Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 195:

Chapter 195 Honesty, Honesty, Honesty.

Nothing is more precious than time.

I checked the ancient runes I had collected inside the World of Painting. 

Even though I had given the frame to Maiev, it was not hard for me to enter this place.

I sat on a chair and spread out the necessary materials and books. 

I also made a small round table and put a teacup and a teapot on it. 

This was a perfect working environment.

“The previous world…”

The connection with the previous world.

I had regarded the runes as a means to manifest powerful magic, but when I discovered the connection, my interest surged like crazy.

“…”

I closed my eyes and activated the power of the runes.

A black sight, a white and thin passage appeared.

My goal today was to confirm the ‘connection’ between the previous world and the ancient runes. 

The passage was visible, so it must be certain.

Sssss─

Soon, a door was created at the end of the passage. 

That must be the boundary that connects the two worlds.

Bang!

But as soon as I confirmed that, my sight was blocked. 

The reason was obvious without guessing. 

It was because there were still ancient runes that I had not collected.

“How interesting.”

What would happen if the connection between the two worlds became free? 

On the other hand, I had another thought. Did someone intentionally bring me to this world?

If so, who dares?

I was lost in such thoughts when it happened.

Boom─!

A huge explosion occurred on the other side of the World of Painting. 

It seemed like a fierce battle was going on.

At the same time, a Vampire passed by in front of me. 

She was holding a child vampire, and she was so desperate that I could not describe him.

It was not a strange thing.

I was not the owner of the World of Painting in the first place. 

It would not be strange if someone else used it. 

I focused on examining the materials.

Boom─!

But the explosions and screams continued. 

After a while, a Vampire with a familiar face ran up to me, holding someone.

It was Maiev, the owner of the World of Painting.

“Hello.”

She greeted me awkwardly and then slammed into the ground. 

I answered her from a distance.

“Yeah.”

I glanced at her and saw that other Vampires were chasing her. 

I briefly watched the chase and then lost interest.

Boom─! 

Crash─!

After that, the whole World of Painting shook with shocks, and Maiev showed up again.

Was it a reunion after ten minutes?

She looked miserable as she met me again. Her hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to her face, and her expression was hollow as if she had lost everything.

She smiled at me with a forced smile.

“…We meet often.”

We had no reason to talk.

But I guessed why Maiev tried to talk to me. 

She had something she really wanted to say, but she could not bring it up and was wandering around.

I just nodded until then.

“I see.”

Then I met the eyes of the small life she was holding. 

It was a little Vampire that looked like a six-year-old child, and she seemed to die soon.

The little Vampire muttered as she was held.

“Sister… I’m sleepy…”

Then Maiev shouted.

“Don’t fall asleep!”

She slammed into the ground again after the scream. 

Many Vampires followed her like shadows.

I roughly guessed the situation.

Maiev must have betrayed the Void.

Crash─!

Every time I turned a page of the book, blood and flesh exploded and noises rang out. 

Thirty minutes later, when I was reading the most important part.

“Excuse me, Flan.”

I met Maiev again.

“What is it?”

“That…”

Maiev trailed off. 

Sweat was pouring out of her body.

“…It’s nothing.”

Maiev gave me the most awkward smile in the world. 

It was the expression that only someone who was cornered and about to go crazy could make.

I pointed to her back with my chin. 

The Vampires were crowded with red eyes.

“They all seem to have something to do with you.”

“Yes.”

“Maiev. I told you before.”

I looked at the book again and said.

“If you come out with an honest attitude, I will also respond to you with an honest attitude.”

“Honesty…”

Maiev repeated my words and let out a hollow laugh. 

She looked like she couldn’t grasp her own thoughts.

Then she said in a hopeless tone.

“…Yes. I want to live. I want to get out of here. I want to beg someone, even if I have to kneel.”

She gently laid down the brother who was barely breathing on the ground. 

She staggered as if she would collapse at any moment, and squeezed out her voice.

“But I betrayed the Void. It was an impulsive choice, but I can’t go back now.”

Maiev swallowed her dry saliva.

“But, I’m not afraid of that.”

I lifted my head and met her red eyes. It meant that I would listen to her until the end.

“Being chased by the Void means having an inescapable fate. Even if I beg and plead for Flan’s help, if I have to suffer from threats every hour, every minute, every second…”

A clear drop of water slid down Maiev’s sweaty face. It looked like a tear.

“…Flan will resent me by then. He will find me annoying. He will regret his choice to help me. Isn’t that right?”

Maiev screamed in agony.

“I’m scared, I’m scared…! It’s painful to see someone with good intentions change!”

As she spoke, vampire creatures crowded behind her.

Some had human forms, but others crawled or had five mouths, so monstrous that they had to be called ‘abominations’.

One of them shot a black magic bullet.

With a bang, it hit Maiev’s back of the head.

“What a great act, Maiev. Who are you disguised as now? Should I have brought a handkerchief?”

A giant vampire creature with abnormally long arms and legs, about twice my height, turned his gaze to me.

“Hey, human.”

He put his hand on Maiev’s head and continued. He treated her like an object, and Maiev looked very small.

“Do you recognize this symbol?”

He took out a pendant from his chest.

It had a grotesque shape of a black heart with a dagger stuck in it.

“It means a special mission from the princess herself. The whole Void is after Maiev. The moment you interfere, you will be crushed too.”

“I understand.”

“Good. You better think again. If you disappear right now, I won’t hold you accountable.”

I finally closed the book I was reading.

“I don’t need to worry about that.”

At the same time, the book flew with telekinesis.

Bang!

The giant vampire creature fell like a scarecrow, and I started to crush the pendant floating in the air with telekinesis.

The faces of the vampire creatures were filled with horror.

Even Maiev was staring at me with wide eyes.

“Stop! Stop it now!”

“What are you doing…! The princess’s pendant!”

“─!”

Of course, I didn’t stop.

The pendant couldn’t withstand the force and crumbled with a clatter.

One of the vampire creatures asked incredulously.

“Do you really understand what you have done?”

The giant vampire creature who got up again joined in.

He had completely lost his reason.

“Human, how dare you tarnish the princess’s honor! The whole Void will chase you. You better give up on surviving!”

“Why do you talk so much?”

I snapped his neck with telekinesis.

“I’ll talk to Maiev.”

◈

Maiev was speechless and helpless, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

She looked at me and the powdered pendant alternately with a shocked face.

A brief silence in the midst of chaos.

“Hmm.”

Flan was relaxed even at this moment.

The man dyed the whole world of fire with his mana.

“No need for excuses, Maiev.”

He gently waved his finger as if conducting a melody.

Countless blue magic circles appeared behind him.

“…”

Maiev looked up at Flan, who stood next to her.

He seemed to have chosen to protect her.

And then…

“What is your honesty?”

A word that struck Maiev’s heart.

Maiev unconsciously licked her lips.

“I…”

Her exhausted heart started to beat again.

“I…”

Her frozen heart melted and left only sincerity.

She longed for both honesty and preciousness.

She wouldn’t be confused about this feeling anymore.

“I want to live. Please, I want to get out of this… Please─!”

She wanted to survive and spend truthful days.

She wanted to live and enjoy a precious relationship.

She uttered her deep sincerity as if begging.

Flan nodded lightly.

“It will be so.”

As if he knew from the beginning, that this would happen.