Mercury’s Embrace

“Eviscerated…”

Celicia gazed at the gruesome hole in the corpse’s chest, her expression growing increasingly somber. “Is that the direct cause of death?”

“Most likely, but we can’t be a hundred percent certain.”

The balding middle-aged man explained, “We’ve conducted a preliminary examination of the deceased’s body. Aside from the wound on the chest, no other external injuries were found. Our initial assessment is that the cause of death was the removal of the heart. However, since the body has not yet undergone a detailed autopsy, we cannot rule out poisoning or a curse as the primary cause.”

“There are far too many ways to kill without leaving external wounds. There’s no need to dwell on that. What I’m more interested in is how his heart was removed.”

Celicia donned a pair of gloves and carefully pulled back the torn clothing from the victim’s chest, peering into the ghastly cavity.

“These marks… they weren’t made by a sharp weapon, were they?”

“No…”

The middle-aged man paused, a hint of fear entering his voice. “Our preliminary assessment suggests it was done with bare hands. His heart was literally ripped out by someone’s bare hands.”

“A magical beast?”

“A person.”

The middle-aged man added, “And based on the marks, our initial judgment is that it might have been a woman.”

“A woman…” Celicia’s gaze grew grave.

“I recall a persistent rumor in the Lower City,” she began, “about a heart-gouging banshee who seduces men on the night of a full moon, then rips out and devours their hearts.”

Celicia glanced up at the dark canopy of the sky. “Though the weather is poor, by the calendar, tonight is indeed a full moon. Does that mean the rumor could be true?”

“Yes… there is such a rumor.”

The balding middle-aged man wiped his forehead with increasing frequency and force, making one wonder if he might accidentally pluck out the few pitiful strands of hair on his head.

“However, the Lower City is a chaotic mix of people, too disorderly. At least a dozen bodies are pulled from its alleyways and sewers daily. So, we haven’t been able to confirm if the rumor is true.”

“Regardless of its veracity, it’s at least a lead.”

“Yes, we’ll investigate. We’ll look into it immediately.”

“Any other information?”

“N-nothing else for now.”

The middle-aged man stammered, “By the time we arrived, the heavy rain had washed away almost all traces. Furthermore, the killer didn’t even use a weapon, making it incredibly difficult to find other clues.”

“So, we can only start with the victim himself?”

Celicia lowered her eyelids, her gaze sweeping over the deceased.

It was no wonder the middle-aged man seemed so distraught. A rainy night, murder, evisceration, the son of a Count, and even a terrifying urban legend. Any misstep in handling even one of these elements could cost him his position, or even his life.

“You all may withdraw for now.”

But just then, Celicia seemed to discover something, speaking abruptly.

“Eh? No, aren’t we investigating further?”

The middle-aged man was momentarily stunned.

“This is no longer within your purview.”

Celicia looked at the victim’s hand.

Due to rigor mortis, the bloodless hand was twisted like a frozen chicken’s claw, as if desperately trying to grasp something in its final moments.

And within the subtly bleeding nails of those contorted fingers, Celicia saw something different.

Scales.

Small, black, intricate scales.

They resembled snake scales.

“Naga…”

As if a thought struck her, a chilling glint flickered in Celicia’s eyes, and she murmured softly.

****

“What… is this?”

Teacher Mera, of course, wouldn’t actually pull out a hammer and drill to haphazardly modify Ewan like some mad scientist from a story. Instead, she led Ewan to a lake that appeared to be forged from mercury.

No, rather than a lake, it was more like an impossibly vast well.

“This is the Well of Silver.”

Mera pointed, stating, “It serves as both the academy’s foundation and the prison that suppresses that entity.”

“That entity?”

“I know you’re intensely curious, but regarding that entity, I advise you to ask fewer questions until you become a Crowned One.”

Mera shot Ewan a cold glance, prompting him to immediately fall silent.

“If it’s not for a tour of a prison or a moral education lesson, then why are we here?”

“To strengthen you, of course.”

“Strengthen?”

“To become the vessel for the Eternal Clock, the most crucial aspect is that your foundation must be sufficiently stable.”

Mera explained, “Therefore, I need to strengthen you to a certain extent, allowing you to develop resistance to the complex law of time.”

“Resistance?”

“Simply put, it’s to make you more durable.”

“Durable?”

Ewan grew increasingly perplexed.

“Why do you question everything?” Teacher Mera couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“Because I don’t know anything.”

“Sigh.”

Mera sighed, her expression conveying, ‘How did I end up with such a foolish disciple?’ She then pointed at the Well of Silver. “Forget it, don’t overthink anything. Just jump in.”

“Oh, oh, so I just need to jump in… Jump in my foot!”

Ewan roared in terror, his face aghast. “This place clearly isn’t somewhere you can just jump into casually! That’s mercury, it’s poisonous!”

“While I’m not sure what you understand mercury to be, in alchemy, pure mercury is one of the fundamental elements that compose all things.”

“Is that so?”

Ewan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

It was good that it wasn’t the mercury he was familiar with.

“However, it is indeed highly toxic. I just hope you don’t die too quickly.”

“Eh?”

Before Ewan could react, he turned his head just in time to see Teacher Mera’s fair, delicate foot rapidly enlarging in his vision.

“‘Eh’ what ‘eh’? Get in there, you!”

The impatient Teacher Mera leaped up, delivering a loli kick that sent Ewan flying into the well.

“Damn it!”

Feeling the sharp pain in his cheek from the kick, and the intensely uncomfortable sensation of weightlessness, Ewan couldn’t help but let out a tragic wail in mid-air.

“Why does this accursed ‘anti-gravity skirt’ trope exist in reality too?!”

****

Ewan plunged into the Well of Silver.

It was like falling into mud; Ewan was instantly enveloped from head to toe by the thick, flowing liquid.

He instinctively held his breath.

But the endless mercury, as if possessing its own consciousness, surged into his body, relentlessly pouring into his nostrils, ear canals, pores, and every possible opening.

Intense pain instantly erupted. Following this, Ewan felt the mercury steadily corroding his body, spreading rapidly like ink dropped into clear water.

And wherever the mercury invaded, it was as if countless years had passed, rapidly decaying into scattered dust.

“Use fire.”

Teacher Mera’s voice echoed in his ears.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Ewan opened his eyes.

In those azure pupils, fire suddenly ignited.

The Flame of the Withering King was both the flame of death that incinerated all and the flame of vitality that brought forth new life.

That was why, even after enduring a direct blow from a Crowned One, he had not perished.

Under the scorching heat of the flames, Ewan’s lost flesh rapidly regenerated, and the newly formed blood and muscle seemed to shimmer with a mercurial luster.

Yet, this brought him no relief.

For the mercury’s erosion continued, seemingly without end.

The excruciating pain of decaying flesh, coupled with the itchy sensation of regenerating limbs, felt like countless ants gnawing at him.

Two entirely different, yet equally terrifying sensations, relentlessly tormented Ewan’s consciousness.

Any ordinary person would have surely gone mad by now.

But—

“Who the hell—do you think—I am?!”

Enveloped by the boundless mercury, Ewan’s face contorted savagely as he let out a beast-like roar through his gritted teeth.

“I’ve already—faced death—countless times—why would I—fear you?!”

And so, Ewan opened his mouth, gulping down more mercury directly into his stomach.

Like cold water splashing into hot oil, two incompatible, powerful forces violently clashed within his body.

—Since I’m seeking thrills, I’ll see it through to the very end!

****

“Yes, yes, exactly like that!”

Watching the changes occurring in Ewan, who was submerged in the boundless mercury, Mera’s vibrant red eyes gleamed with excitement.

“The Flame of the Withering King merely accelerates this process and increases your survival rate by a mere ten percent.”

“The true reliance, Ewan Campbell, is only yourself!”

“Only with such a powerful will is it possible, one day in the future, to truly grasp this supreme authority!”

“Only then—can you help me achieve my ultimate goal.”