My Mind Sword’s Cooldown Is Too Long

There is no night in the center of the Empire.
The Emperor of the Empire drives away the darkness of the islands with a brilliantly shining artificial sun, keeping the citizens of the Empire warm at all times…
The reason people believe such nonsense must be because it’s that kind of era.
It’s been 30 years since magic engineering blossomed in this land.
The unprecedented prosperity of the Empire was brought not by the Emperor sitting on the throne, but by the mages of the imperial palace.
However, this presents something strange.
The artificial sun, which is infinitely small for what it’s called, delicate enough to fit in one hand, illuminates the empire’s center with its embroidery of lamps.
And quite far from there, in a corner of the Empire’s south, Lunel Forest. Known locally as the Forest of Corpses or the Abandoned Forest.
It would certainly be strange to find commonalities between these two unrelated places.
A small hut built in the center of this forest, called the Abandoned Forest due to the lack of visitors.
Inside, a softly but definitely glowing object could be seen.
Though delicate, it’s clearly a lamp called an artificial sun, containing the essence of magic engineering.
Though not as much as in the past, maintaining this light definitely costs money.
Setting aside the locational difference between the islands and the forest, if an artificial sun hangs in the depths of this seldom-visited Forest of Corpses.
It clearly means one of two things.
Either a noble with too much money to handle.
Or someone who does things that shouldn’t be seen by people, in a place where people don’t come, at a time when people aren’t around.
Of course, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of “someone who does things that shouldn’t be seen.”
‘Found it…!’
Libra, the Witch of Scales, took out a dagger with a sharp blue blade from inside her garment.
Though the life of a fortune-teller, which she started for information gathering, had now become second nature to her, her essence remained unchanged.
An assassin.
A ghost of murder living for revenge, too late to turn back.
-Haaa…
Exhaling a light sigh, Libra drew up her magical power.
Her unique characteristic [Scales] that earned her the name Witch of Scales.
It determines the superiority between two designated targets as if placing them on a scale.
If the scale tilts to one side, the tilted side has the comparative advantage.
There are many abilities derived from this, but they consume a lot of magical power, so she doesn’t use them often.
Designating targets for the scales is possible not only for objects but also for specific concepts.
Like now.
‘Are they stronger than me?’
On the right side of the scales in Libra’s mental image, the hut she had just seen was placed.
On the opposite side of the scales was Libra herself.
Click… click…
The scales slowly move.
The direction is to the left, where Libra stands.
It was a moderate tilt, but this was enough.
At least it meant there was no enemy stronger than her.
‘It would have been better if I could lift the scales… but it can’t be helped.’
Her unique characteristic [Scales] can be activated just by imagination, without a medium, as she’s doing now.
She must accurately imagine the concept and sacrifice some accuracy.
Additionally, it consumes more mana, so she usually carries a physical scale.
Unique characteristics, like magic, become stronger if there’s a medium.
Libra slowly opened her eyes.
The scales she saw before her eyes disappeared, and her gaze returned to reality, reflecting the hut wrapped in a soft light.
There’s a sense of human presence inside, but it’s not strong.
A total of three figures guard around the hut.
She must break through them to enter inside.
Since it’s dawn, all three have faces steeped in fatigue.
One is even asleep while standing.
Now is the optimal time to move.
Swish… With a sound like the wind rustling through grass, creating an illusion of movement.
Libra moved.
“Uh, ummph!”
“Guhuhump!”
“J-just… a sec…”
After instantly killing the three sentries, Libra leaned her body against the hut’s wall.
Small voices from inside transmitted through the wall.
They seemed to be engrossed in conversation, unaware of the situation outside.
Slowly heading towards the door, Libra kicked it open in one breath.
The light emitted by the lamp inside the hut burst out, blurring her eyes, and instantaneously her vision returned.
Blood stains, dirty flesh, and unidentifiable reagents were scattered throughout the interior of the hut.
The dwellings of Belmagor’s fanatics are all like this.
Libra, who had grown all too accustomed to this, quickly scanned the interior.
‘No one here? But I heard voices from the hut… Could it be a trap!’
The brief thought crossed her mind, and she reacted immediately, but it was a step too late.
Shhhk-
Sensing a presence behind her, she quickly jumped into the hut, but a stinging pain transmitted to her left leg.
Scarlet blood gradually soaked her clothes from the leg cut by a sharp object.
The wound must not be deep, as the amount of blood flowing was small.
However, the problem was.
‘Paralytic poison….’
She had always been careful until the end.
Was it a mistake to make a casual judgment after just hearing small voices?
Dawn with darkness settling, a deep forest where no one comes. A hut built there.
It was a conspicuous situation no matter how you looked at it.
There was no need for sentiments like “I’ve been had.” First, she needed to get out alive.
“Finally caught, Child of Flesh.”
Libra, who had taken a defensive stance inside the hut, followed the voice to look beyond the door.
A bald head and a seemingly benevolent expression seemed to promote the piety he possessed, but madness engraved within him seeped out – a man.
Archbishop Marquizares.
A fanatic who worships Belmagor, the evil god of blood and flesh.
Behind him, two guards revealed themselves.
Bes the Corpse Eater and Rui the Poison Drinker from the Eight Great Villains.
Skilled individuals renowned behind the Empire’s back.
They were opponents who’d be questionable to defeat even in perfect condition, and unfortunately, all three were gathered in one place.
‘If only it weren’t for the paralytic poison…’
Libra steeled her weakening heart.
Even if she were to die, she would die biting off their napes.
How many years had she spent nights with such determination?
Death had been something she was prepared for since long ago.
“Do you like it? It’s a hut prepared just for you.”
Marquizares’s voice, eerie like a crawling wheel, was directed at Libra.
With his gesture, the scattered flesh inside the hut wriggled and revived as flesh zombies.
The ability of Marquizares, who received the twisted favor of the evil god Belmagor.
“Now accept it. If I just wanted to kill you, it wouldn’t be this troublesome, but you’re a special child.”
“Special? If the sacrifice is special, will it be resurrected or something?”
“Child. You will become the flesh of Lord Belmagor. Isn’t that glorious?”
These fanatics who simply don’t listen to reason.
Libra slowly assessed the situation.
Flesh zombies, revived from the blood and flesh sprinkled inside the hut, were firmly guarding the interior.
She could sweep away flesh zombies easily enough, but those men wouldn’t just stand and watch.
‘I thought the guards were unusually few on the way here…’
Certainly, with those three, no guards were needed.
Rather, the three outside were prepared as sacrificial lambs to allay Libra’s suspicions.
‘My left leg… won’t move.’
There’s no sensation in the left leg affected by the paralytic poison.
To make matters worse, a tingling sensation is moving from the wound up the leg towards the body.
If such an effect comes from a small amount of poison applied to the knife tip, it must be Rui the Poison Drinker’s unique characteristic.
It seemed about an hour remained before the entire body would be paralyzed.
There was a way to move.
However, she needed to observe the situation before using it.
If they noticed she could move, their vigilance would intensify.
“If I move even a step, I will pierce my neck with this dagger and commit suicide.”
“Khuhu… By all means, do so, child. Lord Belmagor enjoys the situation. If you carry out the pain with your own hands, he will surely have a pleasant time. This archbishop would rather see you try to escape. If we send you back as flesh intact like this, it would be difficult to appease the spirits of our believers who died by your hand.”
“…Completely insane.”
Though she didn’t know the process of offering sacrifices in detail, from Archbishop Marquizares’s words, it seemed some injuries wouldn’t matter.
Libra felt the situation had become even more disadvantageous.
The fortunate aspects were that she still had cards to play, and Marquizares intended to wait until her body was completely paralyzed as long as she didn’t move first.
Was there no way to escape using these two factors?
After a brief thought, Libra closed her eyes.
“Oh… Have you decided to accept returning to flesh?”
Ignoring Marquizares’s seemingly mocking tone, Libra envisioned the scales.
‘Will I die here?’
Click.. click..
The silver scales in her mental image, created by her unique characteristic, slowly tilt to one side.
The direction of tilt is to the left, where “die” is placed.
And it tilted quite deeply.
After uttering sentiments like “As expected, there are no miracles,” Libra began her next preparation.
If this was to be her end, she would take at least one of them with her.
If not, she would at least tear off an arm.
That was her resolve.
At that moment.
“…It should be around here.”
A man’s voice echoed from among the trees surrounding the hut.
A voice that seemed like it might belong to someone who had just become an adult, at most.
Though the tone was light, it carried the distinctive quality of nobility.
After a brief wait, a man emerged from the darkness amidst the trees.
As expected, a young man. A face that would suit an academy uniform.
It was then.
Click.. click.. click.. click..
Suddenly, the scales reflected in Libra’s mental image began to sway left and right.
Like a ship left alone in a storm, the scales lost their direction and ran wild in a state of frenzy.
The scales, frantically going back and forth between “die” and “live,” eventually lost power as if dissipating due to magical overload.
Could someone control her life with a single gesture, like a child’s play?
Archbishop Marquizares, Bes the Corpse Eater, and Rui the Poison Drinker.
No matter how strong these three might be, no matter how affected by poison Libra might be, this was impossible.
‘What is this… Nothing like this has ever happened before…?’
Having reached this thought, Libra looked at the man who had emerged from the forest.
Could it possibly be that person?
The face… she had never seen it before.
Libra slowly observed Marquizares’s reaction.
They seemed wary of the man outside but didn’t pay much attention.
At least he didn’t seem to be on their side.
“Who are you?”
Marquizares opened his mouth towards the man who had emerged from the forest.
No emotion such as wariness was reflected on his face.
After all, with three villains gathered who would be difficult to defeat even if they moved alone, their behavior was perhaps natural.
“You… are you Archbishop Marquizares?”
“Oh? You know me? Those who know me are rare.”
Marquizares let out a relaxed laugh and raised his arm.
Then flesh zombies began to rise from the ground around the hut.
Even at a glance, there were more than a dozen, and they were still increasing.
“You approach despite recognizing me. Then, do you know who these two are?”
Marquizares’s mocking rebuke was directed at the man.
He answered without concern.
“Rui the Poison Drinker and Bes the Corpse Eater. Seeing that your arms are still attached, I’m not too late.”
“Arms? I don’t understand what you’re talking abou-…”
At that moment, Marquizares’s gaze flew to the sky.
The world spins and slowly falls due to gravity.
Without finding an answer even in infinitely expanded thought.
Three heads fell to the ground.