The black sun hangs high

Chapter 355 Alluring Scenery
There is no doubt that the term "evil magic" naturally carries a strong negative connotation.

It's as if, in the course of conversation, a type of magic of equal status is labeled negatively and crudely categorized as "evil."

However, this classification method is actually not a big problem.

The meaning of the word "evil magic" is very rich and complex. At first glance, it seems to point directly to the concept of "evil", but in fact, a series of connotations such as "mystery", "bizarre" and "unpredictable" are also hidden in it.

When these words come together, they form a unified concept—"uncontrollable".

Hugh had heard similar views from Verin shortly after they met. As a mage scholar who studied "evil magic," Verin adhered to principles of rigor and inquiry, and did not avoid the potential hidden dangers and risks of "evil magic" because of her own biases and choices.

For Merlinle and the mages, who had always tried to hold magical power firmly in their hands through reason, logic, and knowledge, nothing was more unsettling than "uncontrollability."

This word is like an ink stain on a spotless sheet of paper, or rather, a glaring error in a complete and beautiful magical formula. Its mere existence is enough to make many mages feel disgusted and nauseous.

However, the existence and existence of "evil magic" is an objective fact. Although some members of the Legal Committee have been trying to erase its existence as much as possible over the past thousands of years, it has always managed to survive with a strong attitude.

Now, the magic scholars have come to an extremely delicate crossroads.

As Professor Werka asked, the Legal Committee now has to make a decision: whether to put this dangerous and uncontrollable "evil magic" on the table as a way and tool to solve the current predicament.

“You two don’t need to rush to answer me, especially you, Miss Vera…”

Although Professor Wekka spoke of a serious topic, a mischievous smile appeared on his face. He winked at Verin and said, "I know you have always been very interested in 'evil magic' and have indeed made considerable achievements in it, but you must understand that personal research topics are not the same as general academic fields."

“Mr. Ernst, you may be wondering... why are some people in the Emergency Office so hostile towards you?”

Hughes nodded: "Yes, the mage next to Professor Joan was very sensitive. When I mentioned magical powers outside the conventional realm, I felt like he wanted to send me straight to the hermitage for interrogation."

Hearing Hugh's words, old Vika shook his head helplessly: "Hey, you young people have such big tempers. If this were in the past, let alone killing a sword-wielding hermit with your own hands, just what you just said would probably be enough to put your name on the wanted list forever... But times have indeed changed. Nowadays, it's a good thing to have more kids like you."

"I'll take your words as a compliment."

"That's certainly a compliment!"

Old Vika glared at Hugh without any politeness: "Alright, let's get back to the previous topic... As one of the few people who understands and can use those powers at will, what is your view on this issue?"

Hughes paused for two seconds, then spoke slowly: “I have always believed that the first step in solving a problem must be to understand it, and now we can be almost certain that the so-called ‘evil magic’ is closely related to the ancient powers that the Black Sun Society possesses and reveres.”

At this point, Hugh glanced in the direction of Verine: "Professor Vickers, I am certain that if Ms. Verine had not made progress on these ancient topics, we would not be able to sit here and have a proper conversation right now... I might already be in the hands of the Black Sun Society, and everyone in Seren City would have died silently."

Upon hearing these words, a hint of shame flashed across the old monk's face.

As one of the senior officials on the Legal Committee who paid the most attention to Seren, he was well aware of the brutality and tragedy of the evacuation operation and the true role the Legal Committee played in it.

He picked up his cup, took a tactical sip of tea, and then nodded: "So, Mr. Ernst believes that researching 'evil magic' is imperative?"

Vickers glanced at Veraine: "I heard that Miss Veraine has already visited several of her teachers... I wonder if you have told Mr. Ernst about the current situation of some of them?"

Hugh looked at Vilin with some doubt. She pursed her lips and then said, "After the black sun rose, Merlin and a considerable number of mages within the organization officially began their research on 'evil magic,' and my mentor was among them... Perhaps because his mental and spiritual vulnerabilities were severely damaged, or perhaps he touched upon something that might harm him during the research process, in any case, he went mad, and it seems he went completely mad."

"He is not an isolated case."

Old Vika added, "In fact, in the past ten days, more than twenty mages have suffered mental trauma and gone mad or stupid because of their research on similar things. Of them, less than five have any hope of recovery. The rest can only lie on the beds of the healing academy drooling, and we can't even reconstruct their specific experiences."

"So...the resistance will be significant?"

"Very big, much bigger than you can imagine."

Old Vickers' tone grew heavy: "Everyone knows that we must find a way to fight the Black Sun Society and guard against those terrible disasters, but no one wants to let their own side collapse before trouble arrives... Now, many people believe that the study of 'evil magic' is a terrible trap. Once we fall into this trap and become addicted to its power, it won't be long before the faith within the Legal Committee disappears—we will become the second Black Sun Society."

……

While Merlinle and other nations within Vaan were plunged into renewed chaos due to the expansion of the Black Sun and the actions of the Dark Abyss Hounds, grand banquets were held simultaneously in several important cities within the Kingdom of Saint Steel.

As if the Black Sun Society were trying to slightly improve its image in the eyes of ordinary people, the banquets they held were extravagantly large, and not just for the powerful and wealthy—they directly occupied important squares in these cities, turning them into banquet venues open to all citizens, regardless of age or gender. Faced with an invitation from such a notorious organization as the Black Sun Society, normal people would naturally not, and dared not, easily heed it. Even if some residents of Saint Steel didn't mind being ruled by the Black Sun Society and the current royal family, they were ultimately concerned about their lives, and their courage was insufficient to allow them to step into the streets and share a banquet with those bizarre and eerie beings.

However, the Black Sun Society clearly wouldn't allow its carefully prepared banquet to end empty, so the soldiers and guards who had switched their allegiance to the Black Sun Society began to act.

They knocked on the tightly closed doors, treating those who were willing to open them with "gentleness" and those who were unwilling to open them with magic. In short, the list of those who "voluntarily" attended the banquet was completed in less than half a day.

As required by the Saint Steel royal family and the Black Sun Society, residents attending the banquet are expected to dress as formally as possible. Those lacking clothing can report directly to nearby society outposts and members, who will provide support and assistance.

When these terrified citizens, almost in tears, asked the guards what the Black Sun Society needed them to do, the guards simply told them to enjoy the banquet.

And so the banquet began in the afternoon and continued into the evening.

When the citizens, dressed in their finest attire but with faces full of fear and panic, stepped out of their homes, they discovered that the enormous Black Sun Ritual erected on the streets and at intersections seemed to have changed its appearance, with mysterious and profound black light constantly emanating from the tops of these sculptures.

These rays of light seemed to have a tangible form, constantly drifting and merging together in the sky above the city. Strangely, these rays of light did not obstruct people's view—they were like a faint, semi-transparent black film, and when people looked up at the sky, their gaze could always easily penetrate these rays of light.

Someone boldly glanced at the black sun, and was surprised to find that through the black "membrane," the terrifying and gloomy black sun had changed its appearance.

The huge black shadow that had originally occupied a corner of the sky now had a definite shape and lines. The citizen who looked up discovered that he could see a very clear and distinct black pupil in the sky.

The enormous eye was terrifying. The moment the citizens saw it, they felt as if the sky that sheltered Vaan had been torn open, and a horrifying monster or giant, large enough to rival the entire world, was pressing its eye against the crack and peering inside.

However, in the next instant, another strange emotion surged up.

The eye with its constantly rotating, intricate patterns seemed to blink slightly, and the ordinary man froze on the spot. He stared blankly at the eye in the sky, finding it not so frightening after all, but rather filled with an extremely captivating charm.

Those twisting black lines were as pure as black gemstones, and the concentric patterns were more regular than the decorations on the most exquisite sculptures he had ever seen. In a daze, he even felt as if he saw a beautiful woman with a blurred face and wearing a black veil, who was leading him slowly into the deepest part of that alluring darkness.

An incredibly luxurious palace suddenly appeared before his eyes. Just like the woman before him, everything inside and outside the palace was so exquisite and beautiful, yet it was impossible to describe in words or retain in his memory.

The strange angles, lines, and walls intertwined in the chaos. Waiters carrying various utensils and dressed in magnificent black uniforms walked around, their postures so upright and their steps so steady. The dogs that occasionally followed them looked incredibly majestic...

And so, the veiled woman led her guests forward, her steps incredibly light, and with each step she even let out a captivating murmur, stirring the imagination...

However, just as this "brave man" was about to be taken to the deepest part of the palace to share a secret time with this mysterious woman, a push from the real world jolted him awake.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Stop staring at the sky!"

The man lowered his head in a daze, only to see his wife watching him nervously beside him. She glanced around to make sure no Black Sun Society guards were eavesdropping, then lowered her voice and said, "I heard from people outside that you shouldn't look at that black sun carelessly, it might bring disaster..."

"Ah...ah."

The man finally broke free from the illusion he had been in, but the moment he fully regained consciousness, he felt an intense sense of loss. He felt that if he had just a little more time, he might have been able to enter that secret place.

This is truly a great pity.

After the regret and disappointment, what follows is a strong desire and curiosity.

However, he couldn't look up at the sky again, so he could only forcefully suppress his impulse and walk forward along the street.

Soon, they arrived at the square where the Black Sun Society was holding a banquet. The moment he saw the square, the man froze on the spot, because he saw that in the carefully decorated square, next to the neatly arranged banquet tables, there were some semi-transparent black human figures moving around.

He recognized these human figures.

He had just seen these waiters in that inexplicable hallucination, but the waiters in front of him now seemed to be thinner. Although the outline of formal attire could be vaguely seen on their bodies made of black mist, they looked rather simple.

However, for him, who had just witnessed a miracle filled with temptation, such a difference seemed less important, because it seemed to prove one thing: what he had just seen was not a meaningless illusion.

That alluring figure, that mysterious palace... all of this is probably real.

(End of this chapter)