Chapter 1158 – #276_서막(6)
#1152
1.
Like all groups, it’s difficult to define Hexen Nacht in a single word.
Especially since it’s made up of a public majority that bases all relationships on the premise of the survival of the fittest, the individual personalities of those who make up the city are as varied as the colors of the rainbow.
However, if their ideology were to be summarized in one word, it would be best described as ‘extreme witchism.’
So, what is witchism?
It is fulfilling the duty of a witch.
Then, what is the duty of a witch?
It is to pioneer the path of magic and achieve the miracles accomplished by the creator witch.
In this process, everything else is a byproduct, and laws and morals are merely the shackles of the common people.
A witch should not be bound by trivial rules but should devote herself to a higher aspiration.
This is, of course, the height of arrogance, but
However, the public affirms even that arrogance.
A witch should be arrogant, haughty, conceited, self-important, and dogmatic.
They must burn with pure stubbornness, without a single doubt about the greatness of a witch.
That is what it means to be ‘witch-like.’
That is why they cannot forgive humans even more.
The only advantage of the ant-like masses is their numbers, and they have desecrated divinity and insulted transcendents with their insignificant skills.
They have dared to obtain what they should not have touched and defiled what should not have been defiled.
The citizens of Hexen Nacht, who had been divided and self-serving, quickly united faster than Gehenna and gathered under the banner of Qliphoth for that reason.
Because they are those who have found the answer.
The answer to what is right and what is wrong on the blurry boundary between good and evil.
Moscow Kremlin.
The exterior was reminiscent of a fortress rather than a center of power, with its sturdy walls and towers built of red and white bricks.
The interior, on the other hand, was more like a collection of ornate Russian Orthodox cathedrals, evoking a sense of religious cultural heritage.
The symbol of history and power that had served as the political center of the Second World since Russia was still the Soviet Union had now become a den of demons where over 300 public figures resided.
Among them, the residence chosen by Orselia, the leader of Qliphoth, the ‘Witch of Proverbs,’ was the Terem Palace.
The domes of various colors, a mixture of Russian and Baroque architectural styles.
The delicate woodwork and gold decorations that adorned the interior, and the sacred murals that showcased Russian aesthetics to the fullest.
The fact that it was designed as a living space for the emperor, empress, and other members of the imperial family was also quite appealing.
“Amazing. Just amazing. I never expected you to do this well, not even a little bit.”
In a dining room so vast that a basketball game could be played if the table were cleared, Orselia, facing Finn, was enjoying a grand feast and welcoming Finn.
“Thanks to you, the age of witches, who should have shone brightly long ago, has arrived.”
Gehenna, still trapped by the ghost of Duke Keter, is maintaining an ambiguous order and fighting among themselves, raising their voices.
Taking advantage of that gap, Hexen Nacht, united by a sense of crisis and anger, quickly swallowed several countries and declared a witch empire.
The ultimate goal of this declaration is to thoroughly domesticate humans so that history does not repeat itself.
Also, to seize the glory they should have enjoyed until now.
All of this is thanks to the video Finn released and the ‘brand’ of the Angel that cannot be implemented with current technology.
They told me to bring a game-changer to turn the situation around if I wanted to start a war for revenge…
Honestly, I never imagined they would do such a great job.
“Is there anything you want? Oh, you can eat the dish in front of you. It’s a rabbit dish specially prepared for you.”
Orselia, who was smiling sweetly as if she had never been cold, had only one answer from the beginning.
“Kill Shin Siwoo.”
“That would be difficult.”
“What did you say?”
“If we kill Count Hesed, Gehenna might unite, right? We’re just getting our foundation in place.”
Orselia, who had acted like she would give up her liver and gall, swallowed the meat she had pierced with her fork, without changing her tone.
A sneer appeared in Orselia’s bleak purple eyes.
“And after thinking about it… I don’t think I need you anymore. The only reason I kept you around was to smoothly digest the Solidus Merchant Guild… But as you can see, everyone is getting along now, right?”
In fact, it was a step that any public figure should have thought of.
Finn, as a competent secretary, also knew this much.
Finn had laid all his cards on the table, and if he had no more cards to play, Orselia had no use for him.
However, his blind desire for revenge had narrowed his vision and prevented him from predicting the obvious outcome.
Finn tried to persuade her, his face hardening.
“I’m still useful to you.”
“No, you’re no longer attractive to me. I think you’ll bother me in the future, and it would be troublesome if you suddenly spewed out strange information and changed the flow. It would be best if you quietly exited.”
-Crack
Starting from Orselia’s bare arm, to her chest, and up to her face.
Like the opening of a poppy bud, her skin began to crack in various places.
The cracked skin soon became mouths.
In the gaps of the cracks, which were filled with teeth like the chewing organs of a grotesque creature, purple mist flickered, and in the mist, dozens of bulging eyeballs stared at Finn.
The self-magic ‘Erysichthon,’ named after the king who ate even his own body after receiving the curse of hunger.
It may seem like a primitive magic, but Finn knows.
Just a few hours ago, Orselia had devoured a nuclear explosion that had detonated above her head with that magic.
“Aren’t you going to eat the rabbit dish? I put some effort into it since it’s your last supper.”
Finn lowered his head.
Orselia’s countless mouths opened wide.
2.
After finishing her meal, Orselia hummed a tune.
For dessert, she spread soft, fatty liver on top of coarse rye bread.
-Click-clack
A witch entered the dining room, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
It was much later than scheduled.
“You still haven’t gotten rid of your filthy eating habits? Orselia. Is that really good?”
“Of course. Liver is a symbol of courage and vitality.”
“Don’t eat goose liver or something…”
“Foie gras is for those who only have the guts of a goose. And you, of all people, are the ‘Witch of Time,’ yet you’re always late. Look at the clock, look at the clock.”
The witch, who had entered expressionlessly without notice, frowned at the neatly cleared table.
She looked more disgusted than afraid.
She even lightly sprayed perfume on a handkerchief and covered her mouth, as if she didn’t want to smell it.
“Where’s Tiamat?”
“The Witch of Verdure said it’ll take a bit longer. She’s on her last shopping spree or something.”
Orselia, who had finished her dessert with a satisfied expression, clapped her hands, and handsome-faced servants rushed in to clear the table.
They were servants whose reason had been removed, making them puppets.
The servants set up freshly brewed hot coffee and a dessert tower with coordinated movements.
One of them stared blankly and diligently massaged Orselia’s shoulder.
“Hmm, a little more to the left. That’s right. A massage from a handsome man is the best.”
‘The Witch of Time,’ Ellara Chronos, watched the scene with a dumbfounded expression before lifting her coffee cup.
Except for the witch’s mysterious beauty that made it impossible to guess her age, she was seamlessly pulling off a modern look.
The combination of her neatly tied-up hair and suit, along with her meticulous rimless glasses, made her look more like a career woman from a large law firm than a witch.
Her modern makeup also played a part.
However, the sophisticated modern beauty Ellara, like Orselia, was an ‘old witch.’
It meant that she was an exile who had never been exiled, not having been succeeded for over a thousand years.
Finn’s great performance had brought unexpected gains.
Unlike Orselia, who accepted the position of head of Qliphoth in exchange for a promise of plenty of food, Ellara was a witch who rarely budged and remained holed up in her nest.
The other old witch, ‘The Witch of Verdure,’ who was also supposed to be here soon, was also a witch who simply enjoyed wandering around.
Those who had been worn down by the long years and had little interest in the world had moved their heavy butts.
This was to give strength to Hexen Nacht.
More precisely, it was to prevent the disaster that humans would create.
“How have you been?”
“If you’re not curious, don’t ask.”
“We’re going to be working together on big things, so shouldn’t we at least be on speaking terms, even if we can’t be lovey-dovey?”
“Don’t say creepy things. Once we’ve taken care of business, I won’t have to see your face again.”
The term ‘old witch’ doesn’t specifically refer to a faction.
However, in terms of their tendencies, they are closer to the ‘public.’
Except for Duke Keter himself, who created Gehenna, and Duke Erelim, who assisted him, all old witches had long opposed Keter’s definition and were not on good terms with Gehenna.
“So, is it war?”
“Let’s call it war preparation. I hate fighting.”
Soon after, ‘The Witch of Verdure, Verda Tiamat,’ also arrived.
“Hello, friends…”
The witch with lush green hair, like a forest, entered with shopping bags hanging from her side, her face gloomy as if she had embraced all the hardships of the world.
The surprising fact was that Verda had the appearance and physique of an elementary school student in the upper grades.
Therefore, the shawl draped over her shoulders, the short dress, the high heels, and the heavy makeup created an extreme disharmony with her youthful appearance, making her look like a teenage daughter who had dressed up without her mother’s knowledge.
The fact that she had killed her teacher at the young age of 13 and inherited the brand on her own was still a famous anecdote that was talked about even now.
“I’m so sad. I won’t be able to shop like this anymore, right?”
The world is changing.
The old things that had been crouching down had also awakened from their long slumber in line with the flow of change.
Two 23rd-tier beings had joined Hexen Nacht.
