The delicious scent of freshly baked bread drifted through the streets, drawing the attention of children. They halted in their tracks, noses raised to the air as they drooled at the storefront, captivated, and gulped.
At dawn, the streets were quiet, as if the smoke rising from Finn’s bakery signaled the start of the day.
But soon, the once-silent streets filled with the bustle of merchants setting up for business.
The stars decorating the night sky gave way to the sun, slipping off to sleep late.
Kente’s market was lively from the early morning, a place where villagers and outside tourists mingled daily.
Lately, the talk of the town was none other than Julius’s wife, Cecil Lionelta.
Seeing Cecil, a beautiful woman with a bright smile, friendly demeanor, and a unique mix of village simplicity and regal charm, left them in admiration. Her husband, Julius Tapnell, whom she was utterly devoted to, was the finest heretic inquisitor the village had ever produced, and the villagers’ affection for Cecil only grew by the day.
Today however, despite walking through the market since dawn, no one dared to approach Julius’s wife.
“… Tsk.”
The gentle smile that normally graced her face was missing, replaced by an expression that carried a faint yet undeniable intensity. She clenched her fists as she walked, exuding an aura of controlled anger that stirred unease among those who did not know its source. Her direction was unmistakable—she was heading toward the only road that led out of Kente. Could she and Julius have quarreled?
Rosa, the clothing store owner, wished to approach her but found herself rooted in place, silenced by Cecil’s palpable anger. She could only watch as Cecil passed, and the bustling crowd around her fell into a quiet murmur.
***
‘Every moment wasted. How dare he call me out now?’
Just this morning, Cecil had gazed at Julius’s sleeping face with a warm smile. But upon hearing a summons from beyond the village, her mood soured.
The last person she wanted to see was calling to her, and so, without even using her special ability to twist space, she set out on foot. If Julius sensed the power of her skill and awoke, it would ruin their planned date—a thought she could not bear.
And so, to avoid disturbing him, Cecil walked quietly toward the source of the call, her presence chilling the morning air around her.
How long did it take?
Soon, she stepped beyond the village, where the golden wheat fields greeted her along the road leading into Kente. But as she moved forward, she suddenly found herself in a dark forest, shrouded in a strange, shadowy light.
The eerie scene was alive: branches clung to an inky darkness, trembling as though they would snap at any moment, and distant foggy mountains concealed some vast, unknown shape.
A sinister whisper echoed in the gloom, calling her name.
“Ah, thank you for coming. But I never imagined you’d come all the way here yourself.”
The voice belonged to a woman, carrying an unsettling tone that raised goosebumps.
“Tsk. I thought you’d be enjoying my father’s little plan in the capital right now,” Cecil muttered, her displeasure evident as she looked around the shadowy forest.
“Thanks to someone, my plans were disrupted. You know this.”
A voice that had been resonating from within the black branches suddenly sounded right beside her. Turning, Cecil saw a dark, shifting figure—a vague imitation of a young girl, as if it had been lurking there all along.
This was the ‘Echo of the Black Forest,’ one of the 24 devils.
Among the high-ranking devils released on earth by a pact with Saint Erman, this one was unique—a creature that had abandoned the notion of becoming human.
“Your duty is to ensure Julius Tapnell dreams happy dreams in Kente. If you keep wandering off, that’s going to be a problem.”
“Do I need your permission to spend time with my husband?” With calm deliberation, Cecil raised her foot and kicked at the Echo, which had been mocking her. She climbed onto the devil’s form, still resembling a girl, and began to stomp on it, her expression unyielding.
“I will not tolerate anything that stands between me and my love. I will destroy anything that tries to disturb the happiness of me, Julius, and our lovely Leira.”
Unable to hold its shape, the devil dissolved into the ground.
Cecil watched, then adjusted her clothes and turned to return to her beloved husband.
“I’m not finished talking yet, Nightmare,” the unsettling voice echoed once more from behind her.
Cecil halted and turned slowly to face the source of the voice.
“If you’re tampering with the saint’s agreement, I’ll have to report this to Erman.”
“The Nightmare doesn’t break deals.”
Cecil tilted her head slightly, her tone dismissive, as though she were speaking to something far beneath her.
“You seem quite enamored. I don’t understand it at all.”
“… Enamored? No, no. You, like him, are deeply mistaken.”
“I am not the Nightmare. I am his wife, Cecil Lionelta. I am named after the angel who once sealed a great evil, Lionelta.”
A faint flame flickered in her hand as she invoked her name with unwavering conviction.
“… What are you doing?”
“This is salvation—for you, a poor creature living an empty life of mere imitation.”
The flame grew bright, a pure white light that exploded forth, burning through the forest with sacred energy that swept like wind.
“W-what… What are you doing?”
“Those close to the saint would never understand. I live each day as a human, growing in love.”
The holy power, far greater than any devil could imagine, consumed the Black Forest. Only a faint whisper, lingering from the devil, reached Cecil’s ears.
“… N-no… why…how?”
“Poor child, abandon your wickedness and rest.”
Sponsor Chapters at the Patreon Shop: Along with BuymeaCoffee where you can now make payments in your local currency, the Shop section on Patreon can be used as a way to make a one-time-payment. I will be creating products in the Shop section with the title of the webnovels. It will only have an image as the product, but it will count as the payment for the Sponsored Chapters.
For example: You will buy the product with the title “Flower Stealing Master” to sponsor a chapter for the novel. As far as I know, you can buy the same product multiple times, so you should be able to sponsor as many chapters you want. I hope it was easy to understand.
Introducing KN WN Bundle ($15) for those who prefer to read only KR webnovels. This bundle gives you access to all the advance chapters of the Korean Webnovels on Goblinslate immediately, and will stay ahead of the regular release for the month! Get it on Patreon!
That means, you get:
PTTV – Four Advance Chapters! ($10)
IPUAW – Two Advance Chapters! ($5)
MSAS – Two Advance Chapters! ($5)
MWD – Two Advance Chapters! ($5)