Chapter 233

Yo, I asked the wizard if he wanted to make a contract.

But the wizard didn’t reply. Instead, he said this:

“Put on the blindfold.”

Huh? Putting the blindfold back on?

The woman who had removed my eye-cover walked over and put it back on me. I thought it was just cloth, but it turned out to be some weird leather thing covered in strange symbols that completely blocked my vision.

And then darkness enveloped me.

It kinda looked like something with special effects going for it, but I don’t feel anything unusual.

If things get rough, I could always use the woman around here. Looking for traces of light from completed contracts, there are quite a lot nearby.

“The purple of despair dwelling in the darkest depths. The final resting place for those who have fallen. O most cruel evil spirit!”

Then, like some dramatic play, the wizard addressed me in an exaggerated tone.

“How does your newly crafted prison of flesh feel?”

Well, not exactly addressing me…

More like bragging. And mocking me. A faded memory pops up in my mind explaining this situation.

Teabagging.

“You’ve been filled with sensations far beyond what any living being can endure—both unbearable pain and overwhelming pleasure.”

Suddenly, intense agony surged through my spine, spreading wildly throughout my body. I thrashed around like a fish flopping on dry land.

Then came the sound of fingers snapping, followed by some strange liquid flowing into my brain through a long tube embedded inside. My mind became flooded with indescribable bliss.

After searching countless memories, no creature has ever experienced pleasure this extreme.

The faded memory briefly flashes the word “thousandfold” before vanishing. Now that I think about it, this feels eerily similar to something from one of those stories.

“So, how’s it feel? Can’t resist, can you? This vessel can contain even a god, but once trapped, there’s no escape until it breaks apart completely. Moreover, the more you submit, the more your very soul will belong to me.”

Yeah, that’s pretty much it.

Honestly, it’s not all that surprising. Carrot-and-stick is a tried-and-true method of control everywhere. Though I’ve never heard of directly delivering both rewards and punishments via metallic implants in the nervous system.

“O mighty god, how does it feel to fall into human hands?”

Mmm…

An interesting desire. The audacity to capture and manipulate a deity—it appeals to me. Alongside that, I detect pride in having subdued someone superior, as well as a hint of inferiority complex toward such greatness. These emotions seep through his voice.

You’d make an excellent harvesting machine. So let me counterpropose:

“I offer myself to you now. In return, when you’ve finished everything, I’ll take whatever remains. How’s that sound?”

Silence spread.

“You’re still sane, I see. True, gods shouldn’t fall too easily—that’d be boring. But how long do you think you can hold out?”

The wizard chuckled darkly.

Then footsteps approached until they stopped near me.

“You haven’t realized yet, but deep within you, a child grows, feeding off your power. If you wait too long, it’ll drain every last bit of strength from you. Better to surrender sooner rather than later.”

He sounded absolutely delighted at the prospect.

Time limit, huh?

Some fragments of memory gleam brightly, saying this kind of threat doesn’t work on noble beings since knowing the exact time of death only makes them endure till the end.

I’m not exactly noble, though. Besides, I was already planning to give him everything I can, threats or no! Even if all I can give is myself…

But he doesn’t seem to think so, judging by the retreating footsteps.

“Educate her.”

From afar, I hear those words, followed by another surge of signals sent through the metal implanted in my spine and brain. Not just electric shocks—it feels magical.

At least the pleasure and pain alternate unpredictably.

Still, compared to the cold, this is nothing.

While waiting for the wizard’s return, I organized the information I just gained.

That prisoner guy earlier—his name is Kenan.

Surprisingly, he’s a knight. A profession authorized to carry weapons, kill people, and investigate crimes. It’s closer to being a public official than nobility. Essentially, he’s like a cop or soldier.

What’s intriguing is that while most people can’t use magic without special artifacts (which only certain individuals can wield), this world uses fossil fuels.

There’s internal combustion engines and basic radio communication, but progress seems to have stalled somehow. Despite using petroleum-powered engines for over 300 years, the cities look strikingly similar to those in the early modern era.

Maybe the world from faded memories advanced too quickly?

Anyway, in this semi-advanced world, Kenan, a knight with duties akin to policing, discovers one day that people are disappearing in the city.

When he reported it to the higher-ups in the knight order, no reinforcements were sent, and the disappearances kept increasing. Eventually, he went alone to investigate where the abductions were happening and got captured himself.

Not long after, he was dragged before me, turned into a harvester, and finally killed when his head was separated from his body.

By the way, this society isn’t an absolute monarchy but closer to a constitutional monarchy. Though the king’s authority has waned significantly, the parliament consists solely of nobles, making it more like an oligarchy.

Kenan lacks detailed knowledge about political systems, but given his memories of dating and attending performances with his girlfriend, the culture and society appear fairly stable.

The male wizard primarily targeted the lower classes, though occasionally he abducted members of high-ranking families too, possibly out of necessity.

Even among the elite, if someone holds a lower position, the knights aren’t fully mobilized, Kenan recalls grumbling about that.

In any case, the wizard appears wealthy and may even be connected to influential local figures who control the city.

That’s all I know.

Just as I finished organizing my thoughts…

The torture continues, but the bell signaling our arrival in the city has rung.

***

This city’s layout is bizarre.

There’s a wall only on the east side.

Stretching between two mountain ranges, it connects to form a massive barrier resembling a seawall blocking the eastern approach.

Guess dangerous monsters must come from that direction.

Oddly enough, the mountains stretch long along the east, and beyond them lies the ocean. Why would they block the eastern route?

While pondering this, I entered the city. Fortunately, coming from the south meant no special requirements to enter.

Inside, it’s bustling—a densely populated city with many buildings.

Right in the center is an enormous marketplace.

Considering there’s no railway, having such a large market implies significant consumer demand here…

Perhaps the wall explains it.

Armies consume vast resources after all.

And the person I need to meet is a soldier. Confirming I came to the right place, I headed straight for the wall.

As I approached, the crowd grew thicker.

Hmm?

I expected tension akin to wartime, but instead, the wide road leading through the massive gates is lively and bustling.

I figured if battles were imminent, the area around the walls would be filled with grim soldiers creating a heavy atmosphere.

Yet the gates are open, and people carrying goods move freely through them.

If there’s a port to the east, why not just lay down train tracks? No idea why they operate this way.

Near the gate, I spotted a group of armed soldiers.

Judging by their posture, one seemed to hold a relatively high rank, sitting alone. I walked over and greeted him casually.

“Hello.”

“What brings you here?” he replied warmly.

His relaxed demeanor suggests this isn’t truly a dangerous place.

I handed him the business card I had.

“Could you contact this person for me?”

He lazily took the card, but upon seeing it, he abruptly stood up, froze momentarily, then carefully returned the card to me.

“Excuse me, may I ask how you’re acquainted with this individual?”

“Yesterday, they gave me a ride to my destination. They told me to reach out here if I needed to return.”

“Oh, I see. Might I inquire about your name?”

“My name is Bell.”

For a brief moment, he looked puzzled, then asked me to wait while he hurried off somewhere.

I remained near the checkpoint. Nearby, several other soldiers watched curiously, but I honestly don’t know what’s going on either.

After quite some time passed…

A considerably larger truck-like vehicle pulled up compared to the one I rode earlier.

Out stepped a middle-aged man dressed differently from the others.

He confidently strode toward me.

“Pardon me, are you Miracle Girl… Bell?”

Ah, now that he mentions it, that name did appear in the newspaper. There might’ve been interviews I never gave or something.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Upon hearing my confirmation, he gestured toward the vehicle.

“Please get in.”

I nodded obediently and climbed inside.

The interior wasn’t tidy. Maps hung on one side, piles of documents littered the space, and even the table had maps detailing battle lines scattered across it.

This clearly wasn’t a car meant for transporting passengers—it looked designed for commanding operations.

Once the door closed, he introduced himself as the commander of this region and made a request.

“I’ve heard you possess the ability to heal people. Could you use that power for my soldiers?”

Oh dear.

Suppressing a smile, I responded,

“Yes, if you wish, I’ll offer myself entirely.”

Indeed.

Wars inevitably produce wounded individuals.

Though I originally set out to assist Victoria with post-care, this turns out to be mutually beneficial for me too.

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