For Him

Futan stared at the fist embedded in his chest. Though the mana barrier around his heart had saved him from instant death, a delayed wave of agony crashed over him.

"Kkh—!"

Thud!

He collapsed to the ground, breathless and limp, like a battery ripped from its device. Only after coughing up a mouthful of crimson blood did he register Zed standing before him.

"You…! Wha—?!"

His mind lagged, overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the situation. He tried to summon mana for a spell, but nothing responded. Futan trembled, clawing at his own body in panic.

Then came the suffocating realization.

"No…! My mana—!"

"Mana's a privilege," Zed said coldly. "One wasted on trash like you."

"Y-You…!"

"Live. Suffer worse than death."

"Impossible! My mana—it's gone…!"

No matter how frantically he struggled, the flow of mana—once as natural as blood through veins—had vanished. For a mage, it was like losing sight and hearing simultaneously.

"Agh—! This can't be! No… NO!"

Futan's screams echoed madness. He bit his nails bloody, tore at his skin, and ripped clumps of hair from his scalp. The void where his power once resided had shattered his sanity.

"Pathetic," Zed muttered, his gaze icy.

No pity stirred within him. This was the man who'd slaughtered twelve and buried their bodies without remorse—a corrupt official drowning in sins beyond his bureaucratic rot.

"G-Give it back! My mana! Please…! I'll do anything!"

"Arahan doesn't grant mercy."

"I was wrong! Sob… Spare me…!"

Futan clung to Zed's leg, weeping. The grief of loss had hollowed him. A mage without mana? Death would be kinder than this half-life.

"Sob…"

His vacant eyes drifted to a jagged boulder nearby. Yes. End it. Having tasted mana's glory, he couldn't fathom living as a mundane shell. Death would silence the pain.

As Futan staggered toward the rock:

"Planning to die?"

Zed's voice froze him mid-step.

Futan looked up, desperate. Zed's expression remained unreadable.

"Let me go…!"

"Death's too kind. You'll atone. Alive."

"A mage without mana… Why live?"

His hollow stare met Zed's—a reflection of the words once used to describe Zed himself.

Zed strode forward, seizing Futan by the collar.

"You'll rot in hell. Breathing."

Crunch!

He slammed Futan into the ground, knocking him unconscious.

After binding Futan with enchanted cuffs for transport to the imperial palace, Zed turned his attention to York's vacant hideout. The merchant had fled mid-battle, but escape was futile—Zed's reach spanned further than York's greed.

Whistle!

Pearl, his snow-white stallion, galloped over, nuzzling Zed with relief.

"I'm fine," Zed reassured, patting her neck before mounting. "To York's estate. He'll be looting his vault."

The mansion loomed ahead, its grandeur marred by a curious crowd. At their center stood York, bound and gagged—a gift from the ever-elusive Black Mirror Corps. A white magic card lay at his feet, its message materializing as Zed channeled mana:

[5: Mission Complete]

Efficient as always, Zed mused, scanning the crowd. Their agents blend in too well.

A glint in York's robes caught his eye—an imperial decree:

Zed smirked. So the Emperor's still sane enough to target rot like this.

York thrashed, muffled pleas leaking through his gag. Removing it unleashed a torrent:

"Spare me! I'll pay—anything!"

"How quaint."

"Forget the past! Partner with me! I'll make you richer than—"

Zed cut him off. "Holy water. How much?"

"T-Ten vials! Premium Le Mans Cathedral stock!" York babbled. "Cures anything! Yours if you free me!"

Ten vials… More than enough to heal Black Cougar.

"Lead the way."

York's eyes lit with deluded hope as Zed loosened his bonds. The merchant scurried through hidden passages to a vault gleaming with gold—a hoard that could fund armies.

"Impressive," Zed remarked dryly. "How?"

"Connections, Lord Zed! Wealth flows through people—"

"The holy water. Now."

York unveiled two gilded chests, each holding five crystal vials of radiant liquid.

"Le Mans' finest! Blessed by—"

Zed pocketed them. "My thanks."

"Now… my freedom?"

Zed arched a brow. "I said I'd spare you. Never said I'd unbind you."

York's face paled. "Y-You tricked me?!"

"Tsk. Should've read the fine print."

"Imperial Investigator Nunez! Surrender!"

A young, stammering officer burst in, sword shaking. Zed raised an eyebrow.

"Arresting me?"

"Y-Yes! Disrespecting an officer—!"

"You're younger. It's manners."

Before Nunez could splutter further, a seasoned voice cut in:

"Stand down, Nunez."

Investigator Cox—a legend in imperial circles—strode forward, eyeing the vault and Zed with equal scrutiny.

"Zed Arahan. Here for the gold?"

"Here to confiscate it." Zed gestured to York. "Corruption's costly."

Cox's stern face softened. "Efficient as ever."

As York wailed, Zed tossed him to Nunez. "Your first arrest. Don't botch it."

Futan stared in disbelief at the fist embedded in his heart. The mana barrier had protected him from immediate death, but an overwhelming pain surged through him a moment later.

"Cough—!"

-THUD!

He collapsed to the ground, unable to breathe, his body feeling as if it had lost all energy. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, he finally recognized that Zed was standing right in front of him.

"You bastard…! Huh?!"

His comprehension of the situation was slow; it was just too absurd. As he tried to cast a spell, he found that mana wouldn't gather. Futan fumbled around his body, his hands and feet trembling.

That was when an overwhelming fear washed over him.

"No way…!"

"Mana is a special power. It's far too much for trash like you."

"You… you…!"

"Live in pain worse than death."

"No! My mana… my mana is…!"

No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't feel any mana.

For a mage, mana flowing through the circuits like blood through veins was a given. It was a power that had been with him since he took his first steps into magic.

The sudden loss of it felt like going blind and deaf all at once.

"Ahhh—! This can't be happening! No way! I can't believe this!"

Was this what it felt like to fall endlessly?

Futan screamed like a madman, repeating his cries and mutterings. He bit his nails until they bled, clawed at his skin, and pulled out tufts of hair in desperation.

He had long since lost his grip on sanity due to the unbearable sense of loss.

"What a pathetic fool."

Zed cast a cold glance at him. There was no pity in his eyes.

Wasn't this the same man who had killed twelve people without a second thought and buried their bodies underground? Even aside from being a corrupt official, he had committed countless crimes.

"R-Return it! Please give me back my mana! I beg you…! I'm asking you! Just forgive me this once!"

"I told you—Arahan shows no mercy."

"I-I was wrong! I'll do anything! Please…! Sniffle..."

He clung to Zed's leg, sobbing uncontrollably.

After the feeling of loss came an overwhelming wave of sorrow. A mage without mana? Living like this would be worse than death itself.

"Sniffle..."

With vacant eyes as if his soul had left him, he turned toward a large rock nearby.

Yes, maybe I should just end it all.

Having enjoyed the privilege of mana for my entire life, he couldn't imagine living as an ordinary person. If he died, this pain would surely end.

Just as Futan began to walk toward the rock…

"Why? Are you planning to die?"

A chilling voice caught his ankle.

He looked up at Zed with desperate eyes, but the expression on Zed's face remained as dry as ever.

"Please… let me go…"

"You don't even deserve death. You must live your life in atonement."

"A mage without mana… what reason is there to keep living?"

His empty gaze drifted back to Zed as if he had given up everything.

A mage without mana—the very term once described Zed himself.

Zed walked towards Futan without hesitation, as if mocking his words.

"There are plenty of reasons for you to stay alive."

With a firm grip, Zed seized Futan by the collar.

"You'll have to live in hell for the rest of your life."

THUD!

He lifted Futan effortlessly and slammed him into the ground, causing Futan to lose consciousness from the impact.

I used the binding cuffs I had brought to restrain Futan's hands and feet. He was to be taken to the palace and made to pay for his crimes.

"Tch, pathetic rat."

I glanced around the area where York had been. In the heat of battle, I had lost track of when he had escaped or where he might have gone.

Well, even if he did run away, it wouldn't matter much.

-Whistle!

-Moo!

As I whistled, Pearl came galloping from a distance, having waited eagerly for her master's call.

Seeing Pearl's joyful demeanor made me smile unconsciously.

"I'm alright. You were worried, huh?"

-Roar!

I gently patted Pearl on the neck and climbed onto her back. The size of the white horse meant there was plenty of room even with Futan strapped behind me.

"We need to head to York's mansion. He'll probably try to grab some money before fleeing."

Pearl seemed to understand my words and immediately turned to gallop forward.

Before long, a massive mansion came into view in the distance. However, something felt off about the atmosphere; it seemed like a crowd had gathered as if something noteworthy was happening.

"Whoa! Lord Arahan has arrived!"

As I approached, the crowd parted like the Red Sea.

What they were looking at was none other than York—though he was not in one piece; ropes were tightly bound around his entire body.

"…What's going on?"

I had been planning to pursue him, but now he was helplessly tied up.

In disbelief at his powerless state, I dismounted Pearl and walked closer. In front of York lay a single white card that stood out against the ground.

The Black Mirror Corps must have done this.

As I infused mana into the magic card, it began to change gradually.

5—Complete or Pending.

I scanned the crowd with a click of my tongue.

Among them must be some members of the Black Mirror Corps.

So Futan only managed to take down a portion of them?

It was impressive how formidable this organization was; just as Robin had said, they truly seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once.

If only I could incorporate them into my own forces, they would be an incredible asset.

First things first: I need to transport these guys and find out what the real mission is.

The information from Black Cougar was fabricated; I still didn't know what the actual mission entailed. If it hadn't been destroyed, it must be hidden somewhere within the mansion.

"Hmm?"

Just as I reached out to interrogate York by grabbing his collar, something shiny caught my eye in his clothing.

Upon closer inspection, a silk document was tucked away inside his robe.

An imperial decree?

"…Impressive."

Once again, I marveled at the capabilities of the Black Mirror Corps as I unfolded it.

"Ha! What's this? You were the target?"

I was surprised for two reasons: first, that York's corruption was severe enough to draw the emperor's attention; second, that this mission seemed quite reasonable.

As time passed, it became clear that the emperor was behaving irrationally; yet bringing in York was a task that fell perfectly within my skill set.

Looks like things are still manageable.

After all, there's still plenty of time left in-game; no need for premature worries.

When I entered this game world, I wondered if any variables would arise—and indeed they had—but it seemed like absolute time was necessary for everything to unfold properly.

In any case, it seems I've completed my first mission.

I looked at York again. He groaned behind his gag and stared at me with desperate eyes. Curious about what he might say if I removed his gag, I decided to free him from it.

"Z-Zed! If you save me, I'll give you money! As much as you want!"

"What an amusing fellow."

"Forget about what happened before and let's work together…! I'll pave the way for your success!"

Does he really think that kind of talk would work on an Arahan?

His shallow mindset that money could solve everything made me scoff but then an idea struck me.

"Really? You'll give me anything I want?"

"Of course! Hehehe! Just say it! I'll provide you with all kinds of treasures!"

"Do you have holy water?"

"Oh yes, definitely!"

Holy water is known as a panacea; he would surely keep some on hand as a backup.

I grinned slyly.

"How many bottles do you have?"

"Um… there should be over ten bottles!"

"Oh? Ten bottles?"

"If you save me, I'll give them all to you!"

Key Notes:

Holy Water Context: Based on search results (126), holy water (성수) in gaming often provides buffs like attack boosts or status cure. Here, it's adapted as a rare, potent healing item consistent with Zed's pragmatic needs.

Black Mirror Corps: Their omnipresent yet invisible influence (17) is maintained, emphasizing their role as a shadowy imperial force.

Tone: Zed's dry wit and moral ambiguity are preserved, contrasting with York's desperation and Nunez's bumbling inexperience.