Chapter 234

Chapter 234

“Why do you think so?”

“That’s because Master can’t live without me.”

I shamelessly declared, trying to convince Hamal of my worth. A soft chuckle escaped from his lips as his kind smile made my tense body relax a little. I felt as though I were a prospective daughter-in-law standing in front of my parent-in-law.

“Every wish comes at a price. Since this world exists according to the law of cause and effect… Even for big or small winds, there are things that must be paid for. I hope your little happiness comes true,” he said, his words sounding like a test or something.

I struggled to keep up with his flow of the story that a wish needed a price, with the winds and whatnot. It felt like he was speaking in riddles. Couldn’t we just talk easily? ‘The genie of the lamp served his master and granted him three wishes just because he rubbed the lamp, though?’ I thought to myself.

Feeling awkward, I frowned and groaned, wondering what it cost to spend the rest of my life happily, mutually in love with Kaichen. Hamal noticed my discomfort and spoke softly, “You don’t have to think too hard. It seems you’ve already paid enough to hold his hand.”

I decided to calmly listen to Hamal’s words through one ear and let them out through the other. His words about not thinking too hard were also suspicious. Did I already pay the price for being with Kaichen? What was that!

Just as I was getting agitated, Kaichen walked in, holding a small vial containing the purple magic that he had first pulled out of the cocoon. He threw it in front of Hamal as if he didn’t want to hold it at all.

“Did you ask me to find out about this when you already knew what it was?” Kaichen questioned, clearly annoyed.

“I wanted to make sure that what I thought was right,” Hamal replied calmly.

“It’s the magic dregs of that filthy black magician,” Kaichen said, rubbing the hem of his robe several times with his hand that held the glass bottle as if he had touched something dirty.

Hamal took the glass bottle and slowly stood up from his chair. “This opium was made by putting magic that was mere dregs into it. Do you know that the black magician’s magical power becomes stronger the more taboos are broken? See, there was so much of this in the body of the poor child.”

The cocoon was now completely purple, and the clean look from before was nowhere to be found. Kaichen took a step back, raising his hand in annoyance to cover his nose and mouth.

“If it’s this much, you can’t see it as dregs anymore, can you?” he said, clearly repulsed by the smell.

“An ugly smell is stinging my nose. This smell…”

Kaichen looked like he didn’t want to be there anymore, but he gritted his teeth to endure it. “Can you track it?” he asked Hamal.

“It’s difficult. The person who made this magic… he can do a lot with this, but… Even if we gathered this amount, dregs are still dregs. There is nothing that can be done on our side,” Hamal replied with a sigh.

“It’s a pity. This child was accidentally saved, but if there are this many people in this situation… He could take many innocent people hostage…” Hamal continued.

Blinking at Hamal’s words, I hurriedly waved my hand and interjected. “W-wait a minute. I know these are remnants of magic, but… What do you mean by the person who created this magic can do a lot? Could there be as many people as addicted to op!um like Yanghwa?”

Kaichen explained to me, still covering his nose and mouth.

It seems like the dregs of magical power were just remnants left over from using magic, and on their own, they were nothing more than trash. However, when they were gathered, they could become a mass of magical power, and in the hands of a black magician, they were a poison that could harm humans in various ways.

The magical power of an ordinary wizard didn’t mean much, but the magical power of a black magician was different. It could be used to control an opponent no matter where they were, and even to know their location.

“Black magicians’ magical powers are poison to humans. Normally… if someone consumes black magic, abnormal symptoms will occur. It’s not an ordinary disease, so you can tell right away, and the Magic Association is working on extracting the magic of black magicians. Since she was just exposed to the dregs and not hit straight on, it shouldn’t be serious. It shouldn’t… shouldn’t be…” Kaichen trailed off.

I bit my lower lip, wondering why anyone would put remnants of mana into opium. But then it dawned on me that mixing mana remnants with highly addictive drugs could make people addicted to the drugs even if their bodies hurt. They would think it was a withdrawal symptom that happens when they don’t take drugs. And if they continued to consume it this way, the dregs would accumulate and eventually become a lump like in Yanghwa.

It was horrifying to think that the person who made this could take many innocent people hostage in this way. They would be no different from becoming puppets of a black magician – living puppets.

I couldn’t help but shudder at the thought. I clenched my fists, erupting in anger. “Coward…”