Chapter 39 Which Faction Are You From?
Alright, I know it's not that I'm strong - it's the wasps that are strong.
"I need to test it and see roughly how big an explosion it can handle."
Unfortunately, I'm out of magic drones.
I straightened up the bodies in the room a bit. No need for anything elaborate - just bury the corpses under the wine barrels. After all, this is just a dream. As long as people don't see them the moment they open the door, it's fine.
After adjusting my clothes again, I calmly walked out the door and followed the same route back.
When I returned to Anna's room, I slowed down ahead of time.
When I reached the door, I did indeed hear someone rummaging around inside, not even trying to be quiet.
"Keep looking, be thorough!"
Klaus's deep voice came from the room. "That thing is a finger bone. It could be anywhere - check every book carefully! Look through the bedding too!
"Also search carefully for a seal! We can't make the delivery without either one. Anyone who tries anything funny, I'll throw them into the sea!"
Deliver?
I frowned slightly.
So Klaus really is the traitor.
I didn't confront them. I just slowly backed away, planning to go check the captain's quarters.
Before I even reached the deck, I heard the sound of clashing swords from above.
Just from the noise, I could tell at least three groups were fighting. That old witch Selene - I didn't know if she was friend or foe... If she were on our side, she was probably in serious danger by now; if she were an enemy, then going up there would be suicide.
Just then, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.
Wolves in front, tigers behind.
I had nowhere left to retreat.
Without any hesitation, I kicked open the door to the deck and rushed up.
As soon as I got on deck, I glanced around and spotted the captain's quarters.
I sprinted toward it without a second thought. The two groups fighting on the ship saw me suddenly burst out and charge toward the captain's quarters, but they couldn't immediately tell which side I was on.
Soon, someone from the larger group reacted.
"Kill Donald!"
Someone shouted, "Kill him if you want to live! There's no way he can be persuaded to surrender!"
"Bullshit!" I yelled back while running at full speed. "How do you know if you don't try!"
I hurled my scabbard far away, then slashed at the person trying to intercept me. With magic acceleration, I met his blade with my sword, knocking his strike aside. I followed up with a shoulder charge, barging into the fully armored man and knocking him off-balance. He tried to keep blocking me, but someone from Ms. York's side engaged him, dragging him away.
At that moment, I finally burst into the captain's quarters.
Pretty much as I expected... There were only two people in the captain's quarters.
Or strictly speaking, one and a half.
Anna was tied up, hanging in the corner, looking at me with a complicated expression.
I sensed magic fluctuating around her.
Clearly, a wizard had used a spell to bind her.
The robed old woman, Selene, had already collapsed on the table. She was obviously the master of this dream realm, and she looked exactly like the old woman I had seen before falling into the dream.
Several deep splits had opened in the skin of her right hand, tiny trembling eyeballs bulging from the cracks. Blood spilled from her mouth, staining her teeth and the plate. Under her skin, something was restlessly wriggling, trying to crawl out of her body.
"...Donald, whose side are you on?"
Anna asked me softly, her expression hard to read. "Are you also a spy someone planted beside me..."
But I replied with interest, "How did you figure it out?"
Anna didn't struggle much, apparently already resigned to her fate.
She was silent for a moment, then answered my question in a low voice.
"I saw you use magic. That speed wasn't normal. But you're not a wizard, and you don't know any spells. Obviously, you've been hiding your identity all along, staying close to me." She paused, then asked me, "Are you also here for that finger bone?"
"No, no." I answered casually, looking at the dying old woman, and asked again, "What happened to Selene?"
"The wine at dinner was poisoned with something that targets wizards. She's dying."
Anna answered quickly.
"When they're dying, wizards become like this?"
I pressed.
This was my first time seeing a dying wizard.
Anna didn't struggle. She just said quietly, "You'll understand later... being a wizard isn't anything beautiful."
"Tell me more, tell me more."
I shut the door firmly, turned around, and urged her,
"What is that finger bone? What's it for? Who exactly betrayed you - was it Klaus? Do you want me to kill him?"
Anna sighed, as if assuming I'd gone mad, and she satisfied my curiosity by telling me everything she knew:
"That finger bone is an evil dark wizard's horcrux. They want to get it and use it to resurrect that evil dark wizard. Donald, you guessed right - Klaus betrayed me. I just trusted him too much."
"Horcrux?"
I frowned slightly.
I thought of the Bone Lord.
"You don't know? Evil dark wizards all like making horcruxes so they can come back to life someday."
"I don't know."
Hearing this, Anna looked at me strangely. "...Isn't this common knowledge?"
She seemed at a loss, apparently starting to doubt who I really was.
Just then, the door to the captain's quarters was smashed open.
Standing in the doorway was Klaus, his face dark.
He looked at me without saying a word.
"You might not believe this, but I've only been a wizard for a few months."
I said this casually to Anna, then launched a frontal assault on Klaus without hesitation.
I went all out from the start - pouring all my magic power into acceleration, incredibly fast. If there were an Olympics here, first place would definitely be mine. I swung my sword straight at his head!
But Anna's expression suddenly changed:
"Don't fight him in close combat!"
"What?"
I froze, but the sword had already swung out.
Klaus didn't dodge at all. He just looked at me coldly and said nothing.
Suddenly, I felt a chill in my chest.
I looked down and saw a huge bloody hole in my torso, big enough that I could see the scenery behind me.
"...This level of magic power? A rookie wizard who just learned magic?"
Only then did Klaus speak, sneering, "You have magic and don't use it, and instead you rely on a sword."
Shit.
I just haven't learned much magic yet.
He stepped forward, magic forming an invisible blade that sliced my head clean off.
—The next moment, time flowed backward.
I had barely slipped into darkness when I suddenly felt someone shaking me hard.
"...Donald? Donald, wake up!"
A rough male voice sounded in front of me. "How did you fall asleep! Where did Ms. York go again?"