a nation, even when the line was cut off for decades after the fall, even when they were called the head family of magic once again, those who were born with this strange ability steadily appeared
Just like Camus right now.
“So, strictly speaking, the beginning of the House of Morgue is very close to death. Since the founders were the ones who conversed with the dead and served them.”
“… … You have been exposed to black magic since birth.”
“Exactly.”
Snake picked up the lantern.
A quiet and gloomy space like a stone chamber in a deep tomb.
Even the air that touched the skin was very cold.
Snake’s murmuring voice was quieter than the sound of his footsteps, so Camus had to pay more attention to his ears.
“That’s why the dark mages of Morgue know. The truth that human beings can explore and understand throughout their lives is just a handful of sand picked up from a sandy beach.”
“Then where is most of the truth?”
“That’s after death. Beyond the door.”
Only when we cross the door of death do we become completely free and eternal.
You will be able to explore the infinite truth behind it.
“… … Knowing that, magical geniuses who have surpassed the level of humans eventually turn to black magic. The smarter and better they are, the easier they are to be swayed by temptation.”
“You may need to get familiar with death.”
“no. Before that, you must first guard against death.”
“?”
Camus tilted his head.
Then Snake turned his head with a serious expression.
“Remember, Sogaju. That black magicians are the ones who despise death the most.”
“Why is that, Master?”
“Because before you can understand and feel familiar with death, you must first understand and feel familiar with life.”
Snake’s words were dark but serious.
He appealed to Camus.
“Life. feelings toward others. love. friendship. trust. organic relationship with all the things in the world. thank you for being alive. preciousness of life. Only after you understand these things can you understand true death. Everything is two-sided.”
“Can’t we get to know death first?”
“It’s nothing more than ostentatious idiots impersonating warlocks.”
“… … It is difficult.”
“It is difficult. It is difficult indeed.”
Contrary to popular prejudice, a true warlock must be able to love and deeply understand living things more than anyone else.
It is the one who loves all living and sympathizes with all dying.
He was a being close to what people in the world often call a great sage or saint.
‘Does this mean that polar opposites are connected?’
Camus gradually became interested in the black mage.
Not as a means, but as an end in itself.
* * *
Quite a bit of time has passed.
Under Snake’s teachings, Camu accumulated knowledge at an astounding rate.
And soon, her skills were unrecognizable.
… Dig!
A black air current swirled around, and a woman with only bones and skin stood up in it.
Morgue Roget. He was the younger brother of Camu, who died in a fight with barbarians in the past.
Camu used Rosé’s ashes he found while searching for water and turned her into a dead man.
“Rosé!”
Camus and Rosé hug each other.
Because she was revived by high-class black magic, she had a very low level of intelligence.
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Even the level of magic was higher than before.
Meanwhile, Snake, who was watching from the side, was very impressed.
“I thought I could already create a dead soldier with spirituality. It is truly an amazing achievement.”
How long has it been since you turned to the Dark Magician, is this an achievement?
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Camus had already mastered almost all the stages of the black mage discovered by humans.
It’s the remaining parts. As you get older, you’ll have to gradually conquer them.
‘Perhaps this child will be able to see the end of the black mage pioneered by humans.’
Snake thought to himself.
… … but.
Camus was looking at more than that, of course.
“This is not enough.”
Camus looked at Rosé with a sad expression and shook his head.
Then he said to Snake.
“What I am looking for is a way to fully revive the dead.”
“… … That’s just the human realm. From then on, it’s God’s realm.”
“In front of what must be done, the distinction between humans and gods is meaningless.”
At the same time, Camus spread a large sheet of paper in front of Snake.
It was a drawing with incredibly complex and detailed shapes.
Snake’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
“This, this!?”
“The magic circle of complete revival. This is the result of my own research.”
Hearing Camu’s calm words, a chilling goosebumps burned all over Snake’s body.
A model that has advanced several steps from the technique that revived Rosé earlier. Even after a few close inspections, it looks perfect.
Snake turned his head to the young genius in front of him.
Various emotions are mixed and sprouted. Pride, envy, fear, affection, and sadness.
What is he looking for in that face that resembles the ‘her’ of the past?
Snake is a person who entered and came out of the abyss of magic, but he had never been inside his own mind, so he could not know.
just ask questions
“Is a man named Bikir that good?”
“… … .”
Camus did not answer. He just nodded slowly.
Snake also nodded.
“Good. If you want.”
A long time ago, when I was on the seat of a member of the dark party, I did not know that I would say to her children decades later what I said to ‘a woman’.
yet. Two genius warlocks put their heads together before the ceremony.
“There are no remains of the object you want to save, so what are you going to do with this?”
“I sought cooperation from the Baskervilles and collected some blood and hair. There may also be fragments of his soul mixed in among the unspecified number of ghosts summoned from the sea of water.”
“Right. If there are fragments of the body, the fragments of the soul will also react, so you can sort them out then.”
A corpse with the memories and personality of a lifetime beyond a corpse that moves according to one’s taste.
No, at that point it is no longer a corpse.
Snake opened his mouth.
“You know the paradox of ‘Theseus’ ship’? Just because he regained his body, memories, and personality, it’s a matter of contemplating whether he’s really him.”
“It’s not too late to do such ontological considerations after success, Master.”
Before long, Camus and Snake began to infuse mana into their formulas and materials.
The magic circle is triggered.
Countless complex shapes radiate light.
stuff in the middle.
That is, 35 liters of water, 20 kilograms of carbon, 4 liters of ammonia, 1.5 kilograms of lime, 800 grams of phosphorus, 250 grams of salt, 100 grams of potassium nitrate, 80 grams of sulfur, 7.5 grams of fluorine, 5 grams of iron, 3 grams of silicon, and other trace elements. 15 memories of blood and flesh… … All of this started giving off a nasty stench, heat and fumes.
… … Wait, the stench?
Kamui’s expression hardened instantly.
According to the theory, it should have smelled like human flesh at this timing.
But what was coming out was the smell of rotting flesh, a terrible stench.
‘It’s a failure!’
Camus felt it. I don’t know what the process was, but I knew the result.
However, he couldn’t do anything about the already activated magic circle.
Before long, something strange began to rise in the center of the magic circle.
… … ! … … ! … … ! … … !
Its identity was unknown, but at least it wasn’t Bikir.
You shouldn’t let that come out of the magic circle.
Camus gritted his teeth and collected mana. He picked up the spilled water again and tried to contain it.
But it was not enough.
… Kwak!
The magic circle broke and mana flowed back.
“Sogaju!”
The sound of Snake’s cry echoes in my ears.
The price of magic failure is death. what else could there be
Camu felt the strength of his whole body release.
You see a door in front of you. Wide open.
Camu’s body was being sucked into it by itself. Toward the distant abyss where stars and clouds of gas drift. like dust.
‘Is this death?’
Kamyu gave himself to Yusu with a blank expression.
I don’t know why the magic failed. Is it because the fragments of Bikir’s body are too old? Or was it that his ghost was not present in the sea of water?
Could it be that he has already turned his back on this world and reached Buddhahood?
If so, I felt so sorry for myself. He was the one who remained in this world, roasted and struggled alone.
Maybe at this point it would be more convenient to follow him through the door.
… … Right then.
flutter!
There was someone who stood in the way of Camus.
A man stood in front of the door waving a black cloak. Morgue Snake.
He said to Camus without looking back.
“Go back.”
Camus then raised his head.
Snake spoke again.
“Your picnic is not over yet, so go back and say it was beautiful.”
In the abyss, towards the door beyond the dawn, dew, sunset, and clouds called, Snake stepped forward without hesitation.
‘I want to become a black magician who can love life.’
That was the end.
at the same time.
… bang!
As soon as Snake disappeared beyond the door, it closed.
He went in and shut the door.
Pop!
The abyss ceased to attract Camu.
Kwak!
Soon, with the sound of an explosion, Camu rolled on the floor.
“Cuck!”
Blood oozes out of the mouth.
Camus suddenly came to his senses.
“… … Master!?”
But the head doesn’t turn. His whole body hardened as if it were stone.
And then something came into view.
It was the figure of Snake sitting on the floor with his eyes closed.
Surprisingly, his skin, which had been alive just a moment ago, had turned into parchment.
In an instant, only bones and skin remained. It seemed to have exhausted all life force.
“… … .”
Camus felt tears welling up in his eyes.
Stone dust got stuck in my blurry and damp vision, so I couldn’t see anything.
Snake is dead.
In order to save Kamyu, he took on most of the rebound penalty caused by the runaway mana.
Kamyu, recalling the days of learning magic from his master, wept lightly.
But I couldn’t even weep.
The shock that even Snake couldn’t bear completely came to Camus.
With just that alone, half of Camu’s brain and half of his body died.
Following his younger brother and affection, he also lost his teacher. Was this the result of turning her back on her mother and uncle?
A girl who has lost everyone she loves. It was at the highest point and fell to the lowest point. A doll that can do nothing but cry while regretting the past.
A dungeon where no one is now. In the terribly deep and lonely tomb, there was only one dead man who hadn’t died yet, shedding endless tears.
… … Right then.
An unknown voice was heard.
[Little lady, do you want to make a contract with me?]
It was a temptation as sweet as honey that I had tasted for the first time in my life.
Camus tried to move his body to see what it was, but his hemiparalyzed body did not move.
[I can give you strength.]
Instead, it manifested itself in Camu’s consciousness.
A gigantic hand stretched out in this direction.
[The power to meet precious people again.]
As a person who has fallen into a swamp, he dared not face it.
