Chapter 25.2
The grimoire tempted me.
It was a dangerous voice that should never be yielded to, but I had no other choice now.
Approaching the study, I unfolded the grimoire.
Hahaha!! You’ve fallen! Now your soul is mine! I’ll take over your body… Huh?
The grimoire, in the midst of gleefully celebrating, suddenly stopped.
It was because I remained unharmed.
W-Why? Unless you have a powerful mental barrier against my enchantment…?!
It seemed to be thanks to the Grand Practitioner’s ability.
‘Fortunately, it worked as expected.’
As I could see through the essence of magic, it seemed I was not affected by enchantments.
I began reading the contents of the grimoire.
‘I need to find a way to defeat the puppet with this grimoire.’
Yes, this was the plan I had in mind.
Studying the book, trying to devise a method to bring the puppet down on the spot.
It was absurd.
An endeavor only I could undertake in this world.
However, I soon wore a defeated expression.
‘This is nonsense.’
Changing fate and ascending through even the end of heaven—pure nonsense.
The actual content was nothing but empty words.
The grimoire turned out to be a deceptive trick, filled with intentions to seduce the opponent’s soul with grandiose phrases.
‘Nothing but traps to shatter the opponent’s mind…’
At that moment, I blinked.
One thought crossed my mind.
‘…With this method, I can bring down that puppet.’
I swallowed hard.
* * *
Tick-tock.
The room fell into silence.
The only sound heard was the ticking of the clock.
And then, the rustling sound of pages turning.
Everyone looked at me studying with puzzled eyes.
Boldly, the one who had declared madness to the puppeteer was engrossed in reading.
Moreover, it was a completely unrelated book to the current situation, a book on “General Principles of Business.”
‘…Van, this crazy guy.’
Emily wore a bewildered expression.
She couldn’t comprehend the actions of her former fiancé whom she met after a long time.
At first, she thought it was a delusion or a crazy act.
However, Emily realized that Van wasn’t mad when he warned Altran. Instead, he had changed.
And now.
‘He is indeed crazy.’
Otherwise, there was no way he could read a book in such a situation.
Was it due to his handsome appearance and mysterious aura?
Leaning against the bookshelves, reading a book in the study, he looked like a scene from a painting.
[…What are you doing right now?]
Representing everyone’s feelings, the puppeteer asked in bewilderment.
[Suddenly, a book on commerce?]
“Puppeteer, does this book look like a book on commerce to you? As expected, I see.”
A momentary smirk passed across Van’s face.
“If you don’t know, stay quiet. It’s disturbing my concentration. You interrupted me earlier, so add 3 more minutes.”
[…What are you talking about? This makes no sense!]
“Don’t answer. Add another 2 minutes.”
[!!]
Van turned his gaze back to the book, whether the puppet glared at him as if he would kill him or not, maintaining his admirable posture.
Tick, tock.
Time passed as if it were suffocating.
As the precisely 15 minutes passed,
Which included the additional 5 minutes Van had mentioned,
Thud!
Van closed the book.
‘What on earth is he trying to do?’
Emily bit her lip tightly.
At that moment, Van’s pupils entered her eyes.
Eyes full of determination.
A sudden guess flashed in Emily’s mind, and her complexion turned pale.
‘Could it be, Van… is he trying to sacrifice himself for us?’
It seemed so!
The seemingly crazy act he was putting on was all planned bravado.
No matter how powerful the puppeteer’s personal barrier was, if they could delay time, the chances of the rescue team arriving increased.
‘I had no idea.’
She misunderstood, thinking he was crazy.
Instead of going mad, he had changed more than anyone and was actually trying to sacrifice himself for the sake of others.
In an instant, an unidentifiable anger surged in Emily’s chest.
It was different from the anger she felt before.
‘Who does he think he is, deciding to die alone?’
Van was not the only one with noble lineage.
She, too, was a direct descendant of one of the Four major duchy.
She had an obligation to sacrifice alongside him.
‘I’ll die with you.’
It was the moment when she clenched her fist tightly.
Their eyes met.
A resolute gaze.
It’s okay. Trust me.
“!!”
‘Why?’
Emily’s eyebrows trembled.
Van turned his gaze to the doll controlled by puppeteer.
“Let’s make another bet. I’ll give you this book as a gift. Take it.”
[Huh?]
It was an utterly incomprehensible situation.
Van added a bit more, raising the corners of his mouth in a smug manner.
As if mocking, as if looking down.
“If you’re scared to take my gift, just say so. It might be too much for a coward like you.”
[Just hand me the book and shut up.]
An aura of anger emanated from the doll.
[I’ll smear your flesh on each page of this book and preserve it.]
Van took steps towards the puppeteer’s doll.
Thump, thump.
As if overwhelming everyone in the room with his strides.
“Come on, take it.”
Shuk!
The doll received the book.
For a moment, there was a cautious expression, but soon a sly smile followed.
[So, you did something, and it was just a grimoire. Just a trivial grimoire like this…]
But at that moment,
The doll’s mouth abruptly shut.
Its body also stiffened.
As if it were a malfunctioning machine.
“It’s over.”
Van declared.
“In the name of Van Ecclesia.”
A miracle occurred.
“Crumble down.”
Rumble.
The puppeteer’s doll shattered into pieces.
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