LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 25 - Why Can't I?
Chapter 25 – Why Can’t I?
“…Would you like to come later and get an IV drip?”
Startled by Sunal’s sudden fatigue, Maeve glanced at him discreetly.
He looked pale enough that she thought he might actually need some sort of treatment.
“More than that, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
Sunal hadn’t forgotten.
Back during the case with the twin vampires, there had been a werewolf who had succumbed to the power of allure.
Since this incident was also connected to Tutoon, it wasn’t impossible that there would be a similar link again.
Not wanting to let this possibility slip by, Sunal made his request to Maeve.
He prayed that it wouldn’t be the case.
“Tell me. I’ll help you.”
Maeve’s eyes hardened with determination.
—-
After reporting to Edina, Sunal heard that the detective in charge of the case had come to the hospital, so he went to find him.
He could ask the police now, but wouldn’t it be better to get more accurate information directly from the person in charge?
“…I’m from the Special Unit for Interethnic Grievance Resolution.”
As he was being blocked, Sunal flashed the official ID hanging around his neck.
After all, it was the police who had requested cooperation, and since he had investigative authority, the police were obligated to provide him with information.
“Who is the culprit?”
At Sunal’s question, the detective who had been giving orders to the other officers looked at him.
Faced with Sunal’s sharp aura, the detective licked his lips and hesitated briefly.
Seeing the cautious expressions on the officers’ faces, Sunal snorted in amusement.
A strange atmosphere lingered between them.
“You’re not going to tell me to step aside, are you?”
That would be absurd, considering how he had practically handed the case to the police on a silver platter.
“I have no intention of backing down.”
He hadn’t even managed to leave work on time. And now, was he supposed to let the culprit slip through his fingers?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. If they tried to push him out, he might just flip the whole thing over.
“Uh… um…”
“My name is Sunal.”
Sunal swung his ID in front of the detective, making sure he got a good look.
“I’m with the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit, the very ones you requested cooperation from.”
He emphasized the word “cooperation” strongly, making it clear just how displeased he was with the situation.
“So, Mr. Sunal, it’s not that we’re simply asking you to drop the case.”
The detective scratched his head and glanced around nervously.
His four legs, being a centaur, shifted slightly in response.
“It’s just that the allure power involved makes this dangerous. Of course, it’s not that we don’t trust the Special Unit, but given the circumstances…”
Sunal, watching the detective trying to talk him out of the case, calmly brushed his hair back.
It was laughable.
Who was worrying about whom right now?
“Is it all right now?”
A red earring was revealed.
What this symbolized was straightforward.
He was a mage.
A mage who was more helpful than even 8 to 10 highly capable non-human beings.
Upon realizing this, the detective fell silent. His gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Sunal with a puzzled expression.
The look in his eyes seemed to say, “Why is a mage working as a public servant?”
Sunal felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him again.
What did it matter what he did?
“So, who is it?”
All Sunal wanted was information about the culprit.
There was a good chance that the allure power the culprit possessed was stored somewhere in the hospital. And even if it wasn’t, all non-humans were required to register their powers when they were born, so it could be traced back to the source.
It was similar to fingerprint registration.
“Never mind. Just tell me on the way.”
Why stand around babbling here?
They could easily track down the culprit while driving to their location.
Before the detective could say anything further, Sunal was already determined to proceed.
“Which car should I take? If possible, I’d prefer one with a smooth ride.”
Sunal twisted his lips into a smirk as he looked at the detective and the officers.
Pathetic jerks.
It wasn’t like they were just trying to take a bite; they were trying to steal the whole meal.
—-
‘…What kind of fate is this?’
Sunal grumbled to himself.
He glanced down below.
The building was six stories high, so it was quite a drop.
Still, Sunal casually leaned on the railing and peered downward.
He had taken a comfortable ride in a police car, but his annoyance wouldn’t subside the entire trip, so he vented it out on the detective in charge.
As soon as the detective found out that Sunal was a mage, his attitude changed. Not only did he cooperate more willingly, but he also took all of Sunal’s complaints in stride, even going so far as to confide his worries—so much so that Sunal felt like slapping him.
In short, while they had brought equipment to deal with the power of allure, the detective was deeply concerned whether it would be enough.
In the end, Sunal agreed to go in first, under the condition that they provide full cooperation and more discreet information next time.
‘Honestly, what a hassle. What’s the big deal about staying at home quietly?’
According to the police, the culprit wasn’t at home.
Nor was the culprit anywhere near the house.
‘No, actually. They’re probably lurking somewhere nearby.’
It’s always easier to hide in a familiar place than an unknown one. If they had used the power of allure, they could have easily set up a hideout nearby.
[Explore.]
One of his eyes turned red.
He took out a vial containing the culprit’s blood from his bag. As Sunal infused a bit of his mana into it, the allure power contained within the blood began to tremble and activate.
Once the mana inside the blood became vividly clear, Sunal drew letters in the air, casting his spell.
[Imprint.]
As soon as the mana was imprinted, the world around him turned black and white, just as it had before.
Sunal was now ready to become the hunting dog.
[Track the imprinted mana.]
He used a spell that narrowed the range of his search, ensuring a more accurate pursuit.
Sunal watched leisurely as the path of the mana revealed itself.
The sight of the setting sun always caught his eye. How much nicer would it be if he could leave work right now?
‘Damn it.’
As the mana’s trail stopped, Sunal’s previously languid expression turned to anger.
He knew exactly where the culprit was.
Sunal stepped onto the railing.
[Become the Wind.]
As soon as the spell he wrote with his finger attached to his shoes, he started running along the railing.
His movements were as swift and smooth as the wind itself.
Jumping from one building to the next in a single stride, Sunal raced toward the location of the culprit and then leaped down.
Tap.
Even though he had jumped from a building seven stories high, the only sound was a faint rustling as the wind stirred slightly around him.
Sunal, now a relentless hunting dog chasing his prey, weaved through the people and entered the building where the culprit was hiding.
Some people briefly glanced at him, captivated by his graceful yet sharp movements, but Sunal had already triggered a spell that disrupted the signals in the area, temporarily disabling all phone cameras.
He had no intention of ending up in a viral video because of this.
At the end of the mana’s trail, Sunal finally stopped.
‘Wow. Must be nice to enjoy your meal in peace while someone else is working their ass off.’
Sunal muttered to himself, running a hand through his disheveled hair as he peered through the shop’s window.
The entire area seemed to be under the culprit’s control. There wasn’t a single person passing by, nor any security to guard the place.
Sitting there like a king, enjoying a lavish meal brought to them by others, was the culprit.
Sunal felt a surge of irritation.
Bang!
He pushed open the door roughly. The alluring power emanating from within created a sweet, sticky scent, like melted candy in the heat of summer.
If not for the protective magic he had prepared in advance, his brain would have melted from that overwhelming smell.
‘Unbelievable. Truly insane.’
Though he had seen many beastly things due to the power of allure, this was the first time he’d encountered someone emitting it this intensely.
Among dozens of people, all of them grinning foolishly, there she was—sitting like royalty in the middle, staring back at him.
Disgust flashed across Sunal’s face instantly.
“Who is that? Who invited him?”
“Good evening.”
Sunal didn’t smile as he fixed his gaze on the succubus responsible for this situation.
Who exactly was displeased right now?
Throb.
Who exactly was suffering from this stomach-churning situation?
“Actually, now that I take a closer look, I like him. Very hot. Definitely my type. Haha, wow, I must be out of it. Just a few drinks and my memory’s already fuzzy. Didn’t I invite you?”
“I’m Sunal from the Special Unit for Interethnic Grievance Resolution.”
At his confident introduction, the succubus’s expression hardened.
“Did I hear that wrong? There’s no way you’re a public servant, right? Hmm?”
With a mischievous smile, she looked at him, her tone clearly a veiled threat. The scent in the air grew even stronger, but Sunal remained unaffected.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“You heard correctly. After investigating the recent incidents related to the power of allure, we confirmed that the source was the power you possess. In cooperation with the police, we’re here to bring you in.”
As Sunal spoke, he pulled out a measuring device and activated it.
Beep.
Beep-beep.
451.
The allure power was more than nine times the legal limit, which was supposed to stay under 50.
With a level like this, she could control every single person in an entire apartment complex as her puppets.
“As you can see, your allure power exceeds the legal limit. I request your cooperation, Nella.”
Despite using the word “request,” Sunal’s tone carried a deadly seriousness.
Like a storm sweeping across a desert, his overwhelming presence filled the room, silencing everyone.
“Well, you see, I really don’t like people who don’t listen to me.”
But only Nella laughed lightly.
She swirled her drink, then poured it onto the ground.
As the liquid formed a small puddle, the people in the room all crawled toward it, sticking their tongues out like feral dogs fighting over scraps of food.
The sight was so grotesque that it made Sunal’s stomach churn.
“Do you want to be my dog? I’ll treat you well,” Nella purred.
Instead of responding, Sunal sent a message to the detective he had spoken with earlier.
[I’ve arrived, but it’s still dangerous. When I signal, come to arrest her.]
Nella dropped her glass and let out a twisted smile.
She found it quite amusing that he was checking his phone in front of her. How adorable.
“Nella,” Sunal addressed her firmly.
“Yes?” she replied, beaming brightly.
“Nella, I understand that the sensations you’re experiencing while using your power must feel overwhelmingly good. But right now, you’re in an abnormal state. Your mana is running wild. Whether you’re doing it intentionally or not, I can help you in any situation.”
“Wow, are you worried about me?”
Nella’s laughter filled the room. It seemed light and refreshing, but not to Sunal.
To him, she was like a bomber holding everyone’s lives in her hands.
“As you know, once your allure power is released, the consequences will be devastating. Not only for these people, but also for you.”
Unlike those trapped by her allure, Nella was fully conscious. She still had the minimum reasoning to discern right from wrong. In other words, she was intentionally holding all these people hostage.
With just a word from her—die—they could easily throw their lives away, all because of their cursed love for her.
That was why Sunal had to tread carefully.
“Those are nice words,” Nella said softly.
“But why should I care about that?”
She smiled like an angel, as if what she said was the most natural thing in the world.
Her nonchalant attitude almost shook Sunal’s resolve for a moment.
The urge to just overturn everything in this place surged within him.
‘Hold it in.’
He had to control himself.
No matter how much Nella ignored the sacrifices these people had made for her—whether they sold their homes, abandoned their families, or quit their jobs—he couldn’t lose his temper. He had to stay composed.
Sunal gripped his government ID tightly.
“…Please consider the sacrifices these people have made for you and stop this now.”
“Sacrifices? No. That’s not sacrifice; it’s love.”
There was a deep conviction in her voice. Nella smiled brightly.
Sunal, too, laughed at the absurdity of her twisted words.
He could feel the mana’s wave shifting.
“Ladies and gentlemen, would you all listen to me?”
Nella clapped her hands lightly.
With just that one word, the atmosphere in the shop completely changed.
“We’ll do anything you want!”
“Please, just tell us! We’ll give you everything. Anything, everything!”
“Please, just look this way and smile at us! Lovely Nella, just a smile is all we need!”
They had all become mindless clowns, their faces twisted with manic devotion.
Foolish clowns who had fallen for Nella’s smiles and words, offering up everything they had in blind adoration.
‘Things never go smoothly, do they?’
Sunal calmed his anger, preparing for what came next with a lazy expression.
Did you see that?
Ignoring Nella’s overconfident smile, Sunal moved his fingers, casting magic into his clothes.
[Shield.]
[Blow them away.]
By infusing mana with ancient, familiar phrases from a time before humans, his spells gained extra strength.
The downside was that it consumed much more mana than regular spells, but there was no other choice right now.
[Those bound by imprinted mana.]
Since he had memorized Nella’s mana, Sunal used it to track and manipulate her imprints.
Crackle.
A bright flash of light erupted from his hand, as if lightning had struck, then vanished.
His plan was to bind all the imprinted mana together.
Because the range was large, his hands trembled slightly, and his chest throbbed as the Mana Circle sped up.
There were dozens of people.
Anyone observing him would think he was risking his life with such a bold move, but Sunal was confident he could do it.
Meanwhile, Nella remained completely unaware that Sunal was casting magic, pointing a leisurely finger at him.
“I don’t like that person.”
With just those words, her followers swarmed toward Sunal like loyal dogs charging to serve their queen.