Magic Chronicles : Fallen Race

He left the academy in a hurry and did not notice the slight trembling in his shadow.

Time quickly passed, and by six or seven in the evening, Professor Yeno appeared punctually at the academy's entrance. He even specially hired a horse carriage to pick up Reji and Vielsia and take them to the location of the upcoming "gathering."

"Does Mr. Yeno have a family?" Reji asked casually in the carriage.

The thin professor's body twitched at first, but he quickly returned to normal. He showed a happy smile and said to Reji, "Of course, I have a very virtuous and gentle wife and two very cute daughters."

"What about you, Teacher Reji?"

"Me? I don't have such plans for the time being. A family seems too distant for me. I've been alone since I was very young, so, Mr.

Yeno, I envy you. Will your wife and children attend the gathering this time?"

Yeno shook his head calmly and said, "No, they... they went on a trip."

"I see, that's a pity."

On the other side, the elf girl listened to the casual conversation between the two humans in the carriage and didn't know how to join in. She could only sit quietly.

Moreover, she felt that Professor Reji seemed to be implying something in his words, and Professor Yeno also... seemed a bit strange.

It must be my imagination.

The gathering was not far from the academy. After a short while, the carriage slowly reduced its speed and eventually stopped on a somewhat desolate street.

"Mr. Reji, Miss Vielsia, the gathering's location is in the basement on the other side of the street. Please watch your step and follow me closely."

"The Kolora district is one of the oldest areas in the royal city. The last renovation was decades ago. The lighting facilities here are poor, and I'm very sorry. Due to limited funds, we could only choose to rent a place in this kind of location."

Professor Yeno lit the oil lamp he had prepared earlier.

The sky was already dark at six or seven o'clock, and as Professor Yeno said, most of the streetlights here had broken down. Only a few scattered weak lights, flickering occasionally.

Professor Yeno led the way with the oil lamp, followed closely by Reji and Vielsia.

The three of them remained silent during the journey.

After walking for about a few minutes, they arrived at what appeared to be a closed-down shop. Professor Yeno opened the iron door with a roller shutter and stopped at the entrance, gesturing for Reji and Vielsia to enter.

Vielsia looked into the shop and saw a staircase leading to the basement. Fire torches were lit on both sides of the staircase, but their flames did not give Vielsia a sense of security. Instead, they seemed... strange.

"Sorry, Miss Vielsia, the light stones enchanted with 'Lighting Spell' are too expensive for us, so we can only use oil lamps and torches as substitutes."

"No, no problem, Professor."

Vielsia quickly shook her head and then hesitated no more, following the stairs step by step into the depths of the basement.

Although the elf said she didn't mind, Reji could clearly feel that Vielsia unconsciously moved closer to him, shortening the distance between them.

In fact, Vielsia's heart also felt uneasy. She was fortunate to have met Reji, and now with Professor Reji accompanying her, otherwise, if she had to come to such a place alone for the gathering...

In short, Vielsia felt very uncomfortable about this place.

And soon,

This discomfort intensified as she reached the end of the stairs and entered the basement corridor.

Because there were many sculptures in the corridor.

Under the light of the wall-mounted torches, the outlines and shapes of these black sculptures were very clear.

For example, the sculpture closest to Vielsia.

This sculpture was shaped like a giant octopus, with seemingly endless tentacles covered in suction cups. Just a glance made Vielsia's heart shiver with cold.

This is not claustrophobia, although Vielsia also has it.

But what truly made her frown was...

"What's wrong, Miss Vielsia? Are you interested in this sculpture? Let me introduce it to you. This is the first apostle of the Demon Clan that I mentioned in class before, the Breeding Demon Ulala, who holds the power of proliferation."

Professor Yeno was the last one to come down the stairs.

Accompanied by the heavy sound of the door closing at the entrance.

For Reji and Vielsia, who were already in the basement corridor, Professor Yeno's demeanor seemed to have changed. He became more talkative, less silent, and... excited.

He took the lead again, like a museum curator, and without regard for Vielsia's uncomfortable expression, he began to introduce the nine sculptures on both sides of the corridor to the elf girl and Reji.

"Look, these snake eyes and scales are the symbol of the Wisdom Demons in the Demon Clan. The leader of the Wisdom Demons Leo, serves as the brain of the Demon Clan, possessing wisdom and strategy, and holds the position of the second apostle."

"Miss Vielsia, look, and see this one. Such beautiful wings and tail, and those antelope-like horns on the head, perfectly embodying beauty and charm. Yes, this is the Succubus Demon, the third apostle, Eileen."

"Hmm? Miss Vielsia, you don't look well. Are you uncomfortable? Then I must recommend this sculpture to you.

Oh, don't mind her appearance. Although the Decay Demon in the Demon Clan is ugly, with insects and blood as companions, the Decay Demon is also an excellent pharmacist. Any disease or pain will vanish under the hands of the fourth apostle, Eris."

As Professor Yeno spoke, he became more and more frenzied.

It was as if these sculptures, like faith and deities, were the greatest existences in history, and he was a devout believer, singing the glory of the "Lords".

Even the foolish Vielsia noticed that something was amiss when she arrived here.

But she still had a shred of innocent hope.

"Professor Yeno, didn't you teach us in ancient history class that the Demon race were invaders? Why do you have so many sculptures of invaders placed here? Why do I feel from your tone that you seem to admire them instead?"

"Admire? Oh, my child, don't say that. It's the greatest insult to me."

Professor Yeno's words had just made the elf princess let out a sigh of relief, but the next moment, Vielsia's whole body tensed up.

She saw Professor Yeno walk to the sculpture of the sixth Demon Clan apostle, spread his arms, and reveal the excitement and agitation that had been hidden on his face all this time.

He twisted into a crazed laugh, his ferocious expression turning into a pious demeanor, and worshipped the apostle sculpture in front of him, who held a skull and had bandages wrapped all over his body.

"How can you use the word 'admire' for these great Lords? We should revere the nine supreme beings. Their existence is supreme, and you, I, and all humans are but ants, using the foolish dreams of fools as arguments and the mediocrity of a group of ants as monuments!"

"Only by offering everything to the Lords, listening to the Lord's whispers, and following the Lord's guidance can we obtain salvation and escape our lowliness."

"Feel honored! Today, you all will become the offerings I present to the Lords, to the nine supreme beings."

"So..."

"Don't make that face, Miss Vielsia."

"Let us, together, offer our gifts for the return of the Demon Race, FOR THE BIRTH OF THE NEW KING !"