The Sweet Taste of Magic and a Shadowy Recruitment

Ophelia closed her eyes before Emily.

Perceiving magic typically required a teacher’s guidance; in novels, protagonists with extraordinary talent often sensed the flow of magic on their own, leaving Ophelia unsure of the proper method for guidance.

Hooosh~~~

A breath of air brushed against her left ear.

Ophelia shivered involuntarily.

Though she wished to open her eyes, Emily gently tied something over them, effectively blindfolding her, before another soft breath tickled her right ear.

Hooosh~~~

She shivered once more.

Emily’s voice, warm with her breath, whispered into Ophelia’s right ear.

“Your Majesty, please don’t move. Just focus on your own body.”

Silence then enveloped them.

Unable to see, and with no sound from Emily, Ophelia’s entire focus turned inward, concentrating solely on her own body.

Suddenly, Emily’s fingertips delicately touched Ophelia’s neck.

A jolt, like an electric current, coursed through her.

Yet, beyond that sensation, with her attention entirely self-focused, a warm, flowing energy seemed to manifest deep within her neck.

“Oh, I haven’t even seen Your Majesty’s magic form yet. It’s truly a beautiful magic, befitting you.”

The voice was soft, slightly hoarse, and carried a warmth that drifted into Ophelia’s ear.

Then, the fingertips moved downward.

Ophelia could feel that warm, gentle energy circulating within her body, following Emily’s fingertips. It completed a full circuit, and she sensed that this energy could both strengthen her physical form and be released as a concentrated burst.

‘Was this… considered complete?’

However, her blindfold remained in place.

‘Were there still more steps?’ Ophelia waited patiently.

As her magic began to flow, and despite her eyes being covered, her other senses were heightened. She could perceive the slightest currents in the air and discerned a faint rustling sound.

Then, she heard Emily suddenly let out a soft gasp, followed by the faint sound of flowing water.

‘What could that rustling be? And the sound of water… was it from a stream outside, perhaps?’

“Your Majesty, open your mouth.”

At that moment, Emily’s voice seemed to be suppressing something.

Ophelia opened her mouth as instructed.

Her lips met something cool and soft, and then her tongue sensed a similar yielding texture, tasting something sweet. This sweetness was unlike that of ordinary food; if pressed, it resembled Emily’s personal scent.

‘What on earth was that?’

This peculiar sensation didn’t last long. Another rustling sound followed, and then Emily removed Ophelia’s blindfold.

The first thing her eyes met was the twilight sky.

Ophelia realized her vision had also been enhanced, becoming remarkably keen. She observed Emily, whose face was flushed crimson for some unknown reason, and whose legs were trembling slightly.

“Are you tired, Emily?” Ophelia asked, puzzled.

“Just a little, but it’s fine. Now, Your Majes… Ophe, you can sense your magic flowing, can’t you?”

Indeed, Ophelia could feel a warm, gentle energy coursing through her body. Moreover, after ingesting that sweet liquid, this energy had noticeably intensified. ‘Was it some kind of potion, perhaps, to enhance one’s magic?’

“Emily, what did you just give me?” Ophelia couldn’t help but ask.

Emily’s face flushed deeper, and her gaze darted away.

‘Ah, it must be one of those secret potions, something Emily concocted herself. I should definitely respect her privacy!’

“Anyway, thank you! This potion works wonderfully; I can distinctly feel my magic becoming much more potent! Thank you, Emily!”

Emily’s face grew even redder.

A flicker of doubt crossed her features, but she quickly suppressed it. Her expression became somewhat strange before instantly returning to normal.

“Um, Ophe, you’re guessing what I gave you was a potion, right?”

‘Wasn’t it?’

Ophe tilted her head.

“Yes, it’s a potion you made with your private recipe, isn’t it? The kind that can’t be shared? I understand, I understand, I won’t ask any more questions.”

‘I truly am so emotionally intelligent and kind.’

“Hmm, I’ll have to give Ophe some more later, but we’ll need to blindfold you every time. Is that okay, Ophe?”

Emily’s face was exceptionally crimson for some reason, yet her eyes were filled with anticipation.

‘The book never mentioned Emily having a potion, did it? Reality truly differs from what’s written in novels.’

“Of course, that’s no trouble at all, Emily. You truly are the best teacher!”

“Ahaha… Ophe, now, let’s move on to teaching you how to use magic…”

Ophelia grew excited.

In this world of swords and magic, she had once believed herself destined to be without either. Now, unexpectedly, she possessed magic and the qualification to wield it.

Since she was already, for reasons unknown, either parasitized or otherwise affected by an Evil God, rather than living in constant apprehension, she might as well enjoy the conveniences this Evil God brought her.

‘Within a week, I’ll find an opportunity to sneak a peek at what Emily’s ‘potion’ actually is,’ Ophelia thought, a flicker of curiosity igniting within her.

****

Every bustling city harbored its share of back alleys, places where the city’s grime accumulated, like shadows cast by its very prosperity.

Homelessness, syphilis, violence, and murder festered there; even with a police force, officers rarely ventured into such locales.

“My friends, I imagine you’ve grown numb to it all, but forgive me for asking: would any of you care for a warm meal?”

Everyone turned to look.

‘Were they recruiting for work? We heard someone was hired by a factory once, earning three silver coins a month, but apparently, they inhaled too much magic and their body couldn’t endure it, leading to their death.’

‘But what did that matter?’

‘At least while he was alive, he could eat.’

For these people, there was little distinction between life and death; unaware of why they died or why they lived, perhaps it was better to embrace the Father’s arms sooner.

“My friends, I can ensure you eat your fill. I’ve used various resources to establish a factory, and if you join my factory, you’ll earn thirty gold coins a month! Thirty gold coins is enough for any of you to live a respectable life. What do you say, will you come?”

Everyone was stunned.

It was as if manna had fallen from heaven.

They gazed at the speaker, whose body was concealed by a black robe, making it impossible to discern their build or features.

“I require your labor, because… well, we’re just starting, you see. I need a great deal of manpower, and I am certainly not short on money.”

“Come, come, all of you, come and work for me.”

The vagrants rose to their feet.

They vaguely followed the person out, and more and more vagrants joined the procession.

As the leader walked, the person beneath the hood revealed a pair of lips, clearly feminine and painted with lipstick, along with a wisp of blonde hair.

‘The kingdom is beyond saving.’

‘Corruption has become the norm, conscientious high-ranking officials sidelined, and national policies enacted not for the common people but for a single beauty—’

‘Foolish.’

‘The kingdom is beyond salvation; it is merely a facade of corrupt prosperity, filled with song and dance while rotting within.’

‘Then let it be utterly destroyed, and sculpted anew.’

‘Desire Bubble is not the only Evil God in this world; there are others, and all their powers are but pawns in my game.’