Chapter 84: The Villain's Ending is Only Death
As my vision flashed a deep blue, a gale unlike any I had experienced before swept through.
Following Calisto, I had barely managed to climb to the edge of the rock when the fierce wind knocked me off balance.
Just as the dizzying sensation of falling enveloped me,
A strong force grabbed my wrist.
Unaffected by the raging wind, the prince stood firm and effortlessly held me.
As I struggled to open my eyes, shielding my face from the wind, I saw it.
A large circle had formed around the corpse.
Inside it, an invisible force began to draw intricate patterns, which soon erupted in a burst of blue light.
Like flickering flames, an intangible power raged around the corpse.
The strong gale seemed to be caused by this.
The tattered cloth draped over the bones flapped violently.
“This is a magic circle.”
The prince, who had been silently observing, casually identified it.
I was still staring blankly at the blue light emanating from the pattern when the wind suddenly stopped.
The intangible force gradually diminished, and the pattern quietly vanished.
The once noisy cave was now eerily silent.
“There was indeed a subversive element who used magic without permission in the palace. Though he died long ago.”
The prince released my wrist, which I had been gripping tightly to keep him from being swept away.
As he said, the state of the bones, standing upright, seemed incredibly ancient.
Given the dampness of the cave, bones this old would typically have decayed beyond recognition.
‘Was it preserved by magic?’
Moreover, it was astonishing that they could stand so straight in such a harsh environment.
“...Why is the lower half missing?”
Sometimes mummies are found standing upright, but that's only possible if the skin and muscles of the lower body are preserved.
However, the bones in front of me were in no state to be called a mummy.
The sight of the ribcage and the severed spine looked as if they were about to merge with the rock.
“Did the body melt and seep into the rock crevices due to the stone water?”
He was observing the bones with interest.
“The remaining magic power is what keeps the form intact.”
“It seems he used his own body as a sacrifice for the magic circle to bind his soul to this place.”
Suddenly, the prince spoke.
Only then did I realize I had muttered my question aloud.
“You must have seen a lot of skulls. You don’t seem surprised.”
He was looking at me with interest as I observed the bones.
“Usually, animals are used... but this person’s body was cut in half during the spell casting and couldn’t withstand it, so he died.”
“His body... was cut in half?”
I was shocked, a step behind.
Calisto nodded indifferently.
“Strong life force is needed to activate the magic circle.”
I knew nothing about magic circles or life forces.
‘What? This kind of detail wasn’t in the normal mode.’
Moreover, his answer was completely different from what I had expected.
‘This isn’t a fantasy movie. How do you bind a soul?’
But I immediately understood.
This wasn’t reality; it was a game world where magic is part of daily life.
“...Why did this person try to bind his soul to this place?”
“To ensure the magic circle continued to function even after death. The spell he intended to cast must have been quite malevolent.”
Calisto frowned deeply and added,
“For the palace, it must have been a stroke of luck that he died halfway through.”
The idea of someone secretly casting magic deep in the forest within the palace was quite unsettling.
The prince slowly walked around the circle where the magic circle’s outline had been, examining the state of the bones.
“The soul that was meant to be bound has been extinguished, and only the magic power in the body remains, held by the magic circle...”
“Still, the magic circle can be activated by this power, so he must have been quite powerful in life.”
I understood that the bones were preserved to this extent due to the remaining magic power.
‘Without any chemicals, just magic power can preserve bones...’
It was truly a wondrous and convenient world.
A faint vibration accompanied the reappearance of the blue light on the rock.
The magic circle seemed to be activating again.
“Stay back, it’s dangerous, Lady.”
Calisto extended his arm to stop me and ordered.
I retreated to the bottom of the platform.
The moment the remaining magic power in the corpse began to surge due to the magic circle.
Swish, Crack! The prince unsheathed his sword and plunged it mercilessly into the intangible vortex.
Boom! A loud explosion echoed through the cave.
The concentrated magic power and the sword’s energy clashed.
The fierce wind made his golden hair flutter wildly.
But he seemed unconcerned, his crimson eyes flashing as he planted the sword in the ground.
Blue sparks ‘crackled’ around him.
Soon, cracks began to form around where he had plunged the sword.
Fine fissures quickly deepened, spreading across the entire magic circle.
The rough wind gradually subsided.
The chaotic magic power and the magic circle vanished in an instant.
The prince pulled out his sword.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, indicating he had exerted a lot of energy.
“...Is it done, Your Highness?”
I lowered my hands, which had been covering my ears due to the noise, and asked.
“It’s completely destroyed.”
Calisto nodded indifferently.
“Let’s see what spell he was trying to cast.”
He crossed the cracked rock, still holding his sword.
He approached the bony arms holding thick scrolls.
Stopping in front of them, he stroked his chin thoughtfully before suddenly raising his sword.
He was clearly about to cut the bones.
Realizing what he was about to do, I widened my eyes and shouted,
Calisto paused and turned to look at me.
I hurriedly ran to where he stood.
“To get a clue about why he tried to engrave a magic circle inside the palace by examining the scrolls.”
“You don’t need to damage the bones to get them.”
The prince raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding.
“Are you going to touch the corpse and remove them, Lady?”
“I’ll remove them for you.”
Good. I had always wanted to try excavating bones.
Moreover, I couldn’t bear to see the bones collapse instantly from the prince’s sword.
They were uniquely preserved for a long time.
“Step back, Your Highness. And put that sword away first.”
I subtly pushed the prince, who was in a dangerous position, back.
The prince let out a derisive laugh but obediently sheathed his sword.
His slanted gaze seemed to say, ‘Let’s see what you’re going to do.’
I confirmed he had stepped back and stood directly in front of the bones.
I clasped my hands and bowed briefly.
‘I’m sorry. I need to handle you a bit.’
Archaeologists are always tense when excavating bones or tombs.
Unbelievably, many supernatural phenomena occur more often than you’d think.
So, it’s common to perform a ritual or pray before starting the excavation.
Just as I finished my silent prayer,
The prince, who had stepped back, was now right beside me, looking at me with a puzzled expression.
“I’m showing some respect before touching the bones.”
“To wish for the deceased’s peace and to ensure I can remove the items without any issues.”
“You do some useless things.”
The prince narrowed his eyes and glared at me.
“I didn’t know you believed in superstitions so much, Lady.”
Before excavation, it’s necessary to assess the condition.
I bent down to closely examine the scrolls and the finger bones holding them.
The part where the paper touched the bones was black and decayed, and dust and sand-like substances clung to the surrounding area.
There was no way such a thing would be in this desolate cave.
As I looked around for a tool, an idea flashed in my mind.
I put down the crossbow I was carrying and fumbled in my pocket for the dagger I had brought.
I then grabbed a handful of my hair and cut it.
My hand holding the dagger was grabbed, and I was roughly turned around.