Chapter 29: CHAPTER 29 MAD JESTER

I am going to fix the story. For that to happen, getting rid of Sabrina Crook is necessary. It’s not empty talk. I will make it happen, I have to.

The price of failure is losing the joy of witnessing the original story unfold in my very eyes. I am a Black Clover fan, and for a fan like me, a story diverging from the original is unacceptable.

Where did the story start diverging? I have to think. The captains rejecting Jack’s application made me snap, however that’s not really it either. There must be a source, a cause, and an effect!

For me to unveil the truth, I have to return in the very beginning.

~~~

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Tap.

The clacking of his boots dances in the dark dungeon, creating a peculiar rhythm that would haunt your ears. Like some ritual, the Jester continues on his mad tap dance in his bid to fulfill the rite of passage.

His skin has cracks dry as the sand. His crimson eyes have gone bloodshot and sorer than what is originally an orb of red. His long hair develops plenty of split ends like some grass. And… his noble dignity was long lost at last.

Yes, at last. The noble Jester or what he once was, finally reaches his breaking point. Succumbing to a metaphorical poison, he easily falls at the hands of a crook! The Jester still remembers that cruel day from whence the crook starts bewitching his heart.

“Oh my lovely joker, you see… I fell in love with you at first sight.” Just like that, the crook traps the Jester in her webs of manipulation.

The Jester was foolish for believing, for being greedy, for thinking one bit that the crook was speaking of the truth. “My dear Jester, if you do love me, kill your wife.” At her imperious command, the Jester meekly nods.

Just like that! Slowly, peacefully and obsessively. The Jester strangles his wife to her death. While their only 8-year-old son helplessly watches the murder, the Jester maniacally laughs. With his memory magic, the Jester manipulates his own son’s memories, and from there, he continues his self-deception.

“The crook said I must do it, or else she won’t love me.”
“I have no choice, the crook promised me the rank of vice-captain.”
“What should I do? My wife, I killed her, and, and…”

Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Tap.

“I killed my wife, and…” The mad Jester continues on his mad tap dance. “And,” The Jester’s madness radically exposes itself to the world. “I killed my wife, and…” Hanging by the edge of his words, a sick grin plasters itself to his face. “AaANnnd…” With a shrill scream, he proclaims. “It is fun!”

“It is fun! The adrenaline and pleasure of killing your loved one make me feel ecstatic, but why? Why am I so sad? What is this contradiction?”

By the time the Jester realizes that he was under bewitchment, it was already too late as he is too far into the deep end. Still, the Jester despite standing at his breaking point, like a fool, didn’t give up. Like a moth in a web, he desperately seeks his freedom. In a miraculous turn of fate, the opportunity of freeing himself comes knocking on his door.

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Even the crook cannot tell when the Jester finally breaks off the chains of her bewitchment. Suddenly just one day, the Jester decides to rebel. Assassinating his once comrades who share the purple robe, stealing various information, and most of all, pointing his blade at his own kingdom. For a long time, the Jester has become a tumor hiding in plain sight.

As a member of the most prestigious squad specializing in espionage, the Jester is an existence that is far from trifling.

“Son,” With a poker face, the Jester drags his teenage son to his estate's dungeons. “I will set you free. I found an ancient technique that would allow you to live in another world.”

The Jester smiles warmheartedly. “That world is ruled by peace and order. Hopefully, you can find a new life there.”

The son is not one bit feeling any surprise, for years, he has already been aware. “Father, it is fine.” He should be in tears right now, he should be screaming at the top of his lungs, but he is not. “Father, I have recovered my memories for a long time already. I know you killed mom.”

“…”

The son painfully smiles at his father. “I saw it all. However, I won’t blame you for it. Do you know why? It is because she wasn’t a good mom, to begin with, hahaha…”

The abuse, difficulties, yelling, and expectations. It was a memory that his son will carry even to the other world. The mad Jester takes a step, and with a clack, mana fluctuates in the air. Another step, another jingle. Like a song, his tap dancing seems to tell a story.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. As if all of the future is on fire.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Or as if the monsters have come from the shadows to play.
Tap. Tap. This world, as if it were a lie, the Jester desires for all of this to be a dream.
Tap. And just like that, as if all his sins find forgiveness, the Jester finds also his redemption.

Whistling an alien tune, the color of the rainbow starts dancing in the atmosphere. “Implementing an ancient technique together with my own research, I created this magic in hopes to surpass the forbidden devil summoning. Son, you deserved more than a father like me. In that other world, I want you to live a good life!”

With tons of human sacrifices, the mad Jester sends his only son to another world. This was the whole story as to how Philip Jester becomes the madman he is.

After the strange magic ritual, his son’s body starts exuding a different aura. The massive amount of mana that is trademarking the nobility is no longer there. Instead in its place is a very minuscule amount of mana. The amount of mana is so small which is making Philip doubtful if his magic is successful or not.

Philip reaches to the forehead of his now sleeping son, or rather, his new son. “This is disappointing.” Unlike what he was imagining, the summoned existence feels weak— very weak! This is his impression of the new soul inhabiting his son’s body.

When his palm makes contact with his son’s forehead, Philip activates his [Memory Reading] magic. The things he sees… are infinitely unbelievable.

Philip’s eyes start dilating, his breathing is haggard, and his wrists are trembling. “What is this!? The future? No, it isn’t just like that.”

When the Jester realizes that his madness can go beyond what is the peak of craziness—that is when the Jester has truly become mad. “M-mADnEsS!! MADNESS!!!”