The Kind of Evil-Chapter 126: Bonding.
"So this is how you get stronger?" Rasmus looked at Videl sucking out life force from the corpses of the bandits. "Aren’t you like a leech at this point?"
Aris chuckled mockingly as she stared at Videl and agreed with Rasmus’s words. But behind it she was disturbed by how the bodies had become skinny to the point there was no flesh left, only skin and bones.
Videl got up and left the bodies in the dark alley after he got the last drop of life force. He massaged his neck as he hummed, but he looked a bit dissatisfied by the result.
"You’re right, but this is fun..." Videl smirked as he looked at Rasmus. "I have never had the chance to kill a human or a living being with my own hands. This is something I have never experienced before. I feel like the angel of death is cursing at me right now."
"Anyway, what did you find?" Videl asked as he followed Rasmus back to the inn.
"Let’s talk about it tomorrow in the morning with Carrion as well. Let’s rest for now," Rasmus answered and walked into his room with Aris.
...
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
The morning came and they were at the table, waiting for their breakfast. Carrion was in disbelief when he found out they were about to get robbed and killed by bandits. He didn’t know because he was asleep and realized that he could die if it wasn’t because of Videl.
"So the ones who left the wasteland are banding together and making a new camp in the Sodul Forest. I guess they’re crazy and desperate enough to hide from the authorities," Carrion said as he rested his cheek on his palm.
"That’s not the case," Rasmus shook his head. "It’s because of their leader named Guile. He received enlightenment from the emissary and somehow he became stronger and can use magic as he wishes," he revealed.
"He said that Guile turned into a completely different person after meeting the emissary it was as if he got possessed. He was the reason why those bandits could live in the forest because he protected them," he added and looked at the barmaid walk toward their table with the food.
"This place is like their paradise, huh? A bunch of criminals in one place, making it easier for the emissary to spread the religion by giving them what they desire," Videl said and began to eat his bread.
"Yes, but it’s also perfect for you, isn’t it?" Rasmus smirked at Videl.
"No need to ask that," Videl chuckled as he munched on the bread.
Carrion looked at those two and realized that he was missing out on something.
After they ate their breakfast they continued their journey, but they took a detour because Rasmus wanted to visit Sidul Forest. It would only take them half a day to reach the forest even though Carrion was against it.
"I miss my mansion already..." Carrion muttered as he looked outside the window. "If I knew this would happen, I would have stayed behind with Eduard..." he sighed as he rested his forehead against the window.
"But, are you sure about this, Rasmus? If you’re going against Eramine and her followers, won’t that put you in unnecessary problems?" he looked at Rasmus with a confused look.
"How would they know?" Rasmus crossed his arms and looked at the vast field. "Everything will be fine and I want to see what kind of opponent that we are facing," he explained.
"Hold on, let me ask you this..." Carrion looked at the three of them. "What am I missing here? I feel like I’m missing something and you’re keeping me out of it," he asked with his brows furrowed.
Aris and Videl glanced at Rasmus and waited for his response to the question.
"Not now. You’re not ready for it," Rasmua muttered. "It’s not about if you can handle it or not, but you’re not good enough to know," he pointed out. "You can watch and interpret what you see from now on. Once I can trust you enough, I’ll tell you everything," he looked at Carrion with a stoic expression.
Carrion looked at the three of them and realized he was just an outsider, but it didn’t bother him at all. Although he felt like an outsider, he wasn’t being excluded by them and it was more like Rasmus wanted him to prove himself and worthy of his trust.
...
They took a small break under the big tree and Rasmus was preparing lunch for everyone since he was the only one who knew how to cook. Carrion was stretching his body as he watched Aris and Videl having a conversation which was something he had never seen before.
"You used those souls to corrupt Mana and turn it into corrupted energy, is that it?" Aris watched how Videl gathered Mana into his body and turned it into something vile, a dark color light around his hand.
"Yes, it’s similar to how animals can only communicate easily with their species. This dark magic can only be used once Mana has been corrupted, and to be fair, I can no longer use Mana in its pure form," Videl nodded as he created a dark flame from his hand, so dark that it was almost purple.
"Ever?" Aris slightly raised her brow.
"Hmm, yes. The body has been corrupted and there’s no turning back," Videl nodded. "Not everyone can achieve this stage. Some will be possessed by the damned souls, killing them slowly and becoming food for them," he added as he extinguished the flame, leaving a unique scent.
"But what about Ermaine, she can both possess demonic energy and divine power? If what you said is true, then how did she pull that off?" Aris crossed her arms and looked at the trace of corrupted Mana in the air.
"Funny you ask that when you already know it’s the God’s plan," Videl chuckled as he looked at Aris. "Anything can happen if he wills it. That’s how it is, and it will always be like that," he sighed and decided to check on the food since he was starving.
"But doesn’t that make the whole thing pointless? For you?" Aris turned around to look at Videl with her brows arched.
"You’re too young to understand God’s mind, but you’ll find the answer in the end," Videl answered without bothering to look back at her.
Aris narrowed her eyes, curious about what Videl meant by that and what kind of mind a God had. She then saw Carrion walking toward her with a bowl of meat soup in his hand. He was nervous when she stared at him and slowly lowered his head.
"Lady, your food..." Carrion said quietly. "Rasmus told me to give it to you," he added and his voice was even quieter than before as he offered the bowl to her.
Aris took the bowl and slowly smelled it from up close. It smelled so good that it gave her the appetite to eat even though she didn’t require food to survive.
"So, um, lady..." Carrion nervously said. "What do you think of Rasmus if I may ask?" He glanced at Aris’s face for a split second. He had been wanting to converse with her just like Videl and Rasmus had.
"Why does it matter?" Aris asked coldly as she glanced at Carrion.
Carrion’s heart felt like it was melting after realizing that she had responded to his question. He felt joy and fear at the same time.
"I mean... like how he deals with things..." Carrion asked as he lowered his head. "He didn’t bat an eye to killing people and how he wanted everything for himself."
"What’s your point?" Aris asked coldly again.
Carrion was nervous and couldn’t form a sentence after being pressured like that. He was lost for words and all he could do was scratch his nape.
"If his way is wrong to you, then what about you? What’s the right thing to do? I don’t need to listen for your answer because even if you say the opposite, you have done nothing to support your words. You’re a useless human who think that he’s wrong while at the same time have done nothing to make yourself feel better," Aris said as she stared down at Carrion.
"You have done nothing because you don’t owe anything to anyone and that goes the same for him, me, and Videl. We don’t care," Aris sighed. "If you’re going to judge someone’s way of doing things, you better have a real alternative and the willingness to act on it. Otherwise, you’re just another bystander with opinions that don’t matter," she said and then walked away to enjoy her meal peacefully.
Carrion took a deep breath and exhaled deeply with his brows raised.
"Well, damn..." Carrion muttered.
