DMHS 99

While Frederick looked around, Lucien was staring at the dolls. Kian was the same.

“Do not move.”

There was tension in Kian’s voice.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak.

Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak.

From where the group stood to where the dolls gathered, the magic stones on the ceiling lit up one after another.

Through the rows of dolls, a man appeared. He had gray hair and a handsome face. It was Aslan.

“You’re the dark mage we met in Chronos last time!”

Startled, Frederick pointed his finger at the figure. Aslan smiled as if the reaction amused him.

“It’s an honor that you recognize me. I never thought I’d meet all of you here either.”

“Were you making dolls under the Academy?”

At Kian’s question, Aslan’s eyes turned toward him.

“There’s no better place to hide something.”

“There’s also the headquarters of the ‘Heart of Dawn.’”

“I never expected much from that side.”

“You mean you already knew Pearl Asif would fail to summon the demon?”

“That’s not it. I simply meant it’s common sense not to expect anything from a fool.”

Kian slowly closed and opened his eyes, then he took a step closer.

“There are countless things I want to ask you. So many that I don’t even know where to start.”

“I’ll answer what I can.”

Kian crossed his arms and asked.

“Is the prophecy true?”

“That’s too broad a question. But yes, it’s true that the Arbiter will soon descend.”

“When the Arbiter comes, the world will collapse. Why do you want the path of destruction for everyone?”

“New wine must be poured into new skins. This world has long been rotten. How long must the innocent suffer under corrupt rulers?”

“And your way of ending suffering is unwanted death?”

“Isn’t it wonderful? It ends the lives of those who live only because they cannot die.”

A cold smile appeared on Aslan’s face. Right then, a rough voice pierced everyone’s minds.

‘That’s a lie!’

The voice belonged to Kessler.

‘Don’t lie, Master! You didn’t say that in our village! You said those who believed in the new Arbiter would be saved! You said the tail would become the head and those who were oppressed would be free!’

Aslan’s eyes turned toward the black cat beside Lucien.

“So it’s you, Kessler. I told you not to come down here.”

‘Please deny it! Say you spoke wrong! You said that even when Judgment Day comes, we’ll live! If everyone in this world were to die, the villagers would never have agreed! Do you know how hard it’s been for us to survive, hiding from people’s eyes, barely clinging to life…!’

The black cat’s body trembled.

Aslan bent slightly and reached a hand toward the cat, still wearing that calm smile.

“You’re too agitated. Come here, Kessler.”

‘Master!’

“Doubt hurts my heart. Do you not trust me?”

‘…….’

The black cat began walking toward Aslan carefully.

Lucien spoke in a voice only the cat could hear. It was the greatest kindness he could offer.

“Don’t go.”

The cat stopped in place. Both Aslan and Lucien called to him.

“Kessler, my child.”

“Kessler.”

“Come here and prove your faith.”

“If you go there, you’ll die.”

‘I…’

The cat’s legs trembled violently.

In the end, Kessler chose Aslan. He rubbed his small head against Aslan’s hand and spoke.

‘I trust you, Master. You’re not lying. You only deceived them because they’re unbelievers, right?’

A gentle smile returned to Aslan’s lips.

“My child, listen carefully without misunderstanding. There are times when kind lies are needed. Humans are too fragile because they know the cruelty of truth. If you had known that your village had perished, how unbearable would each day have been for you?”

‘What what did you say?’

“Do not worry. The souls of your villagers were used for a noble cause. Your friends, and you as well.”

Mana emanated from Aslan’s hand. The black cat’s head shattered into fragments and scattered in all directions.

But even without its head, the cat did not collapse. It ran on all four legs to escape.

Aslan wiped the blood from his hand and smiled. His gaze turned toward Kian, who stood across from him.

“Once an animal transforms into a doll, it becomes difficult to find the core.”

“…Kessler was also a doll?”

“Do you think it was only this one? I left self-awareness inside the creature to make my work easier, and that created this problem.”

Dark energy gathered around Kian.

“Did you use the children who disappeared from the Academy as materials for these dolls too?”

“Of course. Children are excellent ingredients for sorcery.”

Kian clenched his jaw. Before he knew it, both his hands held daggers.

“Ivan Harkin, even salvation is too generous for you.”

Aslan’s smile turned bitter.

“He fell from the Magic Tower and died.”

“He must have faked his death using a doll. If you’re Ivan, then the words of the dead from Chronos make sense. They said, ‘The one who killed us is here.’”

“The one who killed them was Gimere Harkin.”

“That’s right. But it was Ivan, you, who pushed Gimere to do it. From the viewpoint of the dead, who see all causes as one line, you too are one who killed them. And above all…”

“…?”

“Do you not despise Laura Walders? You’ve trapped her, already long dead, in endless visions of killing and dying.”

The name ‘Laura’ made Aslan immediately lose his composure. His face distorted.

“Be quiet!”

“What did Laura ever do wrong to you? She was a friend who helped you when you were in trouble.”

“That’s not true! You know nothing at all!”

Mana exploded violently around Aslan, no, Ivan.

At the same moment, Kian’s figure vanished. The next instant, Kian was aiming to thrust his sword into Ivan’s back.

Ivan avoided the strike and rolled across the ground. A dense web of mana formed around him and sped out.

Flash!

All the dolls in the basement opened their eyes at once.

While dodging Kian’s attack, Ivan raised his hand.

‘Detonate.’

The ceiling collapsed with a loud noise, and a hidden staircase appeared. Ivan threw his head back and laughed like a madman.

“Hahaha! Finally! The time has come at last!”

Kian seized the opportunity and drove his sword into Ivan’s chest. Ivan grasped the hilt piercing his heart and screamed like a beast.

“Go out and build mountains from the bodies of children, and rivers from their blood! Tear down the towers that rise into the sky, and turn everything into ash!”

Kian struck downward with the dagger in his other hand, driving it into Ivan’s crown.

His body crumbled, leaving only a crystal and a robe behind. Yet his voice continued, the horrific laughter echoing endlessly, as if his soul had moved into another doll.

‘Hahahaha! Wahahaha! Hhahaha!’

The dolls that had taken human form began rushing up the staircase under their master’s command.

Lucien, together with Kian and Frederick, shattered each doll’s head as it climbed.

Their attacks were precise, but the dolls advanced faster. One by one, more of them broke through and climbed toward the upper floor.

But Kian did not panic.

“Sir Frederick, is the barrier functioning properly?”

“Yes. No one can enter the dormitory until sunrise.”

Before entering the basement, Kian had assigned each of the three a role. Lucien was to obtain the key, and Kian himself was to ‘borrow’ the earth spirit.

Finally, he ordered Frederick to cast a protection spell on the dormitory building, foreseeing danger.

‘As expected, this isn’t ordinary.’

At this rate, the matter would end safely. No matter how many dolls there were, as long as they couldn’t approach the dormitory, there would be no casualties.

If the three of them took their time, capturing the escaping dolls would not be difficult.

‘Once we deal with the dolls and examine the basement, we’ll find a clue.’

But the day’s events were not yet over.

‘Lord Lucien, can you hear me?’

Ivan’s voice echoed inside his head. Lucien looked around, but he saw no doll he could identify as Ivan.

‘Where are you speaking from?’

‘You hear me well. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Ivan Harkin, one of those who serve the Lord.’

‘I have no idea what you’re saying.’

‘I apologize for the delay caused by interruptions in our schedule. If you wish, you may punish me as you see fit.’

‘Then die immediately.’

‘…I’m sorry, but I cannot obey that command. The Lord still requires a servant. If you don’t mind, may I have a moment of your time?’

‘No.’

Even after rejection, Ivan continued speaking at will.

‘What do you think the Lord is? A dragon ignored by humans? A fool bound to this world by his mate?’

‘…….’

‘All of that is wrong. The Lord is both the beginning and the end of the new era. The Lord is the Arbiter, he’s destruction and creation.’

Lucien froze in place.

‘Surely the Lord has already sensed that he is unlike any other dragon.’