Chapter 195
The problem was that Taria couldn't watch Rona for long using surveillance magic.
This was because the magical tool Rona possessed affected Taria in the same way.
[I will confirm this.]
Thus, Crimson Garden had no choice but to soar into the sky to chase after Rona.
Meanwhile, Rona kept moving forward.
Using a magical tool that lightened her body and increased her speed, Rona dashed forward at an incredible pace.
As a result, Rona reached the Theology Hall one step ahead of Taria.
Bang!
With the door of the Theology Hall thrown open, Rona confidently stepped inside and stood before someone.
That someone was none other than Mirey Beakis.
[Miss Rona Imblize?]
The moment she asked in confusion, Rona unbuttoned her white shirt.
Ping!
At that moment, a magical tool tied to a necklace chain around her neck sprang out and pointed at Mirey.
The identity of the necklace was a magical tool capable of identifying the World Erosion Beings.
[Mirey Beakis.]
Drawing everyone's attention to herself, she curved her lips into a smile.
[How does it feel to be a servant of the World Erosion Beings, even while following God?]
Everyone around them quietly held their breath.
This was because they also knew what Rona had said at the Women's Society.
There is a servant of the World Erosion Beings at Rahelrn Academy.
The one who had made such an explosive statement was now pointing at Mirey.
[What is this.......]
However, Mirey simply reacted with confusion.
Before her reaction could even finish, Rona had already raised another magical tool.
A pitch-black magical tool of a jet-black color.
The moment she saw the magical tool, Mirey suddenly felt an overwhelming nausea.
At the same time, her eyes rolled back, and she began to collapse.
[Miss Mirey!]
[Ahhh!]
Everyone, shocked, rushed forward to support the collapsing Mirey.
Just before she fell.
A black octopus tentacle shot out from the back of Mirey's neck and stopped her from collapsing.
As everyone froze at the sight, Mirey's pupils turned completely black.
The sinister aura pouring out from her was unmistakably the aura of World Erosion.
[Everyone, move aside!]
Seeing this, Rona pushed through the stunned crowd and charged forward with a magical tool blazing with flames.
She intended to immediately deal with Mirey in one swift strike using the magical tool.
However, the speed of her swinging sword couldn't match the black tentacles sprouting from Mirey.
Thwack!
[Gah!]
In an instant, a black tentacle shot up and struck Rona's stomach, sending her flying.
At the same time, Mirey's rampaging black tentacles lashed out in all directions, reducing the Theology Hall to ruins in an instant.
That was the full story of the incident.
Taria raised her hand.
Mana, the core of magic, was once again flowing from her hand.
Crackle!
Then, Taria's lightning bolt wrapped around Mirey's arms and legs like handcuffs.
Once Mirey's black tentacles were smashed, she stopped moving entirely.
Taria quickly scanned her surroundings.
Thanks to Associate Professor Denver, the students were safe and had all hurried outside.
Even the student who had been caught up in the chaos earlier had left the Theology Hall.
It was fortunate that there were no casualties.
She looked at Mirey with half-closed eyes.
There was no sign of consciousness in Mirey's eyes.
[The Black Witch can implant a servant into someone without their consent.]
Perhaps because of this, she recalled what Kraush had said.
The Black Witch can implant a servant into someone without their consent.
If that was the case, it was possible that Mirey had undergone the same thing.
If she had been turned into this by the Black Witch against her will, then Mirey was not at fault.
However, this presented another problem.
If it became known that Mirey, a cardinal, had been turned into a servant by the World Erosion Beings, faith in the gods would undoubtedly be greatly shaken.
And such a thing could never be tolerated in a Holy Kingdom like Freeman, which was centered around faith in the gods.
'At this rate, Mirey will be executed.'
From Freeman's perspective, it would be far better for Mirey to have betrayed the gods and sided with the World Erosion Beings.
Therefore, they would try to execute her by any means necessary.
Mirey herself would likely accept this as inevitable.
Taria furrowed her brow.
This was because she had no idea how to protect Mirey.
"Miss Taria Vales."
Associate Professor Denver, wiping the blood flowing from his forehead, approached Taria.
He looked at Mirey, who was bound.
He also understood that Mirey had done such things without being conscious.
Perhaps because of this, his face was filled with complicated emotions.
This was because he knew well that whether Mirey had become a servant of the World Erosion Beings by choice or not, the result would be the same.
"Associate Professor Denver, isn't there any way to resolve this?"
Denver was also a High Priest.
Known for his affection for students, he was a discerning individual who even advised priests not to rely solely on faith in God.
Thus, when Taria asked, he swallowed his words.
"Too many people saw this with their own eyes. If it were just me, I could cover it up, but the students attending the Theology Hall are children of High Priests."
In any case, the information would inevitably reach their ears.
And once it did, Mirey's execution would certainly take place.
"Phew, I thought I was going to die."
At that moment, a voice came from behind.
It was Rona, who had been lying on the floor after being struck by Mirey, now getting up.
She spat out the bile that had risen to her mouth with a light "ptoo."
Judging by the situation, it seemed one of her magical tools had blocked the attack.
"Rona."
Taria glared at her.
"Do you even realize what you've done?"
When Taria asked in a low voice, Rona turned to look at her.
Then she casually pulled out a new magical tool from her back.
"What do you mean, what I've done? I've revealed a servant of the World Erosion Beings."
Her face was utterly shameless.
Her lack of consideration for the situation and complete absence of guilt were evident.
Of course, strictly speaking, Rona's words weren't wrong.
A servant of the World Erosion Beings was an enemy of the world and had to be defeated.
Creating a magical tool to reveal them was, perhaps, something worthy of praise.
However, causing such a problem without understanding the circumstances was too sudden.
"Will you step aside? I need to defeat the servant of the World Erosion Beings with my magical tool."
The moment she heard the next words, Taria's eyebrows twitched.
"......I didn't know you were this irresponsible and thoughtless."
Crackle!
At the same time, sparks flew from her grip.
Taria had no intention of defending everyone who had become servants of the World Erosion Beings.
However, among them, there were those who had no choice but to become so due to their circumstances.
Those abandoned by the world.
The only place they could rely on was the World Erosion Beings.
'It reminds me again that I am my sister's servant.'
Watching Rona indiscriminately criticize the servants of the World Erosion Beings, Taria let out a hollow laugh, realizing she felt uncomfortable.
And soon, she raised the Lightning Bolt that burst from her grip.
Her hair swayed wildly, following the surging lightning.
She was determined to subdue Rona as it was.
At that moment.
Taria, who had been slightly overtaken by anger, began to feel a sense of doubt.
She was a servant of Crimson Garden.
Naturally, Crimson Garden was also a World Erosion Being.
If so, shouldn't the magical tool that detects servants of the World Erosion Beings, which was hanging on Rona's neck, also be activating against her?
Taria's eyes landed on Rona's magical tool.
Rona's magical tool was calmly secured around her neck without any activation.
The magical tool, with no movement, seemed to have no intention of activating.
The moment Taria realized this and felt doubt.
Her hair stood on end.
Because Kraush's warning came to her mind again.
[Of course, aside from that, it would be good to keep watching Rona.]
The words that suggested leaving open the possibility regarding Rona.
The moment those words came to mind, Taria looked at Rona.
"You couldn't possibly......."
Then Rona, whose eyes met Taria's, soon followed Taria's gaze.
There was the magical tool that detects servants of the World Erosion Beings.
"Ah."
Rona let out a very short sound.
Then, as if slightly troubled, she tilted her head to the side and soon smiled slowly.
"I've been caught."
The moment she heard those words.
Boom!
With a resounding explosion, the lightning that had restrained Mirey was instantly torn apart, and Black Tentacles surged up.
The Black Tentacles that had risen rapidly were about to reach Taria.
Denver's Divine Shield rose all at once, blocking Mirey's Black Tentacles.
Then the Black Tentacles began to madly pound on the Divine Shield, causing chaos.
The force was so extraordinary that even Denver's Divine Shield trembled.
"Miss Taria, are you okay?!"
Denver shouted as she somehow held back Mirey.
Associate Professor Denver's Divine Power was focused on defense.
So while it could bind Mirey, it was insufficient to subdue her.
Now, only the Black Tentacles that had engulfed her body filled the space, pounding on the Divine Shield.
It was a situation where Taria's help was needed, but she couldn't.
Because the magical tools that had risen all at once from Rona's back flew toward Taria as if they had a will of their own.
Crackle!
With bursting sparks, Taria unleashed a Lightning Bolt.
Then the surging Lightning Bolt collided with Rona's magical tools, creating a deafening roar.
However, there were magical tools that flew through even the Lightning Bolt.
Taria immediately dashed across the floor, dodging while shooting a Lightning Bolt toward Rona.
But her Lightning Bolt, strangely enough, twisted its direction in an instant and was absorbed into a certain sword.
That magical tool was none other than the Lightning-Eating Magical Tool.
"Rona!"
When Taria shouted, Rona, surrounded by magical tools circling her like a ring, stretched her lips into a wide grin.
That grin was extremely eerie.
She had realized it too late.
Come to think of it, even though Rona was reckless.
She wasn't someone who would act so thoughtlessly.
[The limit of guilt in her brain has been taken away.]
Crimson Garden had noticed Rona's current state and had given advice.
[That girl is truly a servant of the Black Witch.]
Rona Imblize.
She was a servant of the Black Witch.
"I've made a mistake. I originally planned to push you a bit further."
Rona Imblize, who had become a servant of the Black Witch.
With her magical tools ominously floating in the air, she sighed deeply as she looked at Taria.
"Taria, I didn't expect you to be another servant of the World Erosion Beings. This ruins the plan."
Her original plan.
It was to instill in people the belief that her magical tool could detect servants of the World Erosion Beings through this incident.
Then, using that magical tool, she would follow the Black Witch's order to make Kraush a servant of the World Erosion Beings as well.
He harbored the power of World Erosion within his body.
If she could use that part to connect Crimson Garden and Ebelasque, the possibility was significant.
If he could be driven as a servant of the World Erosion Beings.
She could drag him out of the human world.
If that happened, of course, bringing him to Ixion would be much easier than before.
The outside of the human world was the true base of the World Erosion Beings.
Witch Hunt.
That was the purpose of the Black Witch and Rona.