—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
In the end, it was Marguerite who saved Master.
True to her title as Witch of Space, she used some incomprehensible spatial magic to sever the tentacles and rescue Master, then started urgently gesturing for me to go to her.
Taking the hint, I quickly ran over to help Master.
“Master!”
“Ugh… Johan…”
The rescued Evangeline’s body was covered in translucent slime from the sea monster, creating such an erotic scene that it was difficult to look at her directly.
However, I couldn’t keep averting my eyes forever, so I looked at Master dripping with slime and started wiping her body with the cloth I’d brought.
“…It’s not coming off well.”
“Ugh- this feels disgusting. I’ll go rinse off in the sea quickly.”
“After what just happened, you want to go back in?”
“That was just because I let my guard down! Normally even hundreds of monsters couldn’t…”
Seeing signs of her bragging about to begin, I waved my hands and quickly pushed her into the sea. Pouting at her disciple pushing her away, she went into the water to wash off the slime then came back out.
Whether through some application of magic, when she emerged from the sea she had completely shed all water from her body – seeing this gave me an idea.
“Master, perhaps…”
I suggested my thought to Master, and hearing my words she tested if it was possible, and after confirming it was possible she looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
I returned her gaze with a half-shocked expression, not having believed such a thing would actually work.
“…We definitely can’t use this normally.”
“Yes, but… let’s keep some just in case.”
Evangeline filled a beaker with a small amount of seawater and sealed it. I prayed the seal wouldn’t break as I enjoyed the vacation with Master.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After realizing there were monsters in the sea, Evangeline and Marguerite prioritized clearing the area of monsters before enjoying their vacation.
When I asked why they prioritized something that didn’t seem necessary, Master pointed to me as the reason.
“We might be fine if caught by monsters, but you’re not, right?”
“…Ah.”
Indeed, just the translucent sea monster that had grabbed Evangeline earlier clearly possessed terrifying strength. If I had been caught, I would have been crushed like a can in a compactor.
‘How did Master even withstand that…’
Though I knew she must have used some magic, I wondered if such a thing was even possible in that brief invisible moment. What inhuman reaction speed.
Thinking this, I followed behind Master around the entire island. That it was untouched by human hands meant many animals and plants lived there. And many animals and plants ultimately meant many monsters.
Since monsters were what they called animals and plants that had awakened mana, it was natural that more creatures meant more chances of awakening.
As she slaughtered monsters around the island, Master clapped her hands as if having a good idea and turned to me.
“Johan.”
“Yes, Master?”
“Want to try fighting one?”
“…Me?”
“Yes. We’ll watch and stop anything dangerous─ want to try fighting?”
Saying I might not get another chance like this, Evangeline encouraged me to fight a monster. Though I could have refused and kept hiding behind Master forever, my Korean pride wouldn’t allow it.
Finally, accepting her suggestion and stepping forward, I regretted that choice before even 3 seconds had passed.
‘Fuck… what the hell is…’
I frowned at the giant isopod before me. Some people call shrimp the cockroaches of the sea, but seeing this, you could never say that.
Isopods were the real cockroaches of the sea. Look at those antennae protruding above its head. And what about all those legs sprouting from beneath its armor-like shell?
“Wow- it’s Evangeline #2.”
Since she wasn’t the one fighting, Marguerite casually joked from the side. However, I couldn’t laugh at all.
First because I had to fight this giant bug bastard barehanded, and second because I couldn’t agree that this thing resembled Master.
‘Master looks like this normally?’
If so, I could understand why others were so repulsed by her. After being hated and hated until even she came to hate her own appearance…
“…Master, can I at least use a stick or something?”
“We don’t have anything like that.”
“Then… I’ll just pick up a branch or something. I really can’t touch that thing barehanded…”
I said this while picking up a fallen branch nearby. It looked pathetically flimsy compared to the monster’s sturdy shell. Seemed like it would break from a single hit.
Though it would probably be less effective than bare hands, it was better than nothing. Yes, better than touching that thing with my bare hands…
“Aaaaaaah─!”
When I charged at the monster that seemed impossible to face with a sane mind while screaming, the isopod responded to the sound and rushed at me with its legs.
It charged as quickly as its disgusting number of legs would suggest, knocking me down before I could even swing my branch.
Thud-! The moment I hit the ground after colliding with the massive creature, the horrifying life form that I could barely stand to look at opened its maw wide trying to devour my body.
“Fuck-!”
Cursing while desperately twisting my body, I barely managed to escape after receiving minor cuts all over. The mental damage from this escape exceeded the physical damage.
I looked at Master with pleading eyes. However, Master shook her head as if she couldn’t help.
What could a powerless disciple do, having already made contact? I clenched my fists and charged at the monster.
‘Fuck, fuck-!’
If Master’s goal was to make me get used to repulsive appearances, she succeeded. Far too well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Watching Johan throwing punches, Evangeline conversed with Marguerite beside her.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?”
[What is?]
“He can use mana, but can’t use magic.”
[Just being able to use mana without being a witch is unusual enough.]
Though Marguerite could travel the world unrestricted by distance, nowhere did men who could use mana exist. Of course, no one who could see through her curse and look directly at her existed either.
That’s why Johan was special. Because he was unique, the only one in the world. Something never seen in hundreds of years…
“That’s what’s strange about it.”
[What is?]
“When monsters awaken mana, they can use magic too, right? But Johan shows no signs of being able to use magic…”
Monsters that awakened mana gained magic that enhanced their innate characteristics. The monster Johan was currently beating up was probably using magic to make its shell even harder.
Some monsters used magic to enhance their sense of smell, others to run faster.
Though they were very limited effects with no way to apply them differently─ monsters could use magic like witches.
[His very existence might be magic]
“You mean breaking curses is Johan’s magic?”
[Yes.]
“But that doesn’t fit, since Johan was fine seeing me even before awakening mana…”
The two continued discussing what Johan’s magic might be. While absorbed in their conversation, they failed to pay attention to Johan himself…
“Hyaaah!”
Crack-!
They missed Johan’s battle cry as he shattered the monster’s shell and completely pulverized its innards.
Only belatedly realizing Johan had defeated the monster, Evangeline approached him and cleared away the debris covering his body while secretly examining the monster’s corpse.
‘…He destroyed it in almost one hit? This sturdy monster?’
It was a monster with a shell so tough it could easily deflect a pickaxe wielded by a strong miner. Even with mana-enhanced strength, it shouldn’t have been possible to defeat with just punches.
In other words, something beyond simple punches must have been involved in defeating this monster.
‘Did he… use magic?’
However, unlike witches who instinctively understood magic, Johan was a man who could use mana, and moreover wasn’t even from this world. Evangeline stopped trying to judge her disciple with her limited knowledge and looked at Johan.
Perhaps from the aftermath of actual combat, Johan was quietly staring at his still trembling hands.
“…Are you alright?”
“Master…”
“Yes, should we stop here if it’s too hard?”
“I can’t forget it… what should I do…”
Hearing Johan’s words, Evangeline thought he might have a more delicate disposition than expected. He might be experiencing PTSD like knights and soldiers in war.
Having met many types of people over her long life, Evangeline also knew how to treat such people.
“It’s okay. You have me, don’t you?”
Just comfort them believing time would heal it. Evangeline said this while pulling Johan into her chest.
The moment his face buried into her cleavage, Evangeline felt an indescribable thrill. Enough to not regret coming here today…
While she was nuzzling his face against her chest, Johan raised his hand as if uncomfortable.
“Oh, oh! What’s wrong? Did I pull too hard…?”
“…No, Master. That’s not it.”
Johan frowned while holding his hand far away as if disgusted by it. A bit unusual for someone just shocked from taking a life.
And before long, Evangeline also realized why he was acting this way.
“The smell… won’t come off…”
“Ah…”
Though Evangeline had magically removed the monster’s blood, it wasn’t perfect. She couldn’t remove the smell that had soaked into his hands that had dug into its innards.
That’s what Johan meant. That the smell wouldn’t leave his hands…
‘Of course, our Johan wouldn’t be that weak.’
Evangeline thought this as she completely removed even the smell from his hands. And her thoughts weren’t wrong.
After all, Johan was a modern person who could smile calmly at the deaths of a million people unrelated to him.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
