—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
‘If it weren’t for me, she would have moved alone to harm Nenson or Kuman.’
Considering the result of becoming Kuman’s slave, her actions would have failed.
I felt a slight thrill.
‘What if… I make her my person?’
She was a genius.
Considering the current time period, she must have just turned 20.
Nevertheless, her growth rate was extraordinary, and in just over a year, she grew to a level where she could single-handedly sweep away Kuman’s guards.
‘If she hadn’t committed suicide and continued to grow…’
Perhaps she could have become a Master who reached a great realm.
The timing was just right. I was feeling inconvenienced by operating alone, and…
‘I can’t bring a skeleton around during the day.’
It wasn’t that I couldn’t use undead during the day. Although my level and the level of the undead were low, making them weak, it was still possible to operate.
However, that would be no different from openly advertising that I was a Warlock, specifically a necromancer, so I couldn’t use them.
‘Moreover, they’re really weak.’
There was a reason why I had fought alone just now, even though I had secured an undead.
‘Athena’s reason for harboring hatred towards Kuman was for revenge, right?’
Her village was destroyed by a monster attack, and in the process of fleeing, she was separated from her younger sibling.
The place where that sibling ended up…
‘Was under Kuman.’
Athena, who had awakened mana during her escape, had come all the way here in search of her sibling’s whereabouts.
‘She definitely has talent.’
She could move stealthily enough to avoid my detection without having learned it separately, and she had awakened mana.
‘Judging by her proficiency in tracking… is she from a hunting background?’
It was a possibility.
After quickly finishing my thoughts, I spoke to her while looking at her.
“Based on your appearance, are you a vagrant?”
Athena didn’t answer.
“Hmm, a vagrant who hates a slave trader. It seems like your family or acquaintances were captured and turned into slaves… am I right?”
Even if I hadn’t known her past, it was a sufficient guess to make.
“…What if that’s the case?”
“Give up. No matter how much you’ve awakened mana, you can’t rescue those who have become slaves.”
At my cold words, Athena flared up.
“With your skills, unable to handle even me alone, it’s impossible for you to save your family or kill Kuman.”
In the future, it was possible, but not now.
“So, you’re telling me to give up on my family? Typical for a dog of a slave trader. To you people, humans are nothing more than money.”
Before I knew it, Athena’s eyes were filled with anger instead of fear.
At her words, I chuckled and replied.
“Who knows? I’ve never personally sold people for money. But this time, I might have the opportunity to buy someone with money.”
“What?”
“I’m proposing a deal. How about working with me?”
“You want me to become a slave trader’s dog? Are you in your right mind?”
“I’m not asking you to work under Kuman. To be precise, I’m asking you to work under me.”
“What’s the difference?”
“I have a business relationship with Kuman. I’m not exactly his subordinate.”
This was true.
Of course, Kuman had the upper hand.
Although my usefulness was considerable, I still couldn’t afford to get on Kuman’s bad side if I wanted to operate in this area.
“And I hunt and sell monsters, not people.”
Athena was looking at me as if I needed to know such a thing.
“If you work under me, I’ll help you rescue the captured people.”
Athena’s eyes changed.
After all, she probably hadn’t said those words out of a sense of justice.
She belonged to the bottom class in this shitty world.
There was no way she wouldn’t know the reality.
“How many people were captured?”
“…One.”
‘As expected.’
It was a fact I already knew thanks to my memories from the first round.
‘A younger sister. And a sickly one at that.’
She would die within a year.
The reason she staged a rebellion and committed suicide despite succeeding was probably because she lost the will to live.
She had cherished her younger sister greatly.
“What? Don’t like the idea of being a subordinate to a Warlock?”
“…Does the slave trader… know that you’re a Warlock?”
“He doesn’t.”
I had no intention of letting him know either.
“I guess it’s a secret. If I refuse the offer… will you kill me?”
“Of course.”
“…Let’s say I work under you. How do you plan to trust me then?”
“Be grateful for your talent. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have made this offer.”
“What do you…”
“Swear on your mana.”
At my words, a perplexed expression appeared on Athena’s face.
Purchase
“Swear on my mana?”
She had a puzzled expression.
‘Well, it’s understandable if she hasn’t learned about it.’
In the past, it was something only mages could do, but now it’s a widely known method.
The mages’ incantations are not in the continental language.
They are recited in Runic, an ancient language that can influence mana, and hand seals are also a method of expressing these runes with the hands.
‘Magic circles are based entirely on Runic.’
In other words, through Runic, one can influence mana, and this is a method that can also be used by warriors who generate aura using mana.
‘Although they can’t use magic, they can at least make an oath through mana.’
If one breaks an oath made through mana, the mana will leave its user.
In other words, the source of power that turns humans into superhumans disappears, which can be considered a nightmare for mana users.
I explained this to her and then said.
“Swear on your mana. That you won’t betray me.”
Athena didn’t respond. It was natural. Mana was an extremely precious power to her as well.
Even if she rescued her sister from the slave trader, there was no way two powerless women could survive in this shitty world.
Without mana, even if she rescued her sister, there would be no future.
In other words, if she truly made the oath, she would be completely bound to me.
‘Originally, forcing an oath on mana is something done only to slaves.’
In a situation with this much advantage, it could be sufficiently forced.
When the situation isn’t this one-sided, forcing the other party to make an oath on mana is a great insult, and even killing the other party can be considered justifiable.
‘Even a noble forcing an oath on mana to a mana user of commoner origin is almost taboo.’
They would be ridiculed for lacking ability as a ruler to the point of using an oath meant for slaves on commoners.
For nobles who must value honor as much as their lives, forcing an oath often brought more harm than good.
‘Honestly, it’s beneficial for Athena.’
If I don’t intervene, her sister will die, and she will commit suicide.
‘She just doesn’t know it herself.’
Of course, even if she doesn’t know such a future, it’s not like she’s only suffering losses right now.
‘She can survive and even have a chance to save her sister.’
However, there is the risk of having to work under a Warlock who is despised on the continent.
Of course, there are loopholes in the oath on mana. But in this situation, it’s sufficient. No, to be honest, it could be considered excessive.
“…Will you really help me save Thea?”
“Thea?”
“The name of my sister who was captured by the slave trader.”
“Absolutely. To be honest, it’s not particularly difficult. Despite my appearance, I’m a fairly important collaborator to Kuman.”
As long as I pay, I can buy her.
Moreover, I remembered that she was sick and still young.
‘Considering her appearance, she should still fetch a decent price…’
Considering Athena’s appearance, Thea’s appearance would also be quite excellent.
However, there were drawbacks, so I thought it wouldn’t be to the point of being unsellable.
“The oath on mana… Fine. I’ll do it.”
Following my guidance, she slowly opened her mouth.
[I, Athena, swear on my mana.]
“I will not betray Do-Inha or take any actions that would harm him.”
Do-Inha.
It was my real name.
It was a simple and short oath, but the effect was definite.
Soon, her body began to glow faintly.
‘It succeeded.’
They were words uttered by her own will.
Once made, it was impossible to erase the oath.
“Keep your promise.”
“Of course.”
As soon as the oath on mana was made, I withdrew the sword I had been pointing at her.
“Try attacking me.”
“…What?”
“Don’t worry and just attack me. It’s necessary.”
“Even without confirming it that way, the oath was made properly. I can already feel it sufficiently.”
“Do it.”
At my resolute words, Athena seemed conflicted but eventually raised her rusted sword.
And then she swung it towards me.
I easily dodged the attack.
“Huh? Why is this…”
She looked at her sword with a puzzled expression, even though she had attacked.
And the moment she raised her head…
“Right. That sensation just now. Remember it. That’s a warning. Even an oath on mana isn’t that strict.”
Because it was an attack I had permitted, it didn’t go against her oath not to betray me.
As soon as she realized there was nothing wrong with attacking me, she unconsciously harbored a small murderous intent towards me, and then she received a warning from mana.
It was a natural result for her to momentarily harbor murderous intent.
Until just a moment ago, I had been fighting with her, and she had been in a situation where she faced a threat to her life and was forced to make an oath.
As long as she was human, it was natural for anger to surge momentarily.
It just happened to be strongly expressed because she was holding a sword.
“I understand. So I can’t deceive you, right?”
“That’s right.”
That’s both an advantage and a disadvantage.
Conversely, there were cases where this became a loophole, which was why the oath on mana was both absolute and not absolute, a contradiction.
‘It’s an excessive worry, though.’
This is just a minimal safety measure.
As long as I rescue her sister and ensure a decent life for them afterward, she won’t betray me.
I had confidence in making it happen.
Leaving the stiffened Athena alone, I erased the traces of black magic.
The method of erasing was simple.
‘I just need to remove the magic.’
It was an extremely easy task for me, who directly manipulated magic.
I reached out my hand, absorbed the magic, and sent it to the demon realm through the seal.
If nothing else, the entry and exit of magic were free.
Of course, that didn’t mean I could manipulate magic indefinitely.
It was only possible to enter and exit, and the amount of magic I could handle had a clear limit.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
