Chapter 26 The White Mage, Wishes

The White Mage, Wishes

The ground shook violently, and a gust of wind, like an explosion, blew toward me.

Stones were lifted into the air and rained down like a storm!

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Thudding sounds echoed all around, as if something heavy was being struck!

Desperately, I crouched down and covered my head.

Trembling, I prayed that nothing would hit me. Thankfully, I seemed to be safe.

Even after the shaking and noise subsided, I couldn’t stand up right away.

When I slowly raised my head, I saw rocks and debris scattered everywhere.

Mangled goblin corpses were strewn among the wreckage.

…What had happened?

I stood up unsteadily.

When I glanced sideways, I saw a huge boulder—big enough to hug—that had fallen nearby. My blood ran cold.

I survived again.

Maybe it would’ve been better if that rock had crushed me to death.

I thought absentmindedly as I stared at it.

I’ve been making one mistake after another lately.

No matter what I try, it always ends with the worst outcome.

I stood there for a while, but staying still wouldn’t help, so I forced myself to move.

Brushing the dirt off my body, I made my way back to the top of the hill.

When I looked at the landscape behind me, I froze.

What had once been an open plain now had a massive hole in it.

The area was reduced to a pile of rubble.

What had happened…?

I don’t think this could’ve happened just because something fell.

Everything is blown away.

It’s hard to believe that humans and goblins were fighting here just moments ago.

I can’t see anything moving.

What happened to them?

Then it hit me.

“There is a large cave under that place, and there are many goblins there. As long as that place isn’t destroyed, our victory is assured.”

Oh! So the goblins underground must’ve died, too?

Everything is messed up.

Ha ha.

Ahahahaha!

What victory is assured!

Everything! Everything is ruined!

Ahahahahahaha!

Serves them right! Serves them right! Serves them right!

I collapsed to my knees.

In the end, what had I done?

Meaningless.

Both humans and goblins.

All of them.

Dead.

Everything went wrong.

Suddenly, I noticed movement near the hole.

…?

A person…?

The figure seemed familiar somehow.

But it was too far to see clearly.

I hesitated to approach.

…Come to think of it, Sieg’s storage bag had a spyglass…

I took it out and peered through it.

Ah…

It’s Vee…

Tears welled up in my eyes.

I wanted to ask why he was there, but I was just glad he was safe.

Thank God.

He looks healthy.

…I’m sorry…

I’m sorry… I want to apologize…

Please forgive me…

Vee’s figure blurred through my tears.

I don’t know what kind of face to show when I meet him now…

At least, I want to apologize, even if it’s just one word.

Even if I’m not forgiven, I want to say it properly.

I cried and cried.

Then, I noticed something else.

There was someone beside Vee.

A beautiful woman with silver hair, dressed in a maid’s outfit.

She stood next to Vee as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

That was my place… That should be my place…

Vee smiled softly and stroked the woman’s hair.

Ah…Ah…That smile was supposed to be just for me…

I could feel the deep love between them.

I could also feel the woman’s deep love for Vee.

Ah…I see…

So it’s over.

Completely over. Ha ha…

Tears dripped to the ground, one by one.

I don’t want to see this…

But I can’t look away.

Ah…

Now I understand.

This is how Vee must have felt.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry, Vee.

Thank you.

Be happy.

I’m sorry.

As I lowered the spyglass, I saw a large goblin sneak into the forest.

That’s…

That’s…!!!

Quietly, I followed the goblin, making sure not to be seen.

Rustle… rustle…

The goblin was so focused on escaping that it didn’t even look back.

That made it easy for me to follow.

When it seemed to find a moment of safety, it collapsed, exhausted.

I checked the area, but there was no one else around.

This is just petty revenge.

A truly ugly, petty revenge.

I held the wooden stick I had picked up earlier and approached the goblin.

“What happened to you, Demon Lord?”

I greeted him with a mocking smile.

“Y…you…”

The Demon Lord’s shock rendered him speechless.

Ha ha.

Ahahahahaha!!!

“Hey, you look injured.”

He must’ve been caught in the explosion. One of his arms was missing.

His body was riddled with wounds.

He’d probably die soon, even if left alone.

But.

I wouldn’t let that happen.

“Hey, Demon Lord. Where did that horned b🬀🬀tard go?”

The Demon Lord didn’t answer.

“Did he die? Hey, did he die? Did all the goblins die too?”

The Demon Lord stayed silent.

“Hey, Demon Lord. Are you afraid of me?”

Since he wouldn’t speak, I continued.

“Hey, Demon Lord. Don’t you want to live?”

I asked with a mocking laugh.

“I…I don’t…want to…die…”

That’s right, that’s good.

“You don’t want to feel pain, do you?”

“P…Pain…Pain is…bad…”

Fufu, you understand now, don’t you?

The goblin king groaned weakly.

“P…Please…Forgive me…I’ll do…anything…”

Ah…Ahhh!!!

That’s what I wanted to hear!!!

My entire body tingled with excitement.

So this is what it felt like!

Smiling, I replied.

“Then! Die!”

I struck the Demon Lord with the wooden stick as hard as I could.

Again and again and again and again and again and again.

He said something, but I ignored it.

Despite his size, he was just a dying goblin. He didn’t have much physical strength.

I was worried my blows wouldn’t land.

But, thankfully, they did!

I was thrilled.

As I kept hitting him, a magic orb appeared.

Ah, I’ve seen this before.

This is a hero skill, right?

I slowly extended my hand.

It merged with my magic and became one.

I’d heard that Hero Skills change based on the user’s heart.

The shape of their heart.

The state of their soul.

What kind of hero skill will I get… with a heart like mine, one that’s beyond saving?

Temptation 傾国

Hero Skill [Temptation].

Ah…

This is bad.

I shouldn’t have this.

I know this skill.

Vee told me about it once.

“There is a skill that has destroyed many nations in the past. Do you want to know what it is? Take a guess. Is it a meteor strike with overwhelming power? No. Or a massive earthquake over a wide area? No. The answer is [Temptation]. It’s a skill that controls people’s hearts.”

I should kill myself.

I should die right now.

My teeth clenched.

I couldn’t stop shaking.

I can’t do this…I don’t want this…

Tears streamed down my face.

Ah… I guess I can’t resist.

I can’t resist the temptation to use this power.

I know better than anyone else that I’m not strong.

I’ll definitely use it.

I shouldn’t.

But I can’t help it.

Ah.

Ah…

Vee.

My beloved.

My beloved whom I have betrayed.

Please, one last request.

Stop me.

Find me and kill me.

I beg you. I’m begging you.