Chapter 38: Parasite (3)
In truth, Didoa had seen through Tulan’s deception long before she was robbed of everything.
She had known from the start that all the kindness Tulan showed was a facade, and that her only interest lay in exploiting Didoa’s position.
But even so, Didoa couldn’t bring herself to push Tulan away.
-Didoa, you know I have no one but you, right?
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-...
-You’re my only confidant, my most precious friend. I may meet many people outside...but in the end, you’re the one I respect the most.
-...I see.
For a half-demon who had spent a lifetime in solitude, the first taste of kindness and goodwill was far too sweet to resist.
Maybe...that’s just how Tulan expresses herself. Maybe there’s some sincerity in there.
These were the empty hopes Didoa had once held.
***“Tulan...?”
The first to react to Tulan’s loss of composure was Sophia, a once-loyal follower of Master Tulan.
Sophia stared in shock as Tulan’s face contorted with fury.
“...!”
Tulan snapped back to reality at the sight of Sophia. She realized this wasn’t the time for anger.
I can still fix this!
Tulan truly believed there was hope. She thought that with her influence, she could easily manipulate the confused onlookers who had just been freed from her mind control.
She approached Sophia, projecting the familiar image of the Master Tulan they all loved.
“Sophia—”
“Stay away!!!”
Sophia screamed in response.
“Wh-what are you trying to do to me again...?!”
“Sophia...! Calm down, I can explain everything! You—you of all people will believe me, I know! Isn’t that right?!”
Tulan cautiously pushed forward, not stopping.
“I said stay away!!!”
Trembling with fear, Sophia swung her arm. She unleashed a wave of mana, shoving Tulan back.
“Ugh...!”
Tulan was sent pathetically rolling across the floor.
She quickly recovered, looking up to glare at Sophia.
“Eek...!”
But as Sophia recoiled and retreated further, Tulan shifted her attention to the rest of her followers.
“Malley? Brandon? Horen?!”
These were the people who had clung to Master Tulan like shadows, so eager to win her favor. They were the ones who had lit up with delight at even the slightest acknowledgment from her.
“...”
“...”
“...”
Yet now, they recoiled from her calls. They backed away, ready to summon their mana at any moment.
“H-how could you all do this to me...!!!”
Tulan writhed under the sting of betrayal.
“Tulan...”
It was then that Farozan called her name in a subdued voice.
“Master Farozan!”
Tulan’s face lit up, as if she had found a lifeline from heaven.
She had always looked down on Farozan, feigning friendliness only to maintain connections. Yet, he had wasted no time returning her courtesy with lecherous glances. She had lost count of the times she cursed him in disgust, appalled by his lack of self-awareness.
But now, for once, she couldn’t have been more grateful for his repulsive attention.
“P-please, Farozan! You must hear me out! Some-something wrong is going on! That half-demon wench and that bastard have joined hands to harm me—”
Tulan tried to rush toward Farozan, playing the part of a pitiful victim seeking protection. Based on her past experience, she believed this foolish man would lose his mind and leap to her defense if she acted this way.
“...Do not move.”
“Farozan?!”
“I’m saying this for your own good. It’s best if you don’t make any sudden moves. Should you show any suspicious behavior...I won’t hesitate to act.”
“Don’t do this, Farozan! How can you treat me like this?!”
“...”
“You’d take every chance to pester me with dinner invitations and now...Farozan? Farozan! You—you disgusting person...! You pig—”
By now, Tulan had entirely forgotten to maintain the friendly facade of Master Tulan.
“The rest of you, you’re all the same! Have you forgotten all about that flattery to worm into my favor? Do you think I’ll just let this slide?! I swear! I swear to remember this!!!”
Consumed by rage, she hurled curses at Farozan and her former followers.
There was a strange sense of triumph in her expression, as if she believed her words would cut deep into them.
But that triumphant look soon twisted into something else, as they stared back at her as if she were a hideous insect.
“W-what are you doing...! How dare you look at me like that?! You nobodies, you worthless apprentices?!”
“And what are you?”
Farozan asked back.
“What do you think you are?”
“I am—”
Tulan’s confident reply caught in her throat.
“I’m...”
Finally, she realized that her charm, reputation, and character she had been so proud of—all of it was nothing without the title of a master.
She was nothing without Didoa.
A memory flashed in Tulan’s mind. She remembered her pathetic self, worrying about her future after having her research materials rejected.
“No! No, no!!! No...”
Tulan now pleaded with a trembling voice.
“Everyone, please come to your senses...!!! That evil half-demon bitch and the bastard are working together to trick you!!! How can you trust them more than me? You’ll regret this. I’m telling you, you’ll regret this...!”
Farozan shook his head. Even as a former admirer of Tulan, he felt the last shred of sympathy for her vanish.
Everyone present looked down at Tulan with cold eyes. Everyone except for one person.
Didoa.
“Tulan.”
“Didoa...Didoa!!! No I mean, Master Didoa—”
Tulan no longer knew what expression she was making.
“I-I’m sorry...!!! I, I must have lost my mind for a moment there!”
“...”
“Please...please forgive me!”
“Tulan. Can I ask you one thing?”
“Yes! Yes! Master Didoa! Anything!”
“Were you ever sincere?”
“Huh? What do you...”
“Did you ever truly consider me a friend, even once?”
“...Yes! Of-of course! You were always my friend, Miss Didoa!”
Tulan tried to muster the friendliest smile she could manage. Yet, despite her efforts, what emerged was nothing more than a pitifully servile expression.
Didoa realized then.
“So I see.”
Tulan had never once been sincere towards her.
“...”
Didoa was surprised at herself. After all her efforts to deny and reject the truth, she now found herself accepting it with ease—and feeling no particular emotion about it.
Why?
At that moment, Didoa felt a gaze settle on her from across the room.
It was Risir. Seeing his past self in Didoa, he was watching her with genuine concern.
“...”
Didoa nodded, and it dawned on her.
She finally understood why she hadn’t been shaken by the revelation that Tulan was never sincere—why it didn’t hurt at all.
It was because she no longer had any reason to obsess over it. Now, she knew what true kindness was all about.
Didoa responded to Risir with a tentative, awkward smile. Then, her face returned to its usual neutral expression as she turned to Tulan.
“I understand. Tulan, I forgive you.”
“...What?”
“For everything you’ve done to me. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Tulan stared at Didoa, stunned, before erupting into maniacal laughter.
“Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHA!!!”
Her laughter cut off abruptly, her face freezing into a cold mask.
Before any knew it, Tulan was holding a vial of reagent. She shifted her stance, poised to hurl it straight at Didoa.
“Didoa! Watch out!”
In an instant, Meltas and Farozan conjured a protective mana barrier around her.
But Tulan was unfazed. As if this was her plan all along, she pivoted to face Risir, who was on the other side of the room.
Right now, her deepest hatred burned for no one else but him—the bastard who had appeared out of nowhere and ruined all her plans.
Driven by pure malice, Tulan made to hurl the vial toward Risir.
But just before it could leave her grasp—
“AHHHHHH!!!”
Tulan shrieked as green flames erupted from her body in a violent explosion, engulfing her.
The flames quickly dissipated, but their impact was enough.
-Crash!
The vial slipped from Tulan’s grasp and shattered on the floor as she collapsed weakly.
Gone was the admired Master Tulan, the role model of many mage tower students. In her place lay a villainess, her hair all melted and skin scorched.
“Huff...huff...”
Meanwhile, Didoa stood wide-eyed, gasping for breath in an uncharacteristic display of extreme agitation.
In that instant, everyone understood the explosion had come from Didoa.
She could forgive everything Tulan had done to her...but harming Risir was the one thing she could not tolerate.
Didoa called out to Risir.
“Are you all right?!”
“Ah, yes! I’m fine.”
“...Thank goodness.”
Didoa clutched her chest in relief.
“It’s thanks to you, Miss Didoa! Thank you for helping me!”
“...Sure.”
Didoa’s emotionless face wavered slightly at Risir’s gratitude—like a single sprout shyly emerging from barren soil.
***After the incident was resolved and the onlookers dispersed, Didoa’s lab returned to its usual tranquility.
“Didoa—I mean, Master Didoa. I’ll handle the aftermath of this incident, so you should rest for now. You’ll be getting busy with the upcoming trial. And while you’re resting, please also assist Risir with his elixir.”
Didoa gazed at the restrained Tulan for a moment before nodding.
“Understood.”
Risir spoke up then.
“Lord Meltas, did you say trial?”
“Indeed I did. It’s a rule to handle tower matters within the tower. Tulan will be tried according to tower regulations and then punished.”
“Will there be, uh, torturing and stuff?”
“Do you think the mage tower is some sort of religious order? Anyway...Master Farozan, it’s about time you pulled yourself together.”
“...I still can’t believe it. Tulan was a black mage?”
“I also find it hard to believe. To think I’ve been treating Master Didoa as an apprentice all this time.”
Meltas furrowed his wrinkled brow, reflecting on everything related to Didoa and Tulan.
He gave Didoa a slight bow.
“Didoa, I apologize again for the discourtesy I’ve shown.”
Farozan followed suit, bowing his head as well.
“...”
Didoa awkwardly returned their bows.
“Ah, right. Risir, the tower will take a keen interest in you because of this incident.”
“Sorry what?”
“It’s only natural. Not only did you detect black magic even the masters couldn’t sense, but you also exposed the black mage behind it all. You’ll certainly be rewarded accordingly, so you can look forward to that.”
“You mean...! I might be able to enjoy various privileges in the tower, even without becoming your disciple, Sir Meltas...?!”
“You little rascal.”
With that, Meltas left Risir in Didoa’s care and departed with Farozan to manage the aftermath.
Risir and Didoa were left standing awkwardly in the lab.
“Want to sit down?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Didoa guided Risir to the best seat in the lab before heading to the cupboard.
A moment later, she placed a generously-filled teapot and a box of desserts on the table.
“Here.”
Didoa poured tea into Risir’s cup and set the desserts on his plate.
“Ah, thank you.”
Didoa poured more tea and placed more desserts.
“Thank you.”
Didoa poured yet more tea and placed yet more desserts.
“...Thank you?”
Each sip and bite were followed by another refill.
Wow. Is this a food duping glitch?
Risir fell into confusion.
“Do you need anything else?”
As Didoa’s unreadable eyes glittered, Risir shook his head in a daze.
“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”
The emotionless young missy before him was desperately trying to connect, and the infinite hell of tea and desserts was her clumsy yet heartfelt attempt at friendship. She would give up anything—absolutely anything—if it meant gaining his trust.
But Risir was clueless to it all.
Didoa fidgeted restlessly with her hands that were covered in magical patterns.
How can I become closer to him?
She kept a watchful eye on Risir’s cup and plate, her restrained gaze sparkling with hope.
***News of the incident spread quickly throughout the tower, carried by the onlookers who had witnessed the scene.
Among them, one person was particularly incensed.
“You!”
And that person stormed into Didoa’s lab.
It was Henya, Risir’s sparring partner. She immediately scanned Risir, and her eyes widened in shock.
“It’s true! I can’t believe it! You really took an elixir?”
This part of the rumor caught Henya’s attention the most.
She recalled Risir as the man scheduled to spar with her. But he was rumored to be taking an elixir—right before their match.
Taking an elixir for a mere sparring session, not even a duel of life and honor? It was an extravagant notion, one that even Henya, born to high nobility and guided by unique values, couldn’t wrap her head around.
“You took an elixir just to win a sparring match?! I mean, in the first place, you’d do that after agreeing to spar with me?! Do you think that’s fair?!”
“?”
She was so flustered that her words tumbled out in a rush.
Risir, caught in the middle of his ongoing struggle with the desserts, replied with bewilderment.
“But I haven’t taken the elixir yet.”
“?”
***
▷Fate 44: ‘Parasite’ has been deactivated.
Corresponding perks will be awarded.
***