Chapter 08: Not the Start Expected

'Damn it. How could I forget this pedophile?' 

Herris's heart pounded as he grasped the impending danger.

With a swift pivot, Herris attempted to open the door, only to find it knobless.

'Erik, you bastard, think. How did Rome escape from this?'

As Herris pondered, his gaze darted around, seeking an escape route.

"You are calmer than the other children I've had so far," 

Elder Sage commended Herris's tranquility as he perched on the bed, his gaze fixed on him.

Yet, Herris was aware of Elder Sage's true nature. 

'This bastard is blind. He can't see anything. He merely senses his surroundings with his plant spirit magic.'

Elder Sage utilized his elemental affinity with plants to detect objects like a sonar when a target entered his magical range. He traded his vision for the powers of the Nature spirits.

Once a mighty sage who guided everyone in Greyleaf Forest, Elder Sage became insignificant and powerless after losing his sight and the offering of the nature spirit ended. Gradually, people ignored him and pushed him to the brink of solitude.

Feeling impotent, he sought to exert his dominance over children, which restored his sense of superiority. At this moment, Herris was one of his victims for his vile deeds.

However, Herris was not feeble enough to concede defeat.

'Damn Rome, how did he escape from this?'

Amidst the maelstrom of thoughts, a beacon of hope emerged. 'Taro!'

As Herris had surmised, Taro came to Rome's rescue and killed Elder Sage when Rome was in dire straits.

Herris loathed what he was about to do, but his frail body and circumstances left him no alternative.

"BROTHER!" 

"Brother Taro, help me!" 

"Rescue me!" 

Herris bellowed until his voice gave out. As Herris struggled to break free, Elder Sage observed him with a broad grin, relishing his regained superiority.

"It is useless, young man. Once you are inside my house, your cries fall on deaf ears,"

Elder Sage retorted to Herris's pleas.

'What? Is this the truth? That's why Taro didn't show up.'

'Has reality altered for me this time?'

Herris cradled his head, crushed by Elder Sage's words.

"HA… HA… HA…"

Laughter reverberated throughout the room. Herris lifted his gaze to see Elder Sage grinning widely, clearly relishing Herris's torment and prolonging the moment. However, he seemed oblivious to the laughter. His gaze remained solely on Herris.

Then Herris came to a chilling realization; these were not mere laughs, but the voices of gods passing judgment on him.

Gradually, the laughter amplified as Herris's predicament intensified, his despair and anger escalating in tandem.

Their derisive laughter incensed Herris, yet it also instilled a strange calmness in him, as if he had finally come to terms with his dire situation.

Herris resolved to eliminate Elder Sage and escape solo if necessary. His eyes darted around the room, searching for a weapon, and landed on a small knife tucked in his waist satchel.

Herris swiftly unsheathed the knife. It was corroded, clearly incapable of withstanding even a single thrust; the tip was blunted, and the edges would disintegrate upon contact.

Herris returned the knife to his waist and resumed his search for an escape route. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a window veiled by a purple screen.

'I can shatter that window, but this bastard will try to stop me. If he stands before me, I'll stab him and run.'

"HA... HA... HA..." 

As the scornful laughter reverberated in the room, Herris sprinted towards the window, one hand on his knife, prepared to stab Elder Sage if necessary. But Elder Sage remained stationary, his gaze still fixed on Herris's previous position.

'That bastard hasn't noticed my movement. Blind bastard, I will kill you someday.'

Herris approached the window and leaped at it, ready to break the glass.

"CLANG!" Herris crumpled to the floor upon colliding with the window.

"Ha… Young man, you are not the first one to do something stupid."

Elder Sage taunted as he began to stride towards Herris, who was still writhing in pain because the window was merely an illusion. Behind the purple curtains, the windows were fortified with steel bars obstructing the exit.

As Herris lay in agony, he felt something akin to a rope coiling around his legs. Herris squinted and saw tendrils and roots emanating from the bed, gradually ensnaring him.

"AH..." Herris shrieked as the stem abruptly hoisted him up and flung him onto the bed.

Herris was immobilized, his gaze dropping to the roots that had ensnared his waist, holding him captive.

"Release me… Cough!" 

Herris's frail form began to surrender as his strength dwindled.

"Almighty spirits, I thank you for bestowing this child upon me," 

Elder Sage intoned. 

Herris's gaze lifted, his body trembling as he found Elder Sage looming over him, his malicious intentions clear.

After his prayer, Elder Sage cautiously placed his hands on the bed, preparing to ascend. But then, driven by his desire, he lunged at Herris.

Before Elder Sage could pounce, Herris hoisted his legs, positioning them as a barrier between himself and Elder Sage.

"Don't make me plead, young man," 

Elder Sage attempted to dislodge Herris's legs while straddling him.

Summoning all his remaining strength, Herris pushed against Elder Sage, clinging to life.

"HA…" "HA…" "HA…" "HA…" 

The laughter reverberated, delighting in Herris's struggle. To add to their amusement, Herris's body betrayed him, his legs collapsing under Elder Sage's weight.

In the blink of an eye, Elder Sage bridged the gap, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"AHHHHHHH…" This time, it wasn't Herris who let out a scream, but Elder Sage. Despite his failing body, Herris refused to yield.

Herris sank his teeth into Elder Sage's nose, ripping through the flesh as he tightened his grip.

"Let go, brat," 

Elder Sage warned, landing a punch in Herris's gut. But the memories of his father's beatings only made Herris bite down harder.

"AHHH…" Elder Sage's cries overpowered the gods' laughter, their joy quickly turning into silence.

"Arrgh…" Herris grunted in pain from Sage's assault, but he continued to gnaw at the nose, blood staining him.

Thinking on his feet, Herris's hand darted to his waist, seizing the knife, and drove it through Sage's right eye.

"AHHHHHH…" Elder Sage howled as the rusted knife buried itself in his eye and snapped in two. The rust mingled with blood, amplifying the pain beyond anything he had ever inflicted on the child he had tormented before.

The root wrapped around Herris's waist suddenly released him.

With a Herculean effort, Herris shoved Sage down as he tried to extract the rusted knife from his eye. Herris swiftly leapt off the bed and peered underneath, discovering a sword.

Memories of the novel flooded back to Herris. In his recollection, Rome had sought refuge under the bed to evade Elder Sage, where he stumbled upon the sword and used it to stab Sage's legs.

This act disrupted Elder Sage's ability to muffle sound, enabling Taro to rush in upon hearing his brother's distress calls and slay Elder Sage in a bid to rescue him.

However, Herris didn't linger for Taro's intervention. He seized the sword and thrust it into Sage's abdomen, the blade penetrating the bed's stem, blood seeping onto the floor. Elder Sage met his end in excruciating pain.

Herris spat out the remnants of Sage's blood and made his way to the door to confront Taro.

Upon opening the door, Herris was struck with terror. He was not merely greeted by Taro; the entire village had assembled there.

"Execute him, kill this cursed child!"

Taro's command reverberated through the throng.

[End of Chapter]