Chapter 87: Colluding with the Cult of the Evil God—Have You All Gone Mad?
Chapter 87: Colluding with the Cult of the Evil God—Have You All Gone Mad?
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"Ahh~ That should just about wrap up today's work."
Imperial Capital Magic Academy.
Nerinette stretched languidly, exhaustion pulling at her every limb. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, lending her the weary, hollow look of an overworked office drone—so much so that even her usual mature beauty seemed dulled.
Yet as she gazed at the first batch of potions, neatly packed and ready for dispatch, a glimmer of pride shone through her fatigue.
"Having someone like Lin Wei to share the workload really makes things so much easier..."
Normally, any batch of amplification potions bound for the front lines and intended for elite forces was something she would insist on handling herself.
But ever since war had broken out, many of the academy’s top alchemists had been called away. Now, there were barely enough left on campus to produce potions of Standard, Fine, or Superior quality. As for High-Grade and Masterwork potions, only three and a half people—including herself—were capable of making them at all.
To make matters worse, the Alchemy Department still had to fulfill regular orders, alongside the Holy See’s monthly quota of supplies. There simply weren’t enough hands to manage sudden emergency commissions—until now. Finally, there was hope of keeping up. "At this rate, the original ten-day deadline is more than enough."
"In fact, we’ll probably finish within the week. Finally, there’s nothing left to worry about."
Everything was falling into place. The potions had passed inspection, and aside from a certain idiot who’d come by earlier to stir up trouble, there had been no unpleasant surprises.
Feeling satisfied, Nerinette glanced around at the other overtime alchemy assistants. For once, her mood was so good that she spoke up first:
"Alright, if you’ve got anything left, just leave it for tomorrow. I’ll handle the rest of the sealing and packing myself. You all go home and get some rest."
The assistants, still frantically working, exchanged uncertain glances.
“They’re actually letting us leave early? Unbelievable!”
“Has Director Nerinette finally worked herself insane?”
“Maybe it’s her last hurrah before she drops dead!”
These little brats!
Nerinette stood there smiling, but as she listened to their unfiltered banter, metaphorical veins began to throb on her forehead.
If the workload weren’t so brutal, they’d never get away with venting like this every day. Sometimes, she really did want to pin them all to the floor and give them a proper thrashing!
“So~ do you actually want to clock out, or should we just pull an all-nighter together?” she asked, her tone sweet but her smile utterly devoid of warmth.
“No, no, we’ll see you tomorrow, Director!”
“I’ll go home, get a good night’s sleep, and come back energized!”
The alchemy assistants snapped to their senses, hastily gathering their things.
Who in their right mind would stick around when they were actually being let off early?
But just as the assistants began packing up—
A faint, shadowy black flame crept into the room, spreading across the floor before anyone noticed.
“What’s this? Did someone spill a potion because they didn’t seal it properly?”
One of the alchemists, halfway out the door, glanced back curiously.
But just as he was about to touch the strange black haze, Nerinette’s eyes went wide in alarm.
“Wait—don’t touch it!”
But her warning came too late.
Bang!
The assistant shrouded in black mist collapsed on the spot, stiff as a board.
There was no warning, no time to react—it was as if the haze carried a powerful anesthetic, snuffing out resistance instantly.
“Everyone, get back—!”
Nerinette spun, trying to shout a warning.
But in the blink of an eye, the black fog had already flooded the room, swallowing everyone whole.
A moment ago, the assistants had been laughing and chatting—now, they dropped to the floor one after another, like dumplings sliding into a pot. Not a single one had the chance to cry out.
“What… is happening?!”
A surge of energy erupted from Nerinette, instinctively forming a barrier around herself to fend off the invasion. Shocked, she swept her gaze around the room, desperately resisting the encroaching fog as her mind raced.
Where did this mist come from? It was cold, sticky, and left an intense sense of discomfort—could this be… the energy of an evil god?!
The realization sent a chill down Nerinette’s spine. This was the Imperial Capital, inside the supposedly impregnable Magic Academy—one of the safest places in the world.
Even outsiders couldn’t get in without passing layer upon layer of scrutiny, not to mention the Judgement Knights and city guards constantly patrolling the streets.
How could it be possible… for Evil God Cultists to infiltrate the Imperial Capital Magic Academy?!
Had the city guards and all those Judgement Knights just collapsed in the dead of night?
"The academy's security department hasn't made a single move—damn it... what the hell is happening?!"
As Nerinette frowned, tense and wary, a series of crisp footsteps echoed from the corridor. Several figures emerged from beyond the doorway, stepping into view one after another.
"Oh? Someone managed to resist the power of my god?"
The speaker was shrouded from head to toe in a black robe, his features completely obscured. Wisps of black mist seeped from his body, marking him as the source of this nightmare.
When he lifted his head, his face was hidden behind a vision like a swirling galaxy—a shimmering barrier that rendered his true appearance impossible to discern.
"You wretched woman! Even now, you want to ruin our plans?"
The one beside him was a tall figure wearing a mask that concealed most of his face. Compared to the robed cultists, who radiated nothing but malice and corruption, this masked man seemed almost... human. And that voice—Nerinette recognized it instantly.
"You… You’re Viscount Montoya from this afternoon!"
Nerinette’s fury was barely contained, her glare so intense it seemed she might burst into flames.
"Didn’t that bastard Duke Ous have your limbs broken and drag you off for execution? How are you here?"
"So, you figured it out after all?"
Montoya hadn’t expected to be recognized so quickly.
Surprise and panic flickered in his eyes, but were soon replaced by smug satisfaction.
“That’s right, it’s me! But so what if you know?” he crowed, his voice brimming with arrogance. Now that victory seemed certain, he made no effort to hide his excitement.
“I’m a noble! How could someone like me possibly lose my life to a mere commoner like you?”
“In fact, a woman like you—who dared offend a noble—should’ve paid with your life for your insolence back in the daylight!”
Not only had Montoya survived what should have been a death sentence, but now he’d turned traitor, colluding with the Evil God Cultists to attack the academy? What was he after?
“So this is why you joined forces with the Cult of the Evil God? Just to get revenge on me and steal this batch of potions?” Nerinette asked, feigning disbelief as she glanced at him—while secretly activating the memory stone hidden in her desk.
But by now, escape was all but impossible. If that was the case, then even if she died, she’d at least try to pry out some clues for those who came after.
Montoya, oblivious to her trick, burst out laughing, wild and unrestrained.
“You think we’d risk all this for a mere shipment of potions? Don’t make me laugh!”
He looked at Nerinette—already treating her as a dead woman—and made no effort to restrain his urge to boast.
“The truth is, His Grace the Duke discovered the Holy See has been investigating market intelligence in the northern countries. Fearing his plans would fail, he was forced to take a risk and act first.”
“But honestly, if it weren’t for what happened earlier today giving me a chance to atone for my ‘crimes,’ I’d never have learned about this secret or been brought into the inner circle.”
“So in a way, I really ought to thank you!”
The leader of the Evil God cultists shot Montoya a sideways glance, staring at him as if he were an utter fool.
If this idiot weren’t about to become a corpse anyway, the leader would’ve long since disposed of him in front of their real enemies. No wonder he’d been chosen as the scapegoat—there was a certain logic to it.
“Enough. Stop wasting time. Get it over with,” the cult leader snapped, his patience for stupidity clearly at its limit.
Dark, oppressive energy surged from him—Evil God power thickening in the air. The drowsiness pressing down on the room grew heavier and heavier as the black mist intensified.
Even Nerinette, who had steeled herself for death, couldn’t help but reveal a deep, bitter unwillingness in the face of such overwhelming power.
Damn it!
Was she really going to die here?
She couldn’t move at all now; her body was nearly frozen by the dense Evil God energy. If she tried to resist, the corruption would invade instantly and she’d collapse.
But… but to die without even putting up a fight? That was just too bitter a pill to swallow.
The cult leader’s energy condensed to a terrifying degree, then came crashing down toward her head as if she were nothing.
Cold, malignant power flooded her vision, burning her skin with a stinging pain as it began to spiral out of control.
“Hahahaha~”
Beside her, Viscount Montoya’s eyes blazed with manic glee.
All the hatred he’d built up that afternoon—at last, he could repay it in full!
“You filthy wench—go to hell!”
BOOM!!!