Chapter 15
Telepathy is a unique magic that transmits voices from one mind to another. It's like what people commonly call telepathy.
Franz sent a telepathic message to Mousetrap before entering the mansion.
"Ah-, Senior Mousetrap, did you receive my gift well?"
[You, who are you? Who the hell are you?!]
They say perpetrators don't remember their own crimes.
Mousetrap's reaction was exactly that.
'How infuriating.'
A deep furrow formed between Franz's brows.
While the victims were living through hell every day, the perpetrator remembered nothing and lived comfortably.
It was absolutely unacceptable, and it should never be allowed to happen.
So naturally, it seemed he couldn't let Mousetrap off easily.
"The magic was so shoddy that it unraveled with just a snap of my fingers. I wonder who set it up?"
[S-shoddy?! Who are you! What bastard are you!!]
Mousetrap's enraged voice echoed in Franz's mind.
Having openly mocked his magic, this reaction was only natural.
After all, magicians are the type whose confidence in their magic pierces the heavens.
Why else would two associations fight for three days and nights over whether fire or water attribute magic was stronger?
Anyway,
When mocking a magician, it's more effective to insult their magic rather than the magician themselves.
This was especially true for the overly confident Mousetrap.
[Hey! You're from the magic tower, right?! I've got tons of connections with the higher-ups in the tower, you know? I'll make sure you can't even set foot in the tower after this!]
Countless question marks appeared in Franz's mind.
'Tons of connections with the higher-ups?'
The higher-ups would be the heads of each association, or the old-timers who've been in the magic tower for ages.
But no matter how he thought about it, none of those higher-ups would favor Mousetrap.
Franz asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Who exactly are these higher-ups you're talking about?"
[You know Franz Gilbert, right? If you're from the magic tower, you must know him? He's the tower master now, but he used to be my junior, you know?]
Puhah-.
Laughter burst from Franz's mouth involuntarily.
In the end, the guy was lying.
To Franz, about having connections with Franz himself.
No wonder nothing came to mind no matter how much he pondered.
It was only natural since it was a fabricated story from the start.
Franz decided to play along with his lie.
He was curious to see just how far he could take it.
"Gasp-. You were the tower master's senior?"
[Now do you realize who you've messed with?]
"Oh, I'm so sorry for not recognizing such a great senior."
[If you understand, then stop here and leave. If you go now, I'll specially ask Franz to look after you.]
Mousetrap's voice was brimming with excitement.
He probably thought things were going smoothly.
'He really is thick-skulled.'
If I called him Senior Mousetrap from the beginning, he should have realized I knew his identity.
Well, if he were smart, he wouldn't have gotten involved in this mess in the first place, and he certainly wouldn't have tried to use the tower master's name.
[So tell me your name, who exactly are you?]
Franz was starting to get bored with Mousetrap's poor imagination.
So he thought it might be time to enjoy the most interesting part.
"Franz Gilbert."
[Huh...?]
"Didn't you hear me? I'm the tower master you were talking about."
The crime of bullying an innocent junior.
The crime of not remembering the victim's voice, so add contempt.
Trying to use the tower master's name, so add another.
And involvement in the elven slave incident, need I say more?
Hmm, death sentence.
It was the moment the verdict was passed in Franz's mind.
* * * * *
In a world cloaked in darkness.
Hera was hiding behind a large tree planted in the garden, observing the knights.
"Hey, did you see the new slaves that just came in?"
"Of course I did. They were just incredible from top to bottom."
"Think we could ask Lord Gidrick for a turn?"
"Shut up, idiot. Say something like that and you'll end up a slave yourself. Sold off to some pig-like noblewoman, morning and night you'll be..."
Grind-.
Hera gritted her teeth at their vile conversation.
As expected, like master, like knights.
The evil of the world, those whose mere existence pollutes it.
Hera's hand slowly stroked the tree.
The large tree's roots began to writhe and move.
"Hey, did you hear something?"
"I think I heard it too..."
The knights began to look around, sensing something amiss, but by then it was already too late.
"It's like the ground is splitting... Gack-!"
"Huh...? Wh-what... Gu-gack-."
Tree roots that burst through the ground pierced the knights' necks with precision.
It was the power of the Spirit King that Hera possessed.
Soon, the protruding tree roots returned to their original form, and the knights collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.
Only a hissing sound of escaping air could be heard from their pierced throats.
Hera looked down at them with a cold gaze.
Considering the suffering the enslaved elves had endured, even chopping their entire bodies into pieces wouldn't be enough...
But she came here to save the elves, not to vent her anger.
'Time is of the essence.'
Hera's figure once again melted into the darkness.
After that, the knights guarding Gidrick's mansion continued to die without anyone noticing.
They tripped on grass that suddenly sprouted from the ground, only to be strangled by vines.
Tree branches suddenly moved to twist their necks.
Swarms of rats appeared to gnaw them alive.
In this way, Hera dealt with all the external knights.
Swiftly and cleanly, without hesitation.
'The basement, he definitely said the basement.'
Upon entering the mansion, Hera immediately began searching for the way to the basement.
Fortunately, it didn't take long to find stairs leading downward.
"Aaaaargh-!"
Just as Hera was about to head for the stairs, an agonized scream echoed from the upper floor.
'That must be Franz making his move.'
Hera's footsteps, which had paused momentarily, began to move downward again.
Clack-.
In the darkness, only the sound of footsteps echoed loudly.
Down the stairs she went, and further down.
What Hera encountered at the end was a long, stretching corridor.
One side of the corridor was entirely lined with prison cells, so it seemed the elves were here as Franz had said.
'What crime have the elves committed to be locked up in a place like this...!'
Hera felt a surge of anger for a moment, but she quickly shook her head and swallowed it.
Rescuing the elves had to come first.
Hera's footsteps began to move quickly down the corridor, soon stopping in front of a cell.
Looking into the ice-cold iron bars, Hera spoke.
"Are you all alright?!"
The elves were sitting on the hard floor, dressed in shabby clothes.
At Hera's voice, they all raised their heads in unison.
Their lifeless eyes began to brighten at the appearance of a savior.
Then their lips parted, and dry voices flowed out.
"Please... help us..."
"I'll rescue you all right now, just wait a little longer."
Wham-!
Hera struck the cell's lock with her fist.
The lock shattered instantly, and the cell door swung open.
That's when it happened.
Clack-.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Hera immediately turned her head towards the source.
There stood two knights, swords in hand.
It seemed there were knights inside as well as outside.
"Hiss..."
Hearing a strange sound, Hera's gaze turned towards the inside of the cell.
The elves inside had shrunk back in fear at the knights' appearance.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
A gentle smile spread across Hera's face.
But that smile was only for the elves.
When she turned back to face the knights, her expression was ice-cold.
"Are you an elf too? Tch-, since you're not a slave, we can do whatever we want with you, right?"
"Look at that expression, she looks delicious when she's feisty."
Hera clenched her teeth at the knights' lewd taunts.
She then stretched out her hand, grasping at the empty air in front of her.
Light gathered in the void, and soon a bow materialized in Hera's hand.
Under the fixed result of grasping a bow, the process came into being.
"W-wait, where did you get that...!"
"Run, you idiot!"
As the knights turned to flee, Hera pulled back the bowstring.
Light gathered, slowly forming the shape of an arrow.
'Control the power...'
It couldn't be too strong.
If it were, this mansion might collapse.
Swoosh-!
As Hera released the bowstring, the arrow was fired.
The arrow, aimed at the fleeing knights, penetrated their armor and pierced both their hearts.
Not content with that, more than half the arrow embedded itself in the brick wall.
As soon as she released her hand holding the bow, it disappeared, becoming light in the void.
Phew-.
Hera exhaled the breath she'd been holding and turned her head towards the inside of the cell.
"Now, let's go."
The elf rescue operation was a success.
* * * * *
Gidrick's gaze shifted from Franz to Mousetrap, who was battered and pressed against the wall, then back to Franz again.
Gidrick immediately prostrated himself, pressing his forehead to the floor as he spoke.
"I-I'm sorry! I'll never do anything like this again!"
"Does saying sorry make the crime disappear?"
"I-I'll do anything, just please spare my life!"
Franz looked at the pleading Gidrick and thought.
'This is just annoying...'
His protruding belly and bald head reminded him of someone.
Someone who had tormented a black-haired Korean in the 21st century modern world.
'Well, I can't leave any evidence.'
If rumors spread that the tower master killed someone on a request, it would be a big problem.
Even if it was a criminal deserving of public outrage, controversy couldn't be avoided.
So he couldn't leave any evidence.
It absolutely wasn't because he was reminded of his old boss.
Just as Franz, having finished this train of thought, raised his hand to deal with Gidrick.
"I-I'll tell you everything I know, just please spare my life...!"
Gidrick is the lord of a commercial city.
Then he must know a lot about the elven slaves as well.
Franz's hand lowered once again.
"Let's hear it then. What is it?"
Of course, he didn't promise to spare him.