Pelerian.


    An elf born with heaven''s curse.


    The fairy heretic.


    The heaven-defying grand magician.


    And, ''the closest observer of a certain snake''.


    Right now, Pelerian cannot be called Pelerian.


    Probably just a fragment of a soul.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Moreover, even his memories have been manipted.


    Then can the ''me'' in those memories and the current Pelerian be called the same person?


    Though he thought he hadn''t shown it much in front of Snake, this fact gave Pelerian an enormous shock.


    Having his existence denied and his sense of self shaken was a major event.


    To a magician, the self is everything.


    More than any other race, a magician''s sense of self must be solid and certain.


    It was also an essential talent required to be a grand magician.


    But now that sense of self was shaken, so this was a serious crisis.


    If he had a proper physical body, he might have been able to ovee this situation.


    Since the mind follows the body.


    But what about Pelerian who had no body?


    He experienced a crisis of extinction.


    That''s also why he had been quiet recently.


    It felt like he wouldn''t be able to maintain his existence if his sense of self was shaken any further.


    He barely held onto fragments of his self.


    To survive, he had to rebuild.


    Using his life''s driving force, his values until now, his memories.


    He had to establish a new self different from the existing one.


    ''Pelerian.''


    ''An elf born with heaven''s curse.''


    ''The fairy heretic.''


    ''The heaven-defying grand magician.''


    Those were all things of the past.


    They weren''t achievements made or names earned by the current Pelerian, who was just a part of a fragmented soul.


    However.


    ''The closest observer of a certain snake.''


    That alone was a true identity obtained by the current Pelerian.


    Moreover, probably his only achievement.


    Though frustrating and hard to admit, it was actually so.


    It was Snake who picked up the ring containing him.


    And he had been with Snake continuously since regaining consciousness.


    Now when he didn''t know how much his memories had been manipted, the only certain and real thing was his memory as Snake''s observer.


    ''Yes, that''s it.''


    At that moment Pelerian escaped the crisis of extinction.


    Probably.


    The previous Pelerian and current Pelerian could be said to be different.


    Though that doesn''t mean everything changed...


    Crackle.


    Pelerian felt the flow of mana.


    At least all the qualities, techniques, and arcane wisdom umted over centuries as a grand magician still resided pristinely in his consciousness, untouched by his transformation. The vast libraries of spells, ritualponents, and esoteric knowledge remained perfectly preserved within his mind, even if he couldn''t ess them.


    In his current incorporeal soul form, stripped of his physical vessel, he found himself frustratingly unable to channel magical energies or exert any kind of tangible force on the material world. His ethereal essence passed harmlessly through objects, leaving him as an observer rather than a participant in the physical realm.


    Crackle crackle.


    Well.


    Not anymore.


    Soon he might be able to use basic magic.


    If he uses a lot of power, he can exert physical force.


    Like this.


    Snake''s head...!


    Smack!


    ''Ah! You startled me.''


    Snake red at Pelerian.


    ''Why did you hit me!''


    "You fool. Your body color!"


    ''Oh no!''


    The tips of Snake''s scales were starting to turn ck.


    Snake quickly regainedposure.


    The appearance of using ck Scales was already being used like another mask, another identity. Though it had been revealed once already, it wasn''t good to reveal it often.


    The reason for Snake''s anger was immediately apparent.


    "I never expected to see that gori here again."


    Pelerian also recognized Mrs. Gori.


    She was fighting the Second Prince''s party while roaring monstrously.


    "She''s acting as if she''s lost her intelligence..."


    ''Has Mrs. Gori be stupid?''


    "While such evolution can happen, it''s very rare, probably not the case here."


    ''Then if she''s acting stupid, why?''


    It''s natural to be shocked at meeting the gori here in the arena when they thought she was living well in the great forest.


    But as ''Snake''s observer'', Pelerian noticed something peculiar.


    As expected, it was like that.


    Snake doesn''t feel kinship with monsters.


    Also doesn''t have the universal sympathy for humans or people.


    Just those he knows.


    He only cares for things close to him.


    He pped and rejoiced when the mantis died being attacked by his disciples, but.


    Seeing the gori he had briefly taken in, his tail was fidgeting anxiously.


    An interesting fellow. Continue your saga on empire


    While there are many such people.


    Among monsters, there aren''t many like that.


    ''This won''t do. We have to save her.''


    He roughly knew Snake would make such a decision.


    "Wait a moment, you fool. What are you nning to do?"


    ''Uh...''


    And Pelerian developed an ambition.


    ''Snake''s observer''. Not stopping there.


    The desire to be ''Snake''s teacher''.


    "Don''t do that. Just do as I teach you."


    ==


    A gori that jumped out with iron attached to its arm.


    Looks quite strong.


    "It''s a monster called Iron Arm Gori. A specimen caught from the great forest."


    The Court Count whispered to Obern.


    "When we discovered that one, we made a n."


    "We... you say?"


    "Who else? Me and His Majesty. And well, Bnyar was involved too."


    The Court Count, the King, and Chancellor Bnyar.


    What could these three aplish if they joined forces despite not getting along?


    No, it might be better to consider what they couldn''t do.


    "That monster, would you believe it, couldmunicate."


    That gori can talk?


    She seems to only roar and not speak though.


    "If they canmunicate, even monsters can be handled. Because deals be possible. We made a deal with it, betting its life and the lives of the monkeys it led."


    The Court Count was someone who would dominate even monsters if possible.


    And he actually did so.


    Then for what purpose...


    "We cannot send the Second Prince to the Empire."


    That''s when.


    The gori rushed like lightning and grabbed the Second Prince.


    The other two were knocked away after taking hits to their stomachs.


    Second Prince Leon struggled, but the gori''s iron arm gripped him firmly.


    "That Marquis Sareb came to take the Second Prince hostage, but we can''t send him. Do you understand what I mean?"


    "..."


    Right after the Court Count''s words ended.