Round 258

Prev | TOC | Next

Kyler couldn’t believe everything he was seeing. It was unbelievable, and it felt like he was dreaming. 

‘That one is the infamous White Nightmare?’ 

The White Nightmare was a term used to describe the boss of Dungeon of Lust. In America, it was also a nickname for Ashu, synonymous with terror. Now, that being was…

“Ashu loves Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!” Nestled in Kyu-seong’s arms, Ashu was cooing and showing affection. It was the White Nightmare itself! 

The shocking reality of the White Nightmare, who stirred up the entire U.S. and could even stop a crying child, made Kyler naturally spoon up some sujaebi.

“What is this…?” Kyler had tasted Kyu-seong’s food before. It had been raw produce then, and the taste had been surprising. But the dish he was eating now was so good that it shook his very values. The broth was spicy and refreshing, and the flavor of various vegetables infused in the broth was heavenly. When he bit into the doughy lumps known as sujaebi, mixed with various vegetables, he couldn’t be more satisfied. It was truly a taste of heaven, something that celestial beings might enjoy.

‘It’s so delicious!!’ 

According to the words of the Awakened who had been confined in the dungeon and then released, they had suffered terrible food torture. 

‘With such excellent food, I’d gladly accept being ‘food tortured.’ Please, I hope they do.’

And as if fulfilling Kyler’s wish, the rest of the rabbit creatures began to complete their dishes one by one. 

“Wow! This is delicious!” 

“It’s coming deliciously.”

The others have improved their skills considerably.

‘Hmm, I like it. I’ll appoint them as my master chefs.’

A full-course feast of dishes was enjoyed. Although the dishes were diverse and not harmonious in flavor, the ingredients were so good that there were no failures.

Just when Kyler was starting to feel full, he began to worry about the still-being-prepared dishes. However, his worries were unfounded. 

“Waguwagu!” 

“It’s coming delicious! It’s coming delicious!”

Due to the presence of two incredible food fighters, the seemingly endless supply of food quickly vanished. 

-Beep! Beep! 

-Beeeep!

Every time the food was enjoyed, the Breeding clan let out cheers of joy. Ashu too, looked on with emotional eyes. 

-Ashu and our clan’s food has never been completely eaten like this before by anyone! 

“There’s more to eat!”

Ara raised her hands triumphantly, and next to her, Cheong, clueless, imitated Ara’s actions. 

“Did you enjoy your meal, Kyler?” 

“Huh? Oh, yes. Uh…”

This isn’t a dream, right? Kyler still couldn’t grasp the surreal situation. He might actually be experiencing the afterlife, having died in a battle with the White Nightmare just moments ago. Or perhaps he had lost consciousness after the battle and was simply dreaming.

As the meal, which he thought would take a long time, ended quickly, Kyler relaxed a bit. Meanwhile, Kyu-seong suddenly stood up and spoke to Ashu. 

“Is there a large space where you can gather all the children?”

-Yes!

Ashu immediately began to lead the way, and Kyler tried to follow Kyu-seong, but Kyu-seong smiled and said, “Please rest. I’m just going to say a few words and come back.” 

“But it’s dangerous.” 

“Excuse me?”

At Kyler’s remark about danger, Kyu-seong tilted his head, causing Kyler to blush. Kyu-seong had already subdued the White Nightmare as his familiar. What could possibly be dangerous now? If anything, it was dangerous for those who dared to challenge Kyu-seong. 

‘Now that the White Nightmare has become Kyu-seong’s familiar, there is no Awakened who can defeat him.’ 

Even before subjugating Ashu, Kyu-seong was already a Tamer without equal.

However, Kyler, who was unaware of this fact, realized that he couldn’t treat him carelessly just knowing that he had tamed the White Nightmare. 

“…So what happens now?” 

If all that has happened up to now is not a dream, the world has now produced an incredible Awakener who has tamed the Seven Deadly Sin as a familiar.

With the power of the White Nightmare, he could clear dungeons that had never been solved before, or if he took the wrong path, he could quickly become a big shot in the underworld.

Though it seems unlikely that Kyu-seong would act maliciously given his nature, it’s uncertain what a person might do.

While Kyler was deeply pondering with a serious expression, Kyu-seong returned.

“Let’s go now.”

“Huh? What about the White Nightmare…?”

“The White Nightmare? What’s that?”

“The boss of lust.”

“Oh, I’ve dispelled the summon.”

Dispelled the summon. Ah, so it has become a familiar.

Kyler almost nodded, but then he tilted his head in confusion.

Didn’t Kyu-seong say he doesn’t have the ability related to summoning and hence couldn’t dispel summons? That’s why he was just dragging the other kids around.

But he didn’t ask about it.

“But shouldn’t we summon again? Unfortunately, the return stone doesn’t work in the dungeon. So, to get out of this rabbit hole first…”

“That won’t be a problem. Ara, can you do it?”

“Yes!”

Soon, Ara’s eyes sparkled. She walked ahead and then said, “Follow me!”

Ara strode forward, and although Kyler was skeptical, since everyone was following Ara, he had no choice but to join.

As they walked through the tunnel for a while, Kyler suddenly noticed something strange.

“Huh? There’s no one?”

There were quite a few rabbits in the tunnel. But now, it seemed eerily quiet, as if nothing had ever been there.

He focused all his senses, but still, nothing caught his attention. The rabbits had vanished without a trace.

Faced with this bizarre phenomenon, Kyler couldn’t help but suspect Kyu-seong.

‘Could it be that he registered all the other rabbits as familiars too, in that short amount of time?’

If he had dispelled everyone’s summon, it was a somewhat possible story.

However, among the tamers he knew, there was no Awakener who could handle so many familiars simultaneously.

‘Kyu-seong, what exactly are you…’

Kyler, a level 9 Awakener, thought he had no rivals in this world, but he was increasingly becoming fearful of Kyu-seong.

** 

Ashu and the rabbits were all moved to the Dungeon of Gluttony.

I briefly went over the precautions and said I would be back soon.

‘I’ve cleared the quest, but I need to go back and check.’

The Quest of Conquering the Seven Deadly Sins. What reward would it give this time?

I secretly hoped they would add another portal. Then I can look around other areas…

“We’ve arrived!”

Following Ara, we had somehow reached the outside.

And like we had agreed, Kyler and I used the return stone.

Woong~!

Instantly, our view shifted, and we were back at the entrance of the dungeon we had left earlier.

“You can use that ring again here.”

“Ah.”

Still gazing at the empty dungeon entrance, I used the ring that Kyler had given me earlier.

Then we were able to return to the infirmary.

It was a very simple and quick operation.

If it weren’t for Kyler, it would have taken ages to meet Ashu.

‘Maybe I would have never met her.’

Anyway, thanks to him, I even got Ashu, so I was just grateful to Kyler.

Of course, he didn’t know it would turn out this way, but he indeed tried to help me.

“But you’re saying that Emily’s illness is related to the dungeons of the other Seven Deadly Sins?” 

“That’s right. Of course, I’m not 100% sure, it’s just speculation.” 

Having said that, Kyler said he had to go and slipped away after retrieving the ring.

When I checked the time, about three hours had passed.

Achieving such a feat as visiting the Dungeon of Lust and acquiring its boss in just three hours was almost unbelievable.

“It feels too easy.”

I scratched my head, deciding to return to Choi Sung-hyuk and Jeong So-yeon, who were waiting for me.

When I arrived, the two of them, along with Emily, seemed unbothered by any worries.

Emily, who had somehow grown close to Choi Sung-hyuk and Jeong So-yeon, was calling them “brother” and “sister.”

“I really want to visit Korea!”

It seemed her desire to visit Korea had grown even stronger after hearing some stories.

“Then Emily needs to get healthy.”

“Can I really get better?”

“Of course!”

Emily smiled bitterly at my enthusiastic response, and Jeong So-yeon, perhaps feeling a pang of heartache from Emily’s reaction, subtly tugged at my sleeve.

“Did you find a way to treat her?”

“I can’t be sure it will work, but there’s something I can try.”

And for that, I needed to return quickly.

Ultimately, the key lay in either cultivating golden crops or tackling the Seven Deadly Sins, as Kyler had suggested.

But as a farmer, my task was, naturally, farming.

Conquering dungeons of the Seven Deadly Sins seemed absurd for me, a mere level 2 Awakener, though I was not an ordinary level 2.

‘I will continue my non-violence approach.’

Of course, conquering the Seven Deadly Sins didn’t seem inherently violent.

I might not know which of the sins it would involve, but as always, maybe coaxing with food or figuring out some other way would reveal an answer.

While I wanted to return and dedicate myself to farming, I stayed two more days since I had come this far.

During that time, Emily seemed reluctant to part from the children she had become fond of, but eventually, the time to say goodbye arrived.

“I’ll definitely get better and come visit Ara’s house!”

“Yes! Make sure you come, Emily!”

Ara responded enthusiastically, waving her hands vigorously.

And so, my short trip to America ended, and we could return to Korea.

Despite the shorter-than-expected trip, Choi Sung-hyuk and the members of the Ara Hongryeon Guild seemed relaxed, and Young-seong spoke to me during our journey back.

“Kyu-seong.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Do you remember the Meluca fruit you gave me last time?”

“Oh, I remember.”

I remembered, though it felt like a distant memory from long ago.

[Meluca Fruit]

A rare fruit from the Meluca plant containing a small amount of poison.

Consuming the poison in the fruit can regenerate and prevent the destruction of brain nerve cells.

However, excessive consumption can damage organs.

It was an item with such effects and seemed to have miraculous abilities.

“That fruit, it’s not confirmed yet, but it might be a breakthrough.”

“A breakthrough?”

“That fruit you gave might be the key to solving dementia.”

“What?!”

Can it really treat dementia? I thought dementia was untreatable. That was almost like saying you could treat aging, which isn’t considered a treatable condition.

“But let me clarify, it’s not confirmed yet. It’s just a possibility we’re seeing.”

“Wow.”

“So, could you give me some more of those fruits? As many as possible, if you can.”

“Of course!”

If it turns out we can treat dementia, it would cause a stir in the medical community. It could also lead to clues for treating other conditions. And most importantly, it meant that Hanul hyung’s mother might be treatable.

“I’ll check as soon as I get back.”

Farming really is the solution to everything!

***

And now that I could focus solely on farming with the influx of workers dedicated to cooking, everything seemed possible.

“Ha ha ha!”

“The Devil’s laugh!!”

Ara pointed at me and shouted, but I didn’t stop laughing.

Wait for me, Dungeon of Gluttony!

Here I come!

Prev | TOC | Next


Patron 118

Prev | TOC I Next

Alon, though unsure of exactly how she did it, successfully subjugated Basiliora with Heinkel’s questionable help. He then received magical instruction from Heinkel.

It was five days. Although it might seem a long or short time, it proved to be immensely beneficial for Alon. 

Heinkel wasn’t handling words or sentences, but her magical knowledge matured Alon’s magical abilities from a newly advanced fourth tier to a fully seasoned fourth-tier level.

Moreover, thanks to the issue of magic’s cost-effectiveness, Alon was now able to use magic that he hadn’t even thought of using before because he had learned a slightly more efficient way to utilize mana at this point.

Of course, Alon wasn’t a genius who could apply what he learned perfectly right away, and it took some time to properly implement it. However, even the minor teaching greatly reduced the consumption rate compared to the original magic, which was a significant gain.

Most importantly, the biggest help he received was this. 

“Huh-” 

It was right in front of him. 

Woong- 

Alon saw the magic manifested before his eyes. Or more precisely, it was a visualization of the arrangement of mana. 

Like the DNA of genes, the mana was arranged in a spiral pattern forming a pentagram.

Though it wasn’t perfect yet, it was undoubtedly what he had wanted, and he smiled deeply within himself. This was precisely why he sought magical instruction from Heinkel and its result. 

‘I didn’t expect to be able to implement it this quickly.’

The array broke down into tiny pieces the moment he lost focus. Still, Alon exhaled a satisfied breath. What he had created was one of the ‘traits’ that magicians could use in Psychedelia.

A trait (特性). In the game, when magicians reach the fourth tier, they can obtain unique traits for their magic using knowledge from the labyrinths, though these traits are limited to about ten in the game.

Nevertheless, Alon had managed to implement this ‘trait’ without even visiting a labyrinth. It wasn’t because he was special. In fact, anyone who knew how to incorporate the overall shape, order, and position of mana into magic could use it. Of course, unless someone discovered the trait by entering the labyrinth themselves, Alon would be the only user of this undiscovered trait.

……The labyrinth that gives the trait hadn’t even appeared at this point. It had only emerged due to a fracture after one of the sins descended. 

‘With a little more practice, I might be able to handle it perfectly.’

Soon, thinking of a unique trait that would be very helpful to his current self, he became satisfied. Then.

“Marquis.” 

Alon turned his attention to the voice of Evan. 

“What’s the matter?” 

“No, the conference is nearly over, I was wondering what you’re planning to do.” 

“Hmm- How many days are left?” 

“About three days, I think?” Evan replied.

Alon pondered for a moment. 

……………He had heard that he could stay for about a week even after the conference ended, but it seemed pointless to receive instruction now.

Heinkel’s teachings had indeed been an incredible gift to Alon. However, Alon could no longer receive instruction from Heinkel. Or rather, it would be correct to say that it would be pointless to try as the physical limitations, known as the Mana Hole, began to make Heinkel’s teachings seem like merely good-looking unripe persimmons.

So……he had gotten what he could, and now it might be time to try to increase his mana a bit more. Just as Alon was thinking of an artifact that might be near the central tower to slightly increase his mana.

“Ah, by the way, Marquis. There’s a commotion outside.” 

Evan suddenly changed the subject. 

“A commotion outside? What happened?” 

“Well, not exactly an event, but just a lot of ‘stuff’ happening.”

“……So what’s the event?” Evan dragged out his words before continuing. 

“Recently, in the entire Allied Kingdom, mountains have suddenly started splitting open, or natural massacres are occurring in the territories of the Marquisdom.” 

“……In the mountains or the Marquisdom’s territories?”

“Yes, there have already been over eight incidents within a week. Particularly, Mount Temax near the Kingdom of Rosario has become a barren wasteland.”

“The reason?”

“The reason is still unclear. That’s just the rumor going around.”

“Is there any commonality among the places where these incidents occurred?”

“From what I’ve heard, the locations are sporadic.”

A quiet sense of crisis was felt. Meanwhile, doubts arose. If it were the appearance of an Outer God, it wouldn’t burst sporadically in multiple places, Alon thought, tilting his head. But that was only for a moment.

‘Still, I should probably look into it first.’ 

After delegating some tasks to Evan with the intention of moving himself, “It seems I’ll have to go out soon.” 

He decided it was time to leave the magic conference. That night, as always, Alon was alone, practicing magic after receiving his instruction. Heinkel, watching him, had a strange expression. Initially, she had detested just his presence, but lately, Heinkel had grown quite interested in him. Partly because he followed her teachings well, but more so because the magic he used was very peculiar.

Alon was using ‘primitive magic’ that had nearly become extinct even in Heinkel’s era. Even more, its use was so natural that it naturally aroused curiosity. No, to be precise, it was curiosity about the ‘magic’ he used.

‘I wish I could ask him to teach me once.’ 

Unfortunately, the ‘master and disciple’ relationship had not been established between her and Alon. Given her personality, asking Alon to teach her something now would be a bit difficult.

However, Heinkel’s magical curiosity easily overcame her personality. Being a magician known as the ‘Cup of the Origins,’ her curiosity was immense. In fact, she had mentioned something about ‘Phrases’ to Alon a few days ago. 

As soon as the word ‘Phrase’ slipped out, she had shut her mouth, and the conversation hadn’t progressed.

It couldn’t be helped. It was because of the entity behind Alon. Whenever she tried to discuss something related to ‘Phrases,’ she immediately looked up and couldn’t ask about it. While teaching him magic, Heinkel had already figured out to some extent the eyes that Alon and others shouldn’t be aware of.

Alon was unaware of the presence of the eyes behind him. Or rather, it would have been strange if he had noticed. 

After all, that entity was invisible to anyone who had not opened their eyes, and one would need enlightenment and strength similar to hers to even glimpse what was hidden behind the scenes.

And most importantly, the eyes themselves seemed to avoid being recognized by Alon when utilizing magic. Despite being a spirit, Heinkel felt the hairs on her body stand on end. For some reason, the ‘eyes’ that refused Alon’s recognition showed a clear reaction to Phrases, if not entirely.

Of course, it couldn’t be definitively concluded that it was avoiding them, but her survival instincts violently warned her. Don’t just casually bring up that topic.

“……I think I’ll leave for today.” 

[Oh, alright. See you tomorrow.] 

“Yes, thank you as always.”

She knew it wasn’t particularly beneficial to touch on that subject. Yet her curiosity stimulated her wildly day by day. 

‘Isn’t there a good way?’

After Alon left, she soon came up with an idea. 

‘Now that I think about it, the eyes don’t react when he recites the Phrase……………. If I don’t ask directly, and he offers to teach first, maybe I could listen?’

She was aware of the low likelihood of that scenario actually happening. But by now, her brain had been overtaken by curiosity. 

‘How can I start the conversation first?’ 

She began to ponder.

Suddenly, “You damn old coot!!! I know you’re hiding here, come out!!!” 

A loud shout echoed throughout the library, furrowing brows. 

‘Who dares so recklessly……?’

[……Hmm?] 

However, shortly after, she recognized the owner of the voice. Penia Crysinne. For Heinkel, who wandered around the central tower whenever she felt bored, Penia was a well-known figure among the magicians, her name frequently mentioned. Moreover, there had recently been rumors involving her and Marquis Palatio…

[Hmm? Wait?] 

It seems like a path is opening up. Penia, if Penia truly had that kind of relationship with Marquis Palatio…

A small plan began to form in her mind.

***

Penia Crysinne was in a very angry state. That was because she originally had no intention of attending this magic conference. It was only recently that the magical supplies had started arriving properly, allowing her to resume the experiments that had been on hold.

But the reason she came to the central tower was exactly because of… 

“Damn old coot-!!!!!!!!” 

A rumor started by the blue tower’s master. 

‘Wow- I didn’t know you’d already finished greeting.’ 

‘So the vice-master of the tower is getting married, you really can’t predict life.’

Penia gritted her teeth as she recalled the professors who barged in during her magical experiments and spouted such words. And the source of those rumors was none other than Celaime Mikardo, who usually shirked his duties onto her and wandered around carelessly without a care in the world. She couldn’t just stand by. She had to punish that old coot immediately.

Penia rushed to the conference and, finding him already hidden, she scoured every corner of the building, eventually arriving at the library. And here. 

[Who is there?] 

“………!?” 

She encountered a spectral girl. Or more precisely, “The Cup of the Origins, Heinkel…?” 

The Cup of the Origins, Heinkel. 

[Hoo~ It’s curious that you know my name.]

At the affirming voice, Penia was so startled that she froze, forgetting her original purpose.

Penia had long been aware of one of the rumors related to the central tower’s library, about ‘The Cup of the Origins, Heinkel.’ The content was simple: if you visited the library at night, Heinkel would appear and impart magical knowledge. However, hardly any magician believed it, as it made no sense for Heinkel, who should have died hundreds of years ago, to suddenly appear in the library. Nevertheless, Penia had once visited the library at night after hearing the rumor.

Because her childhood dream was to become a great magician like Heinkel, it was natural for Penia to recognize Heinkel immediately. She had seen countless portraits of Heinkel in statues and books.

“State your name,” a figure akin to an idol from her childhood, Heinkel, prompted, and Penia, staring blankly, startled, replied, “Pe, Penia Crysinne…!” Her heart fluttered at meeting someone she had long admired.

However, [Penia Crysinne………… Ah, so you’re the one rumored to have that kind of relationship with Marquis Palatio?] 

“Wh…?” 

Hearing strange words from the mouth of her idol, she could not help but furrow her brow involuntarily. Her tolerance had grown incredibly low due to being constantly troubled by rumors over the past few months. 

“That’s a huge misunderstanding,” she reflexively attempted to clarify.

[There is one condition I have for you. If you agree, I will personally teach you magic.] 

“What?” 

She fell silent at the continuing proposal. 

[Exactly as I said. I have a favor related to Marquis Palatio. If you are as close to the Marquis as the rumors suggest, it shouldn’t be too difficult. What do you say?] 

Despite the oddity of the statement, “You mean, teach me magic?” 

[Yes.] 

“From the Cup of the Origins?” 

[I don’t repeat myself.] 

She could not object.

Memories flashed through her mind, all painfully linked to Marquis Palatio. From memories of creating potions for him to being dragged away by pirates while traveling with him. Days filled with stress from rumors involving the Marquis scrolled through her mind one by one.

Honestly, Penia wanted to completely clear up the rumors related to Marquis Palatio. Her feelings remained the same even now. No matter the chance to be mentored in magic by the Cup of the Origins itself, Penia’s stress had long since surpassed its limits.

Therefore, instead of voicing what Penia really thought, [Perhaps, was there some mistake in the spreading of these rumors?] 

She just curled the corners of her mouth into an awkward smile. The stress that had gnawed at her very being, tormenting her to the point of pulling her hair out for months, still could not overpower her magical curiosity.

Prev | TOC I Next


Round 257

Prev | TOC | Next

The lair of the Breeding Tribe was incredibly intricate.

Not only was it complicated, but it was also utterly chaotic with rabbits scattered everywhere.

“Watch out there! There’s a trap! Hehe.”

Ashu’s occasional warnings emphasized just how much this place deserved its rank as a Level 9 dungeon.

“Many awakened ones have failed here due to those traps, the labyrinthine layout, and the guerrilla tactics of the boss,” Kyler explained with a grim expression.

Fortunately, no one had been seriously injured so far. Instead, the captured individuals were subjected to a unique form of torture — being fed to the point their stomachs almost burst.

“They really do love cooking,” I remarked.

“Our Breeding Tribe, the Clan of Culinary Contemplation, exists to ponder over dishes and find purpose in consuming them!” Ashu declared, twitching her ears.

On the surface, they were nothing more than adorable rabbits, but their peculiar nature was endlessly fascinating.

It turned out that the “Breeding Tribe” was just a shortened term for the Clan of Culinary Contemplation. I had naturally assumed it referred to… well… something else. Ahem.

“Ashu is an excellent cook,” Ara said.

“Exactly! Ashu is a great cook! Ara, you really know how to recognize talent! Hehe!”

“But Lee Jae-seong Jae-seong is even better at cooking,” Ara added nonchalantly.

Ashu, who had been striding forward confidently, froze mid-step.

“Better than Ashu… at cooking?”

“Yes! Lee Jae-seong-Jae-seong is the God of Cooking!” Ara continued, obliviously praising.

Ashu’s eyes widened as they turned to glare at Ara.

“Who is this Lee Jae-seong Jae-seong? Ashu wants to taste their cooking!”

“You can if you become Lee Kyu-seong Kyu-seong’s subordinate!” Ara declared with a triumphant expression, as if to ask, Did I do well?

This little rascal.

However, I doubted such simple words would easily turn the boss of Lust into my familiar—

“Lee Jae-seong Jae-seong is Lee Kyu-seong Kyu-seong’s subordinate?”

“Yes. Which means Lee Kyu-seong-Kyu-seong is the most powerful of all. These crops, too, are all his!”

“Oh! Then everyone here is a follower of Lee Kyu-seong-Kyu-seong?!”

“That’s right! Everyone has fallen for his cooking!”

“Hmm, I can see why. These vegetables! Ashu has never smelled such an aroma before. It’s captivating!”

Ashu sniffed the crops cradled in her arms, drooling despite attempting to wipe it away. For someone who appeared so cute, her self-control was impressive.

“You really do love cooking, don’t you?”

“For now, Ashu will try cooking with these and decide!”

“Alright!”

Following Ashu deeper into the lair, we walked for nearly thirty minutes. Without Ashu’s guidance, it would’ve taken a lifetime to navigate the endless traps and twists.

“This is the boss’s quarters…” Kyler muttered nervously, scanning the area.

Surprisingly, there was nothing particularly threatening, only an array of kitchen tools neatly arranged.

“We’re likely the first to reach the boss’s lair. It’s hard to believe we’ve made it this far.”

“Y-yeah, it really is,” I replied awkwardly, appreciating Kyler’s restraint in not bombarding me with questions despite his curiosity.

Truthfully, the whole situation was absurd. This dungeon, one of the Seven Deadly Sins dungeons, had never been conquered. Yet, here we were, casually befriending its master. It felt like a fairytale someone would scoff at.

But it was real, no matter how unbelievable.

Squeak.

Squeak squeak!

The Breeding Tribe rabbits gathered around us, drawn by both curiosity about us and the crops Ashu carried.

“These are for Ashu to cook!”

Squeak squeak!

Squeaaaaak!

The rabbits protested in their tiny, high-pitched voices, but their squeals sounded more endearing than irritating, like toddlers in squeaky shoes.

Their passion for cooking was unrelenting, regardless of hierarchy or authority.

“Ashu will cook these, no matter what!”

“Don’t fight, everyone. There’s plenty of crops.”

I retrieved Bokkeum, my pouch, and shook it. A cascade of fresh produce spilled out.

“There’s more?!”

-Beep Beep!?

Ashu and the rabbits jumped in surprise, their startled expressions so adorable that even Cheong, who was usually timid, couldn’t help but laugh.

“They’re so cute. Hehe,” Cheong giggled.

Finally, after pouring out enough crops to satisfy all the rabbits, order was restored. It seemed like too much food, but fortunately, we had Ara.

With Ara around, nothing would go to waste.

“Hmm, now there’s just too much food,” Ashu muttered.

“Don’t worry. Ara can eat it all,” I reassured them.

“I will devour it all!” Ara declared, tilting her head back with a triumphant look.

Ashu beamed at Ara’s confidence.

“Exactly! With Ara here, there’s nothing to worry about!”

“I’m here too,” Ras interjected, only to be ignored as Ashu and the rabbits eagerly started cooking.

Luckily, Ashu’s lair was spacious, equipped with a massive kitchen large enough for everyone to cook.

-Beep!

 -Beep beep!

But rather than working together, everyone was busy making their own dishes, bumping into each other in the process. Cooperation didn’t seem to be their strong suit.

‘I should ask Jae-seong to divide them into teams and teach them some basic teamwork.’

Jae-seong would also handle their cooking lessons. My task was simply to lure them to our dungeon with these crops.

“Heh heh heh…”

“Oh no, the Demon King’s laugh is back!” Ara exclaimed, her face lighting up with mischief.

“The Demon King is here!”

Ara, what nonsense are you talking about now… My laughter had apparently been upgraded to a “Demon King’s laugh.”

***

Meanwhile, back at the Slime Dungeon, Jae-seong was brainstorming the design for the dungeon’s future restaurant with his father and Orie. Suddenly, he shivered, feeling a strange chill.

“Huh? What’s wrong? Are you catching a cold?” his father asked.

Jae-seong tilted his head. “A cold in early summer?”

“You can still catch summer colds. Take care of yourself,” his father warned.

“Yes, Dad,” Jae-seong replied, returning to his restaurant plans.

Thinking back, he recalled that they had already chosen one employee from an orphanage. However, one wasn’t enough.

Kyu-seong had advised him to wait, hinting that they might recruit several excellent workers at once. Although the restaurant construction was still in progress, and its opening was far off, Jae-seong wanted everything to be perfect.

“I’ll ask Kyu-seong about it again when he gets back,” he decided.

At that moment, Kyu-seong was busy recruiting restaurant staff as promised.

***

Finally, Ashu’s dish was ready. As expected of the leader of the Breeding Tribe, she was the first to finish cooking.

I had silently watched the cooking process, often surprised by Ashu’s unexpected choices.

‘Who would’ve thought she’d make that dish?’

The dish Ashu prepared was none other than… handmade sujaebi (Korean dough soup)!

“How do you even know this dish?!” I asked, astonished.

“Huh? It’s an existing dish? Ashu just came up with it right now! It’s an original!”

‘She didn’t even know what sujaebi was and yet she made it from scratch? This little rabbit has some serious talent.’

“It’s not kalguksu,” Ara mumbled, watching the process.

She must’ve thought it was kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) based on the preparation.

Ashu’s sujaebi was made in a giant pot with a rich broth of roasted soybeans and vegetables. She had even used the chili peppers and fermented soybean paste I provided, though sparingly.

The result was a spicy, savory doenjang sujaebi.

Personally, I preferred clear-broth sujaebi, but the bold, spicy flavor wasn’t bad.

“This kind of dish is perfect with soju on a rainy day,” I joked.

“Kyu-seong doesn’t like alcohol,” Ara said flatly.

“I was just setting the mood, hehe.”

The sujaebi was plentiful, enough to serve everyone with some left over.

“Make sure you eat the leftovers too!” Ashu called out to the rabbits, who were too engrossed in their own cooking to listen.

‘Our future chefs,’ I thought with amusement, watching them busy at work.

The first dish to be served was Ashu’s sujaebi.

“Never did I think I’d eat food made by a monster,” Kyler remarked, still struggling to process the situation.

Soon, the children started eating their sujaebi, and I picked up my spoon to try mine.

“Let’s start with the broth…”

The broth was crafted with my crops, dried crustaceans, anchovies, fermented soybean paste, and red chili powder.

 Ashu instinctively knew how to balance flavors.

 There was no way this dish could taste bad.

Slurp.

The moment I sipped the broth, I was overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Yes, this was it.

A spicy yet refreshing flavor that opened up my sweat pores.

Next, I scooped up some sujaebi with the broth and took a bite.

 Blowing on the hot soup, I carefully chewed.

“Mmm!”

The dough was chewy yet tender. Unlike kalguksu, the large chunks of dough provided a satisfying texture that made each bite more enjoyable.

 The spicy, savory broth, combined with the roasted soybean flavor, created a harmony that made it impossible to stop eating.

“Ahhh!”

Before I knew it, I had finished the entire bowl, even drinking all the broth.

Looking around, I realized I wasn’t the only one. Kyler, the kids, and even Ashu, who had made the dish, were all devouring the sujaebi at an impressive pace.

“Ashu!”

“Yes?”

“You’re an amazing cook!”

“I… I mean…”

I thought Ashu would be thrilled with the compliment, but instead, her ears drooped. Worried, I watched as Ashu slowly spoke.

“It’s only because Kyu-seong-Kyu-seong’s ingredients were so amazing. Ashu’s food usually doesn’t taste this good.”

“What are you talking about? Sure, my crops are tasty, but not just anyone could create a dish like this!”

This was true.

While I’d grown more confident in my own cooking recently, I still couldn’t match Ashu’s skills.

 As they say, those who enjoy something will always surpass those who simply try hard.

 Ashu, who truly loved cooking, had far more talent than I did.

“And if you keep cooking with my crops, it won’t matter anyway, right?”

“Huh?”

Ashu’s ears perked up, her head snapping up as she processed my words.

 After a moment of thought, she smiled brightly.

“You’re right! If Ashu always cooks with these kinds of ingredients, it won’t matter at all!”

“Exactly! And your skills will only improve!”

“Ashu’s cooking will get even better!”

Ashu’s expression, as she gleefully realized this, was so adorable she looked like a little plush bunny.

“I am satisfied with your food, Ashu,” Ras interjected. 

“Keep improving and serve even more delicious dishes.”

“You’ve really gotten better. I was a bit worried, but this exceeded expectations!” Mammon added, giving Ashu a thumbs-up.

Cheong just kept smiling and repeatedly saying, “It’s so delicious!”

“Ashu.”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you and the Breeding Tribe move in with us? I run a big farm with the kids, so there will always be plenty of ingredients. Plus, we’ve been looking for chefs to cook for us.”

“Really?”

Ashu’s eyes sparkled, and they leapt into the air with excitement.

“Yes! Come with us.”

“Okay! Ashu will become Kyu-seong-Kyu-seong’s chef!”

With a joyful hop, Ashu jumped into my arms.

 Her soft, fluffy fur was warm and comforting.

[Ashu of Lust has been registered as your familiar.]

 [1,313 members of the Clan of Culinary Contemplation under the Breeding Tribe have been registered as your familiars.]

Wow, 1,313 members.

It seemed like a lot, but somehow not enough.

‘Maybe their numbers didn’t grow due to food shortages?’

I’d have to discuss this with Ashu later. I didn’t want their population to explode after moving into my dungeon.

“Me too! I want a hug!”

“Dad, hug me too!”

As Ashu snuggled into my arms, the other kids swarmed around me, demanding their share of attention.

It was a scene that would make Seon-ah jealous for sure.

‘If I bring the Breeding Tribe and Ashu home, she’s going to lose her mind,’ I thought, imagining Seon-ah’s delighted reaction.

Meanwhile, Kyler stood frozen, watching the chaos unfold. 

With an expression of pure disbelief, he finally muttered,

“Taming the boss of Lust as a familiar? Ha… haha… ha…”

Sorry for shocking you, Kyler.

Oh, but did you know? Ashu isn’t the only one of the Seven Deadly Sins here.

Ha ha.

The fourth of the Seven Deadly Sins, you’re mine now!

Prev | TOC | Next


Master 8

Prev I TOC I Next

For nearly a week after the unexpectedly eventful tea time with Whitney, Meredia had been on edge, filled with irritation and displeasure.

It wasn’t just because of Whitney’s ambiguous marriage proposal, but also due to another incident that got under her skin.

That’s why, until just a few minutes ago, when she personally arrived at the Count’s estate, Meredia exuded such an intense aura that the maids who welcomed her could barely pour tea properly.

“It’s been a week since I last saw you in person, Lady Meredia.”

Just as she was about to take a sip of the precariously poured tea, Whitney entered the garden with his usual unreadable smile and leisurely gait, sitting across from her.

“If you had informed me of your visit in advance, I would have given you a more proper welcome.”

“Ha.”

Right beside him, as if it were the most natural thing, stood a young girl, causing Meredia to let out a hollow laugh, momentarily forgetting her anger.

“You really have a talent for surprises.”

Though she was dressed in a convincingly proper maid outfit, Meredia immediately recognized the girl standing close to Whitney.

Runiel Mistilane. The youngest Gold-ranked knight apprentice and the winner of the 83rd Imperial Youth Swordsmanship Tournament, a competition filled with formidable contenders, including the imperial prince and the eldest son of Duke Embergreen.

However, due to an unfortunate incident during the knighthood ceremony, she had fallen overnight from a rising star to the tragic subject of imperial gossip.

Yet, the girl standing next to Whitney now bore none of the despair captured in the newspapers.

“I thought you had some twisted hobby of buying fallen nobles to use as slaves, but this is even worse.”

From afar, Meredia had her suspicions, but now that they were closer, she could clearly sense the resonance between their mana.

The intensity of the resonance suggested that Whitney had performed more than just one type of ritual, but the important part was that the once prodigious swordswoman Runiel had regained her mana.

And more significantly, she was sincerely loyal to Whitney.

A ‘vow’ could not be coerced or tricked, meaning it was undoubtedly Whitney himself who had restored her mana.

“I’ll give you credit. Whitney Lingard, you truly are quite capable.”

As that realization settled in, the irritation that had built up over the past week slowly gave way to curiosity.

Had he not crossed the line with that marriage proposal, she might have found his unpredictability more fascinating than infuriating from the start.

“As I said before, if we can find common ground, we could be excellent partners.”

Moreover, if an unexpected turn of events could work in her favor, Meredia was inclined to be quite generous.

“However, I can’t just let this situation slide.”

“Huh?”

But Meredia’s judgment on whether the man before her would be an asset had not yet concluded.

“I distinctly requested a private meeting with you.”

“Ah, well….”

“And yet, you dare bring a bodyguard—no, a sworn knight, at that?”

The very reason she had arrived unannounced at the Count’s estate was to determine this for herself.

“Not to mention, you proposed to me just a week ago?”

In an instant, a suffocating pressure descended upon Whitney and Runiel.

— Rumble…

Meredia had merely released a fraction of her suppressed mana, yet no one in the garden could remain standing properly.

“Hmm, this seems to be a misunderstanding….”

“No, that’s not the point.”

Whitney alone, sitting in front of her, maintained his balance, albeit with a troubled expression.

“The important thing is that I feel insulted.”

“Ahaha….”

As Meredia narrowed her eyes and whispered coldly, even Whitney could only offer an awkward smile before falling silent.

“And so….”

Even as she subtly raised her assessment of Whitney for withstanding her pressure head-on, Meredia prepared to increase the intensity further to uncover his true intentions.

— Crack…

At that moment, Runiel, who had been wavering beside Whitney, suddenly clenched her teeth and fixed a fierce gaze upon Meredia.

“Withdraw your presence.”

In the next instant, she grabbed a knife from the tea table and, in the blink of an eye, aimed it at Meredia’s throat.

A deathly silence fell over the garden.

“Oh?”

The unfortunate maids, caught in the middle of this escalating disaster, paled and shut their eyes tightly.

However, Meredia herself simply curved her lips into a smile, gazing at the girl who had just pointed a weapon at her.

“You can still move under these conditions?”

“Kh….”

“Your body doesn’t seem fully recovered, yet you’re quite impressive.”

As she tilted her head slightly and spoke in a low voice, cold sweat formed on Runiel’s forehead, even as she kept her blade at Meredia’s throat.

“I remember watching you utterly crush my brother’s pride in that tournament. It was quite the spectacle.”

Despite Runiel’s refusal to lower her weapon, Meredia’s smile deepened as she murmured in a gentle voice,

“Have you considered becoming one of my subordinates?”

“I refuse.”

“Ha!”

The instant Runiel gave her immediate answer, Meredia’s lips curled all the way up to her ears.

“You’ll regret it.”

“That’s for me to decide.”

At that moment, the atmosphere in the garden was hurtling toward an unpredictable climax.

“Miss Runiel, and Lady Meredia.”

Just then, Whitney, who had been silently observing the situation, suddenly grabbed Runiel’s arm and spoke.

“Let’s stop here.”

At his words, everyone’s gaze, including Meredia’s and Runiel’s, focused on him, and an eerie silence filled the garden.

“If something were to happen, it would be a disaster, wouldn’t it?”

Only Whitney, inappropriately cheerful for the situation, tried to soothe the two as if placating them.

***

‘What the hell is this mess?’

Even though I had barely managed to speak up in the suffocating atmosphere, my hands were still trembling uncontrollably.

‘To think things escalated this much while I was unconscious for a moment.’

The moment I opened my eyes after fainting from Meredia’s murderous aura, I was greeted with a spine-chilling scene. It would be strange if my hands weren’t shaking.

Even though I had internally chanted a white magic spell to amplify my mental strength, it had ultimately been insufficient to prevent me from passing out.

Had I been standing, I would likely be sprawled on the ground like the maids by now.

But no matter how tense the situation was, I had to prevent things from spiraling further out of control.

“Miss Runiel, please go inside the mansion and rest. I’ll continue my conversation with Lady Meredia.”

If a slaughter were to break out in the garden, the poor maids would just end up with more work.

“Understood.”

Thankfully, despite the suffocating killing intent, Runiel, who had been holding a knife to Meredia’s throat, obediently withdrew at my words.

She gave me a slight nod before walking quietly toward the mansion, her posture noticeably drooping.

She looked pitiful, like a hunting dog that had disappointed its master, but there was no way a dull tea knife to the throat could restrain Meredia.

Besides, my purpose for bringing Runiel here in the first place had already been achieved, so there was no need to further provoke Meredia.

“Lady Meredia, could you also withdraw your killing intent?”

“Is that an order?”

Alright, now it was time to talk my way out of this.

With nothing else at my disposal, my mouth was my most effective survival tool.

“How could I possibly order you? I only wish to clear up some unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“Is that so?”

At those words, Meredia tilted her head slightly, and the overwhelming pressure in the garden eased just a little.

“Then explain yourself.”

As I took a moment to wipe the cold sweat from my forehead with my sleeve, she fixed her gaze on me, her voice carrying an icy command.

Her expression remained as chilling as ever, but the faint gleam in her gemstone-like eyes was, at least, a hopeful sign.

According to the knowledge I had accumulated as a former gamer, that gleam indicated that Meredia was more intrigued than enraged.

And that was the only lifeline I had to escape this situation.

“First of all, I had no intention of threatening you, Lady Meredia. Even if every person in this mansion were to attack you at once, you might be in trouble, but I doubt they’d be a real threat to you.”

“Hmm.”

“And if Runiel’s presence offended you, I apologize, but if I had any ulterior motives toward you, I wouldn’t have brought her in front of you so openly.”

Meredia’s ruthless nature was well known, but few understood that she actually enjoyed unexpected situations and challenges.

Having grown up obtaining everything she desired, she found straightforward and easily readable people dull, and she despised those who feared her.

“I merely wanted to demonstrate how useful I could be to you, Lady Meredia.”

“……”

“Runiel has already sworn loyalty to me, so she can never become your sword, but if we join forces, she can still be a valuable ally.”

The very reason I had brought Runiel here was precisely for this.

Ideally, I would have preferred to keep her a secret, but if I was going to be in the same boat as Meredia, Runiel would eventually have to reveal herself to her.

And if that was inevitable, it was best to use her presence as a diversion to redirect Meredia’s irritation.

Of course, that gamble had nearly resulted in the garden being drenched in blood, but risks were a part of any bet.

“You’re conveniently leaving out the fact that you’ve accomplished something unprecedented—restoring a shattered mana circuit.”

But it seemed Meredia was more focused on me rather than Runiel.

“Haha, well, that’s something you could achieve with a bit of research yourself, Lady Meredia.”

“Don’t joke. If word of this got out, the entire magic academia would be in an uproar.”

I had simply copied the Emperor’s ritual from the game’s lore.

If Meredia, who had studied mana theory since she was five, started questioning me about the ritual, it would only be a matter of time before she uncovered the truth.

“Alright, I’ll speak plainly from now on. I want to join hands with you, and I’m willing to meet most of your demands.”

“I’m glad we share the same thoughts.”

To my immense relief, it was Meredia who shifted the conversation first.

“But tell me, what the hell is with that damn marriage proposal?”

She had been speaking in a much calmer tone than before, but the moment she asked the question, her expression turned genuinely curious.

That was when I finally realized it.

“Are you seriously considering marriage with me as your goal?”

The biggest reason she had come all the way here was to ask that question.

“Of course, I was so captivated by your beauty at first sight that I simply had to propose—”

—Hoooom…

“…Just kidding. I only did it because it was the easiest way to deceive others.”

Sensing that we were finally getting to the heart of the matter, I had attempted to lighten the mood with flattery.

However, the instant Meredia’s gaze turned icy, I swiftly changed course and launched into the explanation I had prepared in advance.

“I heard you’ve been under a lot of stress lately regarding marriage and proposals. Of course, no man would ever be worthy of someone like you, but…”

“Get to the point.”

“…Your goal is to become the head of your house, correct?”

That was what I said, but in truth, even the game never fully revealed her true objective.

In most routes, stopping her from becoming the final boss was the primary focus of the story, and even in a game-over scenario, there was never a clear answer about what happened next.

“For now, let’s say that’s correct.”

As expected, Meredia gave an ambiguous response.

That was somewhat disappointing, but I had never expected to uncover her true goal so easily anyway.

Besides, that wasn’t what was important right now.

“In that case, I will serve as your shield.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?”

For the sake of my crumbling family, for my younger sibling’s bright future, and above all, for my own survival—

I was about to propose something that no player had ever attempted before.

Or rather, something that no one had ever been able to attempt.

“Starting from this very moment, for as long as you wish.”

And perhaps this proposal would shake not just Meredia’s fate but the entire world’s timeline.

“I will marry you and become the son-in-law of the duchy.”

Of course, that was only if Meredia didn’t kill me on the spot after hearing those words.

Prev I TOC I Next


Patron 117

Prev | TOC I Next

Mellat, a sixth-order Wizard and a professor at the Red Tower, involuntarily opened her mouth in shock at the scene unfolding before her. It was all because of what Celaime Mikardo, the master of the Blue Tower, had said.

“An honor?”

Despite hearing it herself, Mellat could hardly believe it. Celaime Mikardo, the Blue Tower master, was known to be unusually gentle and kind compared to other tower masters or the future successors who would inherit his will, such as Penia. This made him very popular among the Wizards of other towers. He was a person who did not hesitate to give advice and teachings freely.

However, even the kind Celaime held great authority and pride in his magic. An incident where he completely dominated the Purple Tower master, who had belittled Celaime’s magic during a central tower meeting, was well-known among all Wizards.

Was that all? There was also an occasion when the Green Tower master had challenged Celaime’s lecture, leading to a forced three-day debate until the Green Tower master conceded defeat.

Thus, although Celaime was kind, he was proud of his magic and did not easily bow his head to anyone. That’s why the current situation was so astonishing.

Turning her gaze, she saw that other Wizards were similarly bewildered and, confirming it was not a misunderstanding, stared at Marquis Palatio.

His hierarchy was the fourth order. While it was unusual for a Wizard to use ancient magic—primarily primitive magic—there was nothing else remarkable about him.

“What exactly…? Why is the Blue Tower master making such a fuss…?”

While doubts filled her mind, Marquis Palatio himself was also puzzled.

‘Really, what is it?’

Alon, contemplating whether to ask or not, hesitated before being invited, “Ah, please come in.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Of course. How could I not make room for the Marquis?”

Before he could finish his thought, he was quickly ushered into the lecture hall.

“Please sit here.”

“I could just stand at the back…”

“That won’t do, it’s fine. This was originally my seat anyway.”

Thanks to Celaime’s excessive hospitality, he ended up sitting in the front row, feeling the piercing stares of everyone behind him.

After the lecture ended, it was clear that attending Celaime’s lecture was the right choice. Magically, he had gained a lot. However, if someone asked if he wanted to attend another lecture by Celaime, that would be difficult. 

While the content was good, Alon had to endure the intense glares from other Wizards behind him.

Even conceding to the glares, what about the laughter…? 

Alon recalled earlier, specifically the burdening smile Celaime had given him, which seemed to have a hidden agenda, making him leave the classroom with a troubled expression.

“How was the lecture?”

Suddenly, the source of his discomfort appeared.

Alon was taken aback but quickly regained his composure.

“It was enlightening.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Celaime nodded, seeming genuinely pleased, to which Alon asked, “But may I ask you one thing?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I remember last time you didn’t use formal speech, so why suddenly…?”

It was as perplexing as it was uncomfortable.

Celaime smiled warmly.

“Just suddenly felt a sense of respect.”

“A sense of respect?”

“Yes.”

“Suddenly, why?”

Once again lost, Alon was about to receive an answer when a voice from behind interrupted.

“Celaime, what the heck did you do to make everyone lose their screws like that?”

Turning around, Alon saw a figure he had never met in person but knew well—Parkline Agrulus was standing there.

“Hurry up, didn’t you say you’d help with the magic this time? Aren’t you already too busy, what are you doing here?”

As Parkline approached, visibly annoyed, he soon noticed Alon.

“You are definitely—”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Lord of the Red Tower. I am Alon Palatio.”

Alon bowed his head slightly in greeting. Parkline let out an exclamation and then said with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. You use primitive magic?”

“Um, yes, that’s correct.”

Alon was puzzled by his reaction. However,

“I’ve heard good things indeed. You also saved my daughter in the jungle recently, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Thank you. My daughter spoke very highly of you. Quite a lot actually, for over a week straight after returning.”

Through these words, Alon realized why he was behaving this way.

‘This man… he’s a doting father.’

Just as Parkline was about to add a few more words, suddenly,

“Stop!”

“Damn it, you scared me!”

Celaime shouted from the side,

“How dare you speak to Marquis Palatio like that! Apologize!”

“???”

Following this, Parkline was at a loss for words, with a look that seemed to ask if Celaime had finally gone mad.

“Have you lost your mind roaming around the country because of your wanderlust for magic?”

Before he could continue,

“Tower Master, may I know how long should we wait?”

A Wizard opened the door to the classroom and asked casually, then sighed heavily.

“Stop talking nonsense and come along. Keep your promises.”

Parkline turned to leave.

“Wait! Shouldn’t we finish our conversation first? Marquis, is there anything else you would like to ask?”

Indeed, Alon had something to ask.

“Speaking of which, I recently heard a rumor about the tower, and I’d like to inquire about it.”

“What rumor?”

“I heard a rumor that you, Tower Master, have approved a relationship between me and Lady Penia.”

“Ah, that rumor.”

Celaime nodded seemingly nonchalantly.

“If it’s something the Marquis wishes, I see no harm in it. It’s the right age for that, after all.”

In truth, Celaime’s thoughts were not so simple.

A union between the Marquis and Penia? It wouldn’t just be ‘no harm’; it would be perfect. But revealing such personal bias seemed inappropriate, so he said as much,

“Come on, follow me! We’re just getting started!”

Without a chance for Alon to respond, Parkline pulled Celaime away.

And then,

“See you next time, Marquis!”

Alon watching Celaime being dragged away with an unusually bright smile couldn’t help but hold his aching head.

***

Blue Moon’s regular meeting.

The Moons, who had been chattering until just moments ago, suddenly fell silent.

The face of Yutia projected on the screen was unusually serious.

“We’ve found those who tried to defame the Great Moon.”

The air rippled momentarily.

Everyone quieted down as Hidan began his report.

“I will now explain. We have been consistently tracking an organization in our area, and we’ve located several places that were sending orders to lower-tier organizations.”

“How many places?”

“A total of twenty-one, and we’ve confirmed that all of them are directly connected to the real brains behind the defamation of the Great Moon. However, we have yet to identify the ‘head’.”

After a brief silence,

“So, we just need to raid these organizations to find the bastard who tried to defame the Great Moon?”

The previously innocently smiling Seolrang flashed a fierce smile, lighting up her golden eyes,

“Where are they?”

Continuing the discussion, Rine asked,

“The locations vary. Based on the regions where the Moons reside, there are five near Caliban, five near Laksas, three near Ashtalon, and three near Lartania.”

As Hidan finished his report, Yutia’s voice echoed sharply.

“Did everyone hear that? Pass the information and start moving now.”

“Same here.”

“I’ll do the same.”

“There seem to be none in Colonia, so I’ll head to Ashtalon. We just need to kill them, right?”

“Make sure to get the information before you kill them.”

Yutia sighed lightly, easing the heavy atmosphere a bit, and then introduced another topic.

“There’s another matter.”

“Another matter?”

“What is it?”

Radan and Seolrang reacted immediately.

“It seems the Great Moon needs specialty goods for the domain. Does anyone have a good proposal?”

“Is he looking for something characteristic of the domain?”

“It seems so.”

“Me! Me me me!!” Seolrang eagerly raised her hand.

“Let’s hear it.”

“I’ll build a coliseum in the Great Moon’s domain and I’ll be the specialty product!”

“Rejected.”

“OH—”

Seolrang made a sulky face but she did not argue further.

Her idea was so off the mark that it was unclear where even to begin correcting it.

“You can’t come yourself. We all have our own orders.”

“Ugh—”

Then,

“Specialty products, isn’t it already decided?”

Deus’s confident voice cut in,

“What is it?”

“If the Marquis writes his autobiography, that solves everything.”

Another unusual suggestion sprang up.

[·······]

Despite other Moons making faces that suggested this was a bit too much, Deus seemed lost in thought, oblivious to the reactions around him.

“A self-written autobiography by him… that would be interesting. Like a classic novel, maybe I could even co-author to make sure it’s—”

By now, Deus was deep in his own considerations, and the other Moons, accustomed to his behavior, let him be and moved on with the agenda.

“Specialty products.”

Behind Seolrang’s dissatisfied voice, Radan, stroking his chin thoughtfully, spoke up.

“I have a not-so-bad idea about this. Let me handle it.”

“What is it?”

“Since none of us are particularly good at that kind of thing, how about we bring in someone who is?”

“Is there such a person?”

“Yes, I’ve recently met someone.”

Radan smiled slyly.

Meanwhile, in the alleys of Laksas,

“!?”

“Brother? Why are you shivering all of a sudden?”

“It’s like a sudden chill came over me.”

Ever since being dragged off by Radan and nearly dying, only to return and savor life twice as joyously as before, Alexion the Appraiser was suddenly struck by an unknown chill.

“What’s that?”

Filled with unease, he looked out the window.

…There, the Blue Moon was shining.

***

At that moment.

Having seen the rising moon, Alon immediately set out to learn magic and greeted,

“Good day.”

“Welcome.”

He encountered Heinkel in the library bathed in blue moonlight.

“Now, the thing you requested.”

Her face looked remarkably better than when they had met the day before.

Despite sensing an odd tension, Alon prompted,

[Call them once.]

“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”

Following his words, Alon summoned Basiliora just as he had before by channeling magic into the pattern, and soon, Basiliora appeared.

“I will never act up again, I’m sorry, so please, I beg you, spare me from the fist-bending, aaaaahhh!”

Seeing the somewhat broken Basiliora,

“Ah, ah-ah-ah! I’m alive. I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive!! I’ll do as you say! I’ll do anything you want, just subjugation or whatever, just please save me~!”

Hearing the desperate cries of the little snake, Alon was momentarily shocked.

[How about that, it worked out, right?]

“Yes, it seems so.”

Smiling, Heinkel made a comment, and Alon broke out in a cold sweat.

Somehow, he felt a little scared.

Prev | TOC I Next


Round 256

Prev | TOC | Next

“Can I just stay here for today?”

“Actually, the security here is more perfect. I was only worried the bed might be uncomfortable, so I arranged a separate accommodation for you.”

I decided to stay at the clinic for the day after checking Emily’s condition.

Although there were many other children at the clinic, most of them had difficulty moving around. Therefore, the presence of energetic familiars brightened the clinic’s atmosphere.

Because many people couldn’t enter, only Choi Sung-hyuk and Jeong So-yeon came to the clinic to escort me. The rest of the team waited at the accommodations we had secured earlier.

“The facilities are really nice.”

Choi Sung-hyuk admired as he entered the clinic.

The exterior and interior of the clinic, which seemed like they might belong in the near future, naturally drew admiration.

In reality, I heard it was filled with advanced technology using magic stone technology.

“Wow! Look at this!”

“That’s amazing!”

There was also a large playground area with safe playground equipment for the children.

Devices that spurted foam like soap bubbles.

Machines that wove colorful holograms through the air.

Instruments that made beautiful sounds when touched.

Since this was a place for very sick children, everything was focused on safety, which is why we couldn’t just give out any food.

‘It’s a shame I can’t give them food.’

The children were hospitalized for rare diseases, so I couldn’t give them my food either, in case it caused any serious issues.

While watching the children play, a clinic staff member approached me.

“Mr. Kyu-seong? The research institute has contacted us asking if you could visit for a moment.”

An interpreter beside me translated.

Upon hearing this, I immediately nodded.

“Yes? Ah, let’s go.”

Choi Sung-hyuk and Jeong So-yeon started to follow, but the staff member spoke again.

“I’m really sorry, but only Mr. Kyu-seong can enter the research institute. Could you please wait for a moment?”

We exchanged looks and then nodded.

However, one safety measure was prepared.

“Can I bring the familiars?”

“Um, that’s fine.”

Such generosity.

It’s funny if you think that the familiars have a higher chance of causing trouble than those two.

Thinking it was odd, I called the children.

“Where are you going?”

Ara immediately ran up and asked me, and Cheong was asking the other children for permission to leave.

With that, I followed the staff member with all the familiars.

The interpreter couldn’t join, which made me wonder how I would communicate.

“Mr. Kyu-seong, this is Kyler.”

The leading staff member said without turning back.

“Huh.”

“I came to show you directly the Seven Deadly Sin we discussed last time.”

“What?”

Kyler? What are you talking about all of a sudden?

“I know of two dungeons of the Seven Deadly Sins. One is the well-known Dungeon of Lust, and the other is an undiscovered one I found a few years ago.”

“Two…”

This was new to me.

Considering he knew a lot about the Seven Deadly Sins, I assumed he was talking about the Dungeon of Lust in the USA, but he knew another one?!

“An undiscovered one!!”

What kind of dungeon could it be?

Envy? Pride? Sloth?

Whatever it was, it was welcome news for me.

“The undiscovered dungeon is not in the USA. I found it while exploring remote areas.”

“Ah…”

“However, the Dungeon of Lust is nearby. That’s why the clinic was established here.”

“Why is that?”

“The founding of this clinic was for my daughter. And I thought the Seven Deadly Sins might be the answer to her treatment, although it wasn’t lust.”

“Does that mean the undiscovered Seven Deadly Sins could be the answer to your daughter’s treatment?”

“I’m guessing so.”

What kind of Seven Deadly Sin could cure Emily’s illness?

He must have already entered the dungeon and used a return stone to come back.

“Let’s visit the Dungeon of Lust together briefly.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. Right now.”

Then Kyler handed me something.

It was a small ring that could fit on a pinky finger, which I accepted.

“It’s an object capable of mass teleportation. It transports us to specified coordinates.”

“Mass teleport?”

“Think of it as group teleportation. I’ve set the coordinates right in front of the Dungeon of Lust.”

“Whoa.”

This guy is really courting disaster!

On one hand, it seemed fitting for Kyler, known as a Level 9 Awakener and a Wanderer, to do something like this.

“I’ll follow immediately. I’ll guide you through the dungeon.”

“Uh, yes.”

Although I was slightly taken aback by the sudden exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins, seeing the children by my side reassured me.

Ara and Cheong, Mammon and Ras.

With just these four, there was nothing to fear.

As soon as I put on the ring and used the item, the familiars were all designated, and we teleported together.

-Ho, impressive.

-Ugh.

“Kyaha!”

“It’s scary!”

As I heard the children’s shouts, my view shifted instantly. 

When I gathered my senses, we were already standing in an unknown space.

“Whoa!”

And there, a gigantic dungeon entrance was surrounded by all kinds of advanced equipment.

It resembled the scene around the Dungeon of Wrath, which the European Union had surrounded.

But it felt a bit more sophisticated.

‘Is there nobody here?’

I felt something was odd, but soon Kyler appeared beside me.

“Let’s go in.”

“Ah, isn’t it dangerous?”

“No problem. The Dungeon of Lust is already in a state of complete annihilation, with only the boss monster and its species remaining. And they don’t usually come out of their lair.”

“Ah.”

“As long as we don’t enter the lair, there’s no danger.”

Reassured by Kyler’s detailed knowledge, I nodded.

Soon, Kyler strode into the dungeon first.

‘What measures has he taken?’

It was strange that there were no people, and it was odd that we could enter so casually.

But seeing Kyler act so confidently, he must have prepared something.

“Is Ashu here?”

“Yes.”

“Oh! We’re going to see Ashu!”

Ara cheered and raised her hands, and Mammon and Ras responded.

-It’s been a while. Her misery was quite the delicacy.

-Hmm, she was a wild child; has she matured a bit?

Ras licked his lips, and Mammon muttered worriedly.

With various reactions, they cautiously headed towards the dungeon.

Thump!

An unknown noise greeted us as we entered the dungeon.

And soon we discovered something.

“Huh?”

Thud!

Kyler, who had entered first, was fighting something small and incredibly fast.

“What, what is that?”

Safe, huh?!

What in the world is he fighting?

The opponent was exceedingly fast.

Even Kyler could barely react, and it was too fast for me to see.

“Mr. Kyu-seong! Use the return stone to escape immediately!”

Kyler shouted urgently.

It felt like he was facing something unexpected.

I naturally prepared to use the return stone I had been holding since entering.

“Oh! It’s Ashu! Ashu! I have come!”

At that moment, Ara waved and greeted.

Then Mammon and Ras also waved their hands.

-Ashu!

-The Soverign has arrived.

Only Cheong hid behind my back, peering out, when something incredibly fast, previously unseen, suddenly charged at us.

Could this be Ashu of Lust?

“Mr. Kyu-seong! Danger…..!”

Kyler’s urgent voice followed, and soon something the size of my knee stopped in front of Ara.

-Gula?

“Ashu! Now I am Ara!”

-Gula!

As it stopped, I could see its form properly.

It was just a plain white rabbit, except it walked on two legs, which was unusual and cute.

The rabbit, called Ashu, seemed overjoyed as it hugged Ara.

It also shouted towards Mammon and Ras who were with us.

-Mammon! Ras! Hello! Hello!

Its tone was bright and seemed a bit chaotic.

Yet, this only made its joy more apparent.

“Ashu, it’s been a while.”

-Yes, yes! Long time no see, Gula!

“I am Ara!”

-A new name, huh? Ashu likes the name Ara too!

Ashu giggled as it laughed.

Kyler, watching this scene, seemed dumbfounded.

“What in the world is going on here…”

He seemed unable to comprehend the situation.

Meanwhile, Ara was introducing me.

“This is Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! The great lord!”

-Kyu-seong Kyu-seong? I’m Ashu! Nice to meet you, giggle!

With a natural greeting, I also bowed my head.

“Hello, Ashu?”

-Hmm, guests have come, so I wanted to offer some food, but that’s a problem! Ashu came out of the burrow because I thought there might be nothing to eat.

Ashu looked around distractedly.

“Ashu, we’ve brought food!”

-You brought food?

“It’s something Ashu will like! It’s stuff that can be cooked up a lot!”

-Cook up a lot?!

Ashu’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Just looking at it, it was nothing more than an adorably cute rabbit.

Hard to believe this little one pushed Kyler to his limits.

I then took out a package I had been carrying on my back.

I started to show all kinds of ingredients.

-Oh, ohhh. Ohhhhh!!

Ashu began to get excited.

Soon it picked up each vegetable, sniffed them, and looked ecstatic.

-Can Ashu cook this?

“Uh? Of course.”

-Great! Ashu will cook for you!

Ashu grabbed a handful of the crops and scurried off, then suddenly remembered something and shouted back at us.

-Follow Ashu! I’ll treat you to something delicious!

I nodded and followed Ashu.

Kyler then swallowed dryly and asked me.

“Kyu-seong, what exactly is happening here…”

“Uh, a surprise invitation?”

“Huh?”

Honestly, I also didn’t know how to explain this.

“Just follow and see,” I suggested, and Kyler, with a somewhat fearful look, nodded as he watched Ashu’s round tail.

“If Kyu-seong is going, I must take responsibility to the end.”

His voice was solemn, and I scratched my head.

Certainly, we seemed to have different perspectives.

‘Well, he had to confront it directly.’

Probably he concluded that he couldn’t defeat Ashu.

Following Ashu, for Kyler, might have felt like risking his life.

“The more I learn about you, Kyu-seong, the more I find you differ from what is known to the world.”

“Me?”

“It’s a Seven Deadly Sin. A monster even I can’t defeat. And yet you greet it so casually…”

While he was speaking, Kyler turned his gaze to my service 

beasts.

Then he chewed his lip and finally held back.

It was as if he had many questions but chose to restrain himself.

“Don’t worry.”

I awkwardly reassured Kyler.

“I will certainly find a cure for your daughter.”

“Have you discovered a treatment?!”

That must have been his biggest concern.

However, it seemed he had deliberately not asked to keep a promise first.

“I’m not sure yet, but I’m exploring various methods.”

“Ah…”

In the meantime, we had finally descended into the rabbit burrow.

Then we felt many gazes upon us.

“Uh.”

“Gulp”

The burrow was filled with cute rabbits.

And Ashu greeted us as we entered the burrow.

-Welcome to the village of the Breeding Tribe!

Breeding Tribe.

The Lust of the Seven Deadly Sins.

So that’s why there are so many.

‘Well, indeed, they’re healthy. Ha ha.’

……Thinking about it, the more manpower, the better.

I’ll take them all to my dungeon. Hehe.

Prev | TOC | Next


Master 7

Prev I TOC I Next

She simply wanted to hold a sword again.

“M-My mana! My mana…!”

“Damn it! Stop the ritual now!”

At the knighting ceremony, which should have been the happiest moment of her life, the ritual failed for some unknown reason. All of Runiel’s mana circuits burned away. Since then, she had struggled, thinking only of that moment.

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

The people who once praised her as the greatest prodigy in history turned their backs on her without hesitation. The sponsorships that once poured in every day stopped as if they had never existed.

Even the empire’s most renowned doctors shook their heads in firm refusal. The family that once showered her with love eventually abandoned her, unable to bear the astronomical costs of meaningless treatments.

But at that time, Runiel still believed she could turn everything back.

However, the world was never kind to a naive girl who knew nothing but the sword—especially when she could no longer wield even that.

Fraudulent “experts” approached her, promising to restore her mana circuits. Swindlers, disguised as benefactors, burdened her with crushing debts, exploiting her desperation.

In the end, the moment she received an official letter revoking her noble status, delivered to the shabby inn where she barely managed to stay, she finally realized the truth.

As a knight, as a noble, and even as an ordinary girl—she could no longer dream of any of those futures.

From that point on, she was fated to fall endlessly, reduced to a miserable existence lower than even commoners, lower than mere peasants.

And that realization became clearer every time—when she was sold at half price, like defective merchandise at a slave market; when she swept the dust in an unfamiliar hallway, dressed in the uniform of those who once served her; and when she was summoned to her master’s room at dawn, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She was no longer the proud knight Runiel Mistilane.

She was now nothing more than “Item No. 167” of the slave market, a mere decorative maid whose only worth was in her fallen nobility.

From now on, her life would consist of holding a broom and a rag instead of a sword, and pleasing her master instead of upholding a knight’s oath.

Yes, that was the life she had resigned herself to…

*****

“Gasp…!”

Runiel opened her eyes wide, gasping for air. Instinctively, she pushed herself up to sit.

“Hah… Hah…”

She had been unconscious for some time. Her mind was still hazy.

Although the unbearable pain that tormented her moments ago had vanished, her muscles still screamed in agony, unable to forget the suffering. Her sweat-drenched clothes clung to her body, weighing her down.

Unable to fully lift herself, she gasped for breath, scanning her surroundings. Soon, she realized she was alone in a basement.

“…Ah.”

As she stared blankly, a memory flashed through her mind—Whitney, looking down at her with disappointment, muttering that she had failed to meet expectations.

“…So, this is the end.”

Considering that, the ritual had likely ended in failure. She was deemed useless and abandoned here.

“…?”

Lowering her head in despair, her eyes caught sight of a note lying on the floor.

With nothing else to do, she unconsciously picked it up and skimmed the neatly written letters.

“You lost consciousness during the ritual, so I couldn’t tell you in person, but I have good news.”

Time seemed to freeze. Her body stiffened.

“The ritual was successfully completed.”

The note, undoubtedly left behind by Whitney, carried an overwhelming weight.

“Of course, your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. You will have to endure this pain several more times.”

By now, her body should have been trembling from mana reflux.

But instead, she had already sprung to her feet. Other than the lingering pain, her body felt startlingly normal.

“However, starting today, you will be able to wield mana again.”

Only Runiel’s hands, gripping the note, trembled violently.

“Rest for a while, and when you regain your strength, come to my office. We will continue our conversation then.”

Her gaze landed on the final line of the note.

“Congratulations on wielding your sword once again, Miss Runiel Mistilane.”

The note slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the ground.

P.S. The front door of the basement is not in use, so please use the back door connected to my office.”

That small postscript, written at the bottom, went unnoticed by Runiel, whose mind was already reeling.

Step, step…

Without sparing another glance at the note, Runiel staggered forward.

She had heard countless lies before—empty promises that she would be able to wield a sword again.

But this time, something was different.

With each passing second, she could feel it—the changes in her body, the faint traces of the glorious past she had once lost.

No matter how much she felt it, it wasn’t enough.

For years, she had desperately wished for this moment, seeing it only in dreams night after night. She couldn’t be at ease until she saw it with her own eyes.

“I need to check… Right now…!”

That was why Runiel, using what little strength she had left, forced open the long-unused front door of the basement and started moving forward.

The passageway, neglected for years, was filled with dust, dark, and damp. But fortunately, at the far end, a faint light welcomed her.

It was a small, fragile sliver of light.

But to Runiel, who had been trapped in darkness for so long, that tiny light seemed blindingly bright.

—Creak…

Almost unconsciously following the light, she reached the end of the passage and gripped the handle, pushing it upward with all her strength.

At that moment, sunlight far brighter than anything she had seen before engulfed her.

“…Ah.”

Squinting slightly from the brightness, Runiel stepped outside and quickly realized she was standing in the middle of the Lingard estate’s garden.

“Kya! Kyaaah!”

“Wh-Who…?”

The gardeners tending the estate and the maids fetching water gasped in shock at her sudden appearance.

But Runiel paid them no mind as she frantically scanned her surroundings.

Her clothes were loose and disheveled, covered in dirt, dust, and dried sweat. Her entire body reeked of blood.

“Isn’t that… the one the young master bought—no, brought in a week ago?”

“I saw her sneaking out of her room alone last night…”

The maids, worried by her disheveled and battered appearance, watched her anxiously.

But Runiel’s focus was elsewhere.

“…Where is the sword?”

Right now, only one thought consumed her mind—she had to hold a sword.

Sasha, her instructor, had said that the knights had locked the training grounds while away on a mission. The estate’s armory was only accessible to authorized personnel and caretakers.

That left only one place where she might be able to get her hands on something even remotely similar to a sword.

“W-Where are you going?”

“Sh-Should we follow her?”

As Runiel staggered toward the mansion, the maids, watching her uneasily, widened their eyes and hurried after her.

“Wait, hold on…”

“Move.”

A few of them tried to stop her, but at the eerie, chilling look in her eyes, they instinctively shrank back, stepping aside.

“Yes… this place…”

Runiel, having entered the mansion without resistance, finally arrived at her destination—the kitchen.

Trailing a line of people behind her, she scanned her surroundings with hazy eyes before muttering under her breath.

“Found it.”

The next moment, before anyone could stop her, her hand shot toward the kitchen’s storage rack.

—Shing…

A sharp kitchen knife landed firmly in her grip.

The maids, who had followed her inside, froze in place.

“…Ha.”

How much time had passed?

“Hah… Hahahaha…!”

The chilling silence that had settled over the kitchen was broken by an eerie, chilling laughter—so unsettling that it seemed impossible that it came from Runiel’s own mouth.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

As the others stood frozen, overwhelmed by her sudden outburst, Runiel suddenly collapsed to the floor.

“Haha! Hah… Haha…”

Her twisted expression bore a crazed smile, her eyes brimming with ecstasy.

Even as she laughed like a madwoman, hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

“…Whitney Lingard.”

At the hoarse, cracked voice escaping her lips, the onlookers flinched.

But no one dared to approach the trembling girl who had sunk to the floor.

“If this is the price of selling my soul to you…”

Because of that, no one noticed the faint glimmer of energy in her hands, hidden behind her hunched-over form.

The aura that wrapped around the small kitchen knife was as faint as the light that had guided her through the basement passage—so fragile it seemed like it could disappear at any moment.

But this was precisely the hope Runiel had longed for, yearned for, over the past few years.

“…Then I will gladly become your sword.”

If it meant she could wield it again, she would willingly sell even her soul.

“…Come to think of it, last night, when I went to the restroom, I thought I heard screaming.”

“S-So… that wasn’t a stray cat…?”

“Shh! We know nothing.”

Of course, the maids, who had no idea of the real situation, sighed in relief when Runiel quietly set the knife down.

That was how the rumor that would later be known as the “kitchen suicide incident” began to take shape.

“I saw nothing. I heard nothing. I know nothing…”

Thanks to that, Sasha—who had been peacefully making sandwiches in the kitchen—ended up cowering inside a basket, tears welling in her eyes.

Unfortunately for her, there seemed to be no way to clear up the misunderstanding.

*****

“Ugh, I almost went into shock from the pain.”

Idly rubbing my ear, which had suddenly started itching while processing documents in my office, I shuddered as I recalled the pain I had felt just hours ago.

‘I thought I was already used to pain, but this was beyond anything I imagined.’

If I hadn’t shared the pain with Runiel, I might have been completely done for—game over, just like that.

Well, forcibly opening a mana passage within the soul should be painful. That much was expected.

Still, the thought of having to share this pain several more times made me sigh heavily.

“But, well… It can’t be helped.”

Considering the future events I had to survive, this was actually quite the bargain.

And honestly, it felt incredibly rewarding as a veteran player to have pioneered a route that no one else had ever succeeded in before.

It was a statement that made me sound like a complete game addict, but this was my reality now, so I had no reason to hold back.

And really, was 8,500 hours of total playtime even enough to be considered an addiction?

—Knock, knock, knock…

“Come in.”

Just as I was about to shift my attention back to the mountain of paperwork, lost in my ridiculous thoughts, I heard a sudden knock at the door.

“Alfred, I’ve been thinking… Don’t you think the amount of paperwork has gotten out of hand lately—Runiel?”

I had assumed it was Alfred, ready to vent about the absurd amount of documents piling up. But the person who stepped inside wasn’t him—it was Runiel.

Her gaze, compared to the past week, had become astonishingly clear.

Still, she should have been feeling the aftereffects of the ritual, right?

For reference, my entire body was still sore as hell.

“You’ve already recovered your strength? You could’ve rested a little longer…”

I was about to express my concern, worried that she might be pushing herself too hard, when Runiel’s calm voice cut me off.

“I have a question.”

Her expression was so serious that I couldn’t help but pay attention. But her question turned out to be almost laughably simple.

“What is it that you want from me?”

I almost wanted to laugh.

That was easy.

All I wanted was to gather a dream team—a group of overpowered characters who had been notoriously difficult to recruit in the game. A team that would guarantee my survival and a peaceful life.

And with Runiel now secured, I had already achieved a major part of my goal.

“What I want? I’ve already gotten it.”

I answered with the friendliest smile I could manage, meeting her gaze.

But Runiel remained silent, standing motionless as she stared at me.

“Honestly, I’m in a bit of a dangerous position, so I need a reliable bodyguard—”

“I understand.”

Just as I was about to explain further, making sure she fully grasped my situation, Runiel suddenly spoke with conviction.

“Then, I shall swear an oath.”

“…Huh?”

Before I could fully process her words, she was already kneeling on one knee before me, her head bowed in solemnity.

“To enemies, judgment and retribution. To captives, mercy and goodwill. To honor faith and uphold dignity in the face of trials.”

Wait. That’s… the knight’s oath.

“I, Runiel Mistilane, swear to bring only victory and glory to my liege.”

She had altered the traditional oath slightly—replacing “evil” and “the weak” with “enemies” and “captives”—but that wasn’t the issue here.

The issue was that she had declared, without hesitation, an oath that should only be sworn to a single master for life.

“From this moment forth, Whitney Lingard…”

As I stared in stunned silence, Runiel lifted her head and gazed at me with unwavering resolve.

“I swear to be only your loyal sword and tool.”

Of course, having Runiel pledge such absolute loyalty to me was great news.

A knight’s oath could only be made by the knight’s own will, without coercion or threat, and once sworn, it was unbreakable by the knight themselves.

This meant she had pledged lifelong, unconditional loyalty to me.

Furthermore, under imperial law, a knight who swore an oath became the legal possession of their liege, with their mana completely bound to them.

There was a reason why a knight’s oath was jokingly referred to as a “legalized slavery contract” among the nobility.

But there was a problem.

Because of the mana binding effect, anyone capable of sensing mana would immediately know that she now belonged to me.

Runiel’s recovery wasn’t yet complete, and considering the upcoming events and potential complications, keeping her revival a secret for now would have been ideal.

I had told her to rest and return later specifically so I could propose the oath to her myself once everything was fully settled.

But now? Everything was completely out of my hands.

“Uh, maybe we should hold off on that for a bit—ah.”

I tried to stop her in a hurry, but for some reason, the oath had already been completed.

Wait.

Could it be…?

Had my earlier response been interpreted as acceptance, triggering the oath and linking our mana automatically?

Damn it.

This was why I needed to be careful with my words when dealing with contracts and rituals.

“I hope you use me well.”

Completely oblivious to my internal panic, Runiel looked up at me with a small, quiet smile.

For some reason, there was a faint trace of… something almost wicked in that smile.

But I had no time to dwell on that. My mind was already overloaded.

“For now… please stay out of sight and focus on recovering. I’ll figure out what to do next—”

“Y-Y-Young Master!”

Just as I was about to handle the aftermath of this mess, Sasha burst in, her face pale with terror.

“L-L-Lady Meredia wishes to see you…!”

“…Hmm.”

As if the situation wasn’t already chaotic enough, now this?

“Well, I suppose that works out. Let’s set up a meeting, then.”

I tried to maintain my composure and approach the situation rationally.

But then—

“A-Actually… she’s already waiting in the mansion’s garden.”

‘…I’m doomed.’

Hearing that, I finally surrendered.

I never expected everything to go according to plan, but this was a bit much.

The only small consolation was that at least the final boss—someone who could erase me from existence with a snap of her fingers—didn’t harbor any hostility toward me.

“Also… she asked me to deliver a message…”

“What is it?”

“If you can’t come up with a convincing explanation for the documents you submitted last time, y-you should prepare yourself… in every sense.”

“Runiel, how about we go for a walk in the garden?”

Screw it. I was beyond caring at this point.

Prev I TOC I Next


Patron 116

Prev | TOC I Next

The term “Wizard” is known to anyone who is a mage. Wizards were, in a way, the ancestors of mages, active during the forgotten era of gods. Each one was a powerful entity capable of twisting the laws of the world at will. 

However, beyond that, little was known due to the loss of information. Numerous relics and artifacts from the ‘Era of Forgotten Gods’ are still being discovered, but those related to wizards are surprisingly nonexistent. What remains of the wizard’s magic is now called ‘primitive magic,’ which is not considered particularly appealing, as it was studied a hundred years ago by a researcher.

Silicaman, a seventh-tier mage, enchanted by the described wizards, spent an enormous amount of time with his students researching wizards, eventually mastering the use of ancient magic through their phrases and symbols. So far so good, but the problem was that the ancient magic they deciphered turned out to be more rudimentary than they had imagined. 

The alignment of magical power was inaccurate, making the manifestation of magic unstable and incredibly slow to emerge. Moreover, despite all these shortcomings, its power was disappointingly low. 

Despite successfully recreating the wizard’s magic, it manifested incompletely, like an important puzzle piece was missing. The academy ruled that wizard’s magic was currently infeasible.

Thus, among mages, it gradually became forgotten under the term ‘primitive magic,’ and only a few of Silicaman’s disciples, unable to let go of the illusion of wizards, continued to use one or two of the phrases they inherited. 

Nowadays, most mages are unaware that primitive magic even involves these phrases or symbols.

However, for Celaime Mikardo, this was not important. What mattered was… the fact that Marquis Palatio was a wizard…!? Possibly, a wizard from the forgotten era who could help him advance from the eighth to the ninth tier! 

Of course, his speculation might be premature, but he was convinced of it based on a few clues. Marquis Palatio had effortlessly passed through a gate that no one else could solve, and seemed to easily interpret phrases that even he could not read. 

More than anything, it was ‘that thing’ attached to his back, an entity that could entirely ignore the laws of this world, which he was with. 

Moreover, he had already used more than five phrases perfectly and delicately, like the magic of this era, something even the seventh-tier mage Silicaman could not perfectly replicate. 

It would be impossible for the Marquis, just over his twenties, unless he was indeed a mage from the ancient times.

‘Looking at it this way, things I didn’t understand when investigating him now make sense,’ Celaime thought as he recalled an incident filled with questions when he was investigating the Marquis. 

In just a few years, both the former Count and the second and first sons died under mysterious circumstances, and the massive underworld organization under his command was wiped out in one day. 

Although rumors were rife at the time that Marquis Palatio Alon was behind it, there were also many questions about him due to his young age and the fact that the huge organization, Avalon, which he commanded, was cleared in a day without any noticeable shape or movement.

Celaime felt there was something odd about that. But, if the assumption that Marquis Palatio was a wizard holds true, the underworld thugs would be mere bugs to a wizard who can freely twist and overturn the world’s laws. 

So, ‘Did he steal a body? Or is it possession or an artifact? Or perhaps a reincarnation magic practiced in ancient times? Why is he hiding his identity? Is there something? No matter, it doesn’t matter.’ 

Celaime Mikardo, with eyes showing a hint of madness, resolved, ‘I will befriend him without annoying him too much. I’ll become friends and learn the magic. That’s how I’ll reach the ninth tier! 

He let out a creepy, inexplicable chuckle. 

‘This guy, why is he suddenly like this?’ 

Parkline, watching him, felt uneasy but showed a tiny bit of concern.

***

Just as Celaime was engrossed in this peculiar conclusion, Alon was showing Heinkel the Kalgunias Pact Ring. 

[It looks like it’s just outright refusing to be summoned, doesn’t it?]

“What should I do in this case?”

[The method to make it come out of the ring is simple. Instead of just pouring magical power into it, distribute it lightly and try inserting it only into the symbol.] 

Following Heinkel’s advice and channeling the magic only into the symbol, the ring began to tremble.

“Q-” For the first time, the summoning was successful, albeit very small.

“……Huh?” 

Alon looked puzzled at the snake on his arm, which clearly seemed to be ‘the Receiver, Basiliora,’ but it was only a fraction of its usual size—perhaps one ten-thousandth.

[When you want to conserve magical power and summon a familiar for conversation, this is how you do it. Such a call cannot be refused.] Heinkel explained, resolving the question.

However, that was only momentary.

“This damn human! Locking me in this ring!! Release me right now!!” 

“I don’t know how to release you.”

“Ha- Do you think I’ll move according to your wishes?! Never! There will never be a day when I respond to your summons or follow your words!!!” 

Basiliora, tiny on the arm, appeared to foam at the mouth in rage.

‘I didn’t expect it, but the rebellion is stronger than I thought.’

“Release me—release me now!!!!!!” Basiliora continued to ‘rant’ despite the situation.

Anyone could see that he was determined not to listen.

Honestly, he wanted to smack him, but since spirits can’t be touched, Alon thought calmly.’

‘What options should I give him.’ 

He had prepared a great deal just in case of this situation with Basiliora.

[May I ask you one thing?] Heinkel suddenly asked.

“Yes.”

[Is the reason you came looking for me because of that ring, not just for guidance?] 

“I wanted guidance, but the immediate reason for my visit is indeed that.”

[Could you leave it with me for a moment?] 

“This ring?”

[Yes. I’ll fix it for you.]

Her voice carried a thick hint of laughter. 

“Would that be okay?”

[Of course. It’s not difficult for me.]

“Then I would appreciate your help.” Alon respectfully handed over the ring.

“Release me!!! I’m telling you to let me out, you primitive human!!!!!!!!!!”

[Come back for it tomorrow.] She smiled and waved her hand.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Alon bowed and left the ring with her.

Filled with hatred from Alon’s trickery, Basiliora, trapped in the Kalgunias Pact Ring, was seething not only with hatred toward Alon but also realized that the Thunder Serpent tribe had also played a role in capturing him and vowed to kill them all once he escaped.

“Release me, you empty shell of a soul! If you do, I will-” 

Even now, his resolve hadn’t changed, and he tried to confront the spirit in front of him just after Alon had left, but

[AAAAAHHHHHH-!!!!!!!!!!] 

“!?”

At that moment, Heinkel suddenly screamed out loud, freezing Basiliora’s movements,

KRACKKKK~! 

“!!”

Basiliora witnessed books filling the space drop like rain due to the vibrations emitted by the spirit.

Then, suddenly catching a wooden puppet that had popped up somewhere in Heinkel’s hand,

[What is this suddenly appearing out of nowhere?]

Confused only briefly, Heinkel gripped what she held and lifted it.

[WHY!!!! MUST!!!! I ENDURE!!!! THIS!!!!!] 

CRACK!

She slammed it down on the ground.

The wooden puppet bent in half. However, it seemed not to be the end, as she picked up a thick ancient tome from the fallen books,

[EEEEKKKKAAAAAAHHHHH!!!]

She began to smash the wooden puppet with the corner of the book. 

Bang! Bang! Crunch! Thud! 

With each swing of the book, the wooden puppet caved in a bit more. 

Crack-! 

Soon the head of the wooden puppet shattered, scattering fragments everywhere. However, Heinkel, apparently not satisfied, placed the puppet on the shelf and swung her fist at it. 

Thud! 

The wooden puppet made a creaking noise. Despite the violence, Basiliora found himself shrinking back at the sight of the half-broken spirit continuing to headbutt the neck area. 

[Huff huff~!] 

Heinkel, possessing a physical strength uncharacteristic for a mage, continued to obliterate the wooden puppet amidst the scattered books, breathing heavily. With those eerie eyes, Basiliora cautiously spoke up, “Um, that, first, calm down—” 

…Should I say it? Should I tell her? Basiliora hesitated. 

Despite being trapped in the ring, Basiliora was a god with tremendous pride. He began to wonder whether it was appropriate to use honorifics to a mere spirit, “What did you say, you little—?” 

It was a mistake. 

Crunch! 

Heinkel grabbed him at the speed of light before he could even finish his sentence. 

[Now, who do you think caused all this?] 

With a chilling gaze. Before he could even be shocked by the fact that his sealed body was grabbed, Basiliora cringed under the fierce murderous intent. Yet, almost as if his pride was hurt by his own shrinking, he raised his voice— 

“Whose fault? I didn’t do anything!!!” 

[…] 

Heinkel’s expression grew increasingly terrifying, and Basiliora hesitantly added, “Uh… uh, just a moment—” 

The archmage, with a sinister smile, gripped Basiliora tightly and moved towards the half-destroyed puppet. 

“Uh, wait just a moment—” 

[Yes, that’s right. Our snake did nothing wrong. I think so too.] 

“No, wait? Hello?” 

[……]

“Right, it was my fault.” Basiliora, realizing he was in serious trouble, desperately tried using formal speech. 

[So, may I just let off some steam then? Is that okay?] 

Heinkel wrapped her fist around his body like a belt and then smashed the puppet down. 

“Wait, wait! Let’s talk, with words! We are not beasts, we are beings of intellect— AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH~!!!!” 

Basiliora’s terrible scream echoed through the library. 

…Until morning.

***

The next day. Alon set out to attend a lecture by the Blue Tower Master. He wanted to listen to the lectures of the tower masters as Milan had mentioned the day before. 

Since he had to meet Heinkel at night, he had some free time during the day. 

Unfortunately, “I’m sorry, but the reservation is already closed, and there are no more seats available, so entry is impossible.” 

He couldn’t attend the lecture due to all seats being taken. 

‘I didn’t know there was a reservation.’ 

He briefly sighed as he watched other mages hand in their papers and enter. 

“Perhaps, could I stand at the back and listen?” 

“No. Even though you are a Marquis and a noble, this place is for everyone to study magic equally, so such unfair entry is not possible.” 

Feeling disappointed, he asked just in case, but the firm reply came immediately. The response was so cold and somewhat brisk that he felt a slight dissatisfaction, but it was a fact he couldn’t change, so he was about to turn back when, “Marquis Palatio?” 

“……Tower Master?” Alon had a chance to meet the Blue Tower Master. 

“Ah, hello! Blue Tower Master.” 

“Ah, yes.”

Just moments ago, the mage who had been wearing a cold expression now greeted Celaime with eyes filled with admiration. Celaime lightly accepted the greeting.

“No, why is Your Excellency here?”

“…?”

Suddenly, he addressed Alon with formal speech. Feeling puzzled only briefly, Alon decided to answer the question first.

“I had some free time and thought I would attend a lecture.”

“My lecture?”

“Yes.”

“Gasp-“

“?”

“This is a great honor! That Your Excellency would attend my lecture!”

At this, Celaime grinned broadly, leaving Alon baffled. Alon knew that the Blue Tower Master didn’t care much for authority but was also aware that when it came to magic, he was as stiff-backed as anyone could be.

“Come in, come in! You there! Quickly, let him through.”

“What? But the seats are already—”

“Isn’t it my lecture?”

“Uh, yes, but—”

“Then what are you waiting for! Quickly, let him in!”

Because of this.

‘…Why is he like this?’

Alon was at a loss for words, “????”

The other mages queuing to attend the Tower Master’s lecture also looked on with bewildered expressions.

Prev | TOC I Next


Patron 115

Prev | TOC I Next

“……I think there’s a misunderstanding.”

“What about…?”

At Milan’s puzzled question, Alon’s head began to spin. To be honest, he had no clue where to start addressing the ridiculous rumor.

That Penia admires Marquis Palatio?

Or that the Tower Lord Celaime Mikardo has allowed his subordinate Penia to date him?

‘No, isn’t it strange in the first place that the Tower Lord is even granting permission for dating?’

Suddenly he thought this but soon convinced himself alone. Celaime Mikardo wasn’t related by blood but was no different from a parent to Penia and her sibling, Filin. 

After all, it was Celaime Mikardo who taught them magic as orphans.

That is, Celaime has a reason to interfere in Penia’s dating… No, that’s not important right now.

Alon opened his mouth to set the record straight.

“First of all, everything is a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Yes, Penia Crysinne does not like me, and I have never received permission to date from the Blue Tower Lord.”

“Oh… really?”

“Yes.”

Milan expressed doubt at Alon’s firm nod.

“But I heard that the Blue Tower Lord definitely said so…?”

Wasn’t it none other than the Blue Tower Lord who had given permission?

“Must be some misunderstanding that made such a rumor spread.”

“Is that so…?”

“Yes. I’ve seen the Blue Tower Lord recently, but we didn’t discuss anything like that.”

There was definitely a misunderstanding.

“Um, okay, I understand.”

With repeated denials, Milan stepped back,

“Well then, I have to get going. I have things to do.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll see you next time.”

“Sure.”

They parted after a light farewell,

“…What? I clearly heard such rumors.”

The words floated in the breeze, but Alon let them pass.

“It seems the magic industry still spreads that rumor.”

Evan also asked, surprised,

“Does it seem so? Baseless rumors usually fade quickly, don’t they?”

“Usually, yes.”

“……I wonder why this rumor is strangely resurfacing.”

“But the Marquis has clarified it as a misunderstanding, so it should slowly subside, right?”

“Despite that, I already clarified it as a misunderstanding among the nobles quite some time ago.”

‘Didn’t Penia clarify it?’

Alon was puzzled. Given Penia Crysinne’s nature, she would have immediately attacked the source of the rumor upon hearing it.

After a moment’s thought, Alon shook his head inwardly. It’s slightly uncomfortable, but after all, a rumor is just a rumor. It won’t be long before Penia is freed from the gossip.

…It’s just annoying to go around clearing up misunderstandings.

‘It’s not like I can gather magicians to clarify such a trivial rumor.’

While Alon was thinking this,

“…Then, did the Blue Tower Lord really do something?”

“The Blue Tower Lord?”

“Yes. Actually, that rumor is quite old, but it’s strange that it’s flaring up again now.”

Evan proposed a hypothesis.

Alon recalled the time he met Celaime Mikardo. 

‘I don’t think we discussed anything related to that… but I did feel as if he was up to something.’

He definitely had an unusually bright smile.

‘…I’ll have to ask him the next time we meet.’

As Alon reflected on their conversation, he shrugged lightly.

Honestly, meeting Heinkel was much more important to Alon right now. Therefore,

“Let’s figure this out later, for now, let’s head up.”

He quickly moved towards the room he had been assigned.

***

The library on the 38th floor of the Central Tower was originally a place with few people. Or to put it more precisely, it was a place that magicians hardly visited. 

Despite being a ‘library’—a place that magicians, who enjoy researching and studying, would love—the reason they did not come was simple: because of the alternative space. All the books here could be viewed as clean copies in the reading room on the 20th floor, instead of as old tomes.

Thus, the existence of the Central Tower Library was really about its historical symbolism, being the original library built when this place was first established. And in such a place, a woman who had been there for an unimaginably long time. Heinkel, called the Chalice of the Beginning by magicians and also regarded as their idol, quite liked this situation. Whether before or after becoming a spirit, she didn’t particularly like noisy environments.

Of course, that didn’t mean she shied away from people altogether. Being a sentient being with a perfectly intact mind, there were days she wanted to see others. On such days, she would roam around the tower, watching magicians and having fun. If she found a magician she liked, she would subtly lure them to the library to engage in various conversations and offer help.

In fact, more than feeling satisfied with helping, she enjoyed the sense of superiority when magicians looked at her with admiring eyes after she imparted knowledge.

Anyway.

Nevertheless, she quite enjoyed living alone in the empty library, leisurely reading books.

“I am here to see Heinkel, the Chalice of the Beginning.”

[…Yes.]

…Clearly, just moments ago.

[Why has this guy come again?!]

Heinkel almost screamed involuntarily at the sight of the man with his head bowed low, but she swallowed it back. 

Because the man in front of her was someone she really did not want to meet.

[What brings you to me?]

Heinkel smiled awkwardly. If those who knew her temperamental nature saw this scene, they would all either be shocked or burst into laughter.

But the reason Heinkel had to be nice to the man in front of her was because of ‘that’ behind Duke Palatio. 

Something tremendously sinister, absolutely not to be acknowledged, yet also not to be ignored.

It was only now, during their second meeting and after having calmly assessed the situation, that Heinkel realized that the entity behind him was not attached to the man by his own volition. Nevertheless, the fact that Heinkel had to be nice to Alon remained unchanged. The entity behind could erase Heinkel’s existence at any moment, even now.

And she was aware that the entity had some kind of interest in the man in front of her.

“Regrettably, I have a favor to ask and have come for that.”

[A favor to ask?]

“Yes. Actually, I’m having trouble using an item you gave me.”

It was more like he had snatched it, not that he had received it willingly, but she still responded kindly with a smile.

[Shall we take a look at it?]

“Understood.”

[Anything else you’d like to ask for?]

“Well, if possible, I would like to receive some teachings on magic, if that’s feasible? Of course, I will pay.”

Even though Heinkel was inclined to be kind, she could not agree to his request. For Heinkel, who prioritizes her life above all else, it was very uncomfortable to continue staying in the same place with an entity that could take her life.

Therefore,

[That might be a bit difficult.]

“May I ask why?”

[That’s because]

Heinkel, who was about to explain without hesitation, suddenly stopped speaking. Only someone like Heinkel, who had been staring at Alon, could properly perceive the eyes hidden within the hidden space behind him, suddenly bulging!

Heinkel turned her gaze towards Alon as if to confirm the answer that was about to come.

“?”

With Heinkel’s mouth agape and frozen, Alon tilted his head slightly in confusion. However, Heinkel, from within the hidden space, noticed the eyes staring intently at her and began to sweat coldly.

“….No, maybe I can help.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I can do it. Yes, of course.”

“Thank you.”

“Ah, no, come to think of it, it’s not that difficult~”

She hurriedly changed her statement. Only then did she feel the eyes in the hidden space withdrawing their presence.

[‘Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!! Why! Why!! Why is this happening to meeeee-!’]

She felt like crying.

Meanwhile, although inwardly she was screaming, outwardly she wore an awkward smile. Alon, unaware of Heinkel’s inner turmoil, thought,

‘No, she seems much nicer than what I’ve seen in the games… What’s going on?’

He was puzzled by how easily she had accepted his request.

‘Maybe she had a different character originally, and something in the game made her change?’

Indeed, if one only looked at her appearance, she could pass for a girl if not for the giant wizard’s hat she wore.

‘Yes. She looks too young and fragile to be that cruel.’

Unaware of Heinkel’s inner feelings, he concluded that her personality must have changed after some incident that was not explained in the game.

[‘I really want to run awayyyyy, for real…’]

Heinkel, struggling to hide her desire to cry, quietly whined.

***

Meanwhile, at the top floor of the Central Tower.

“So, you want me to translate this?”

“That’s right.”

There were two men present. Parkline Agrulus, a magician of the 8th rank with red hair and red eyes, and Celaime Mikardo, both of whom held the position of Tower Lords.

“Why should I?”

Parkline, grinning lazily, frowned upon seeing Celaime smiling leisurely.

“Because you’re the only one who can translate these ancient languages.”

“And why should I help you?”

“Because we’re friends?”

Parkline scowled.

“Friends my foot! I don’t remember that!”

“But we’re here together now, aren’t we?”

“You only came because you said you’d pay for the artifact you borrowed last time!”

“Did I?”

“I want to strangle you.”

Parkline clenched his fist as if itching to do just that. Regardless, Celaime remained calm.

“Anyway, please do me this favor. It’s not that difficult for you, especially since you have the related artifact.”

“……”

“And this time, I’ll definitely give you what I promised.”

Parkline, not particularly pleased, eyed him.

“Make sure you keep that promise.”

He then turned his gaze to the parchment.

Woom~!

As Parkline was surrounded by a scattering of magical essence, a round artifact, resembling an eyeball, rose from his pocket. He began reading the characters on the parchment as if scanning them. After a period of silence, Parkline spoke.

“…The translation is done.”

“What does it say?”

Celaime asked urgently, and Parkline responded,

“‘I leave my inheritance to the half-mage who never compromised, who never forgot the phrases…?’ It doesn’t seem to contain any grand secrets of magic like you might have hoped.”

Knowing that Celaime had been rummaging through ruins looking for clues to advance to the 9th rank, Parkline turned to him with a slight smirk, only to halt abruptly.

Until just now, Celaime had been smiling, but he seemed deep in thought.

“…?”

“?”

Parkline was puzzled. All the while, events from their last venture flashed through Celaime’s mind:

Marquis Palatio casually opening the entrance to the hermit’s hideaway, the eyes behind him stirring fear and curiosity, and the duke quickly gathering items as soon as they entered the hideaway and then staring at a letter underneath for about a minute.

And then.

‘I leave my inheritance to the half-mage who never compromised, who never forgot the phrases…?’

Upon recalling Parkline’s translation of the parchment, Celaime concluded in his mind:

‘…Is Marquis Palatio that mage?’

Prev | TOC I Next


Master 6

Prev I TOC I Next

“Well, since it looks like we’ve settled our positions…”

Whitney, who had been watching Runiel with interest, noticing the life returning to her eyes after a long time, got up from his seat and spoke in a low voice.

“Shall we move now?”

“…?”

Runiel, who had been engrossed in the tiny hope she had just found after being trapped in despair for so long, couldn’t help but feel puzzled upon hearing those words.

If they had to move elsewhere, why did Whitney ask her to come here alone at dawn in secrecy?

Unless there was a hidden passage in the room, which seemed unlikely on the top floor, there seemed to be no reason for such secrecy.

“Ugh, there we go.”

“…!”

But before she could dwell on her doubts, Whitney casually pushed the bookshelf behind her, quickly resolving the mystery.

— Rumble…!

The bookshelf, which had been slightly pushed, began to move slowly to the side, revealing a hidden dark passage leading downward.

“This is…”

“It’s nothing special. It’s just a passage to a basement prepared for emergencies. It became obsolete when the mansion was remodeled, but it turns out it’s finally coming in handy.”

Whitney’s explanation about the clearly suspicious secret passage seemed oddly plausible.

There were quite a few eccentric nobles who were so obsessively concerned about safety that they built secret passages and traps in their mansions.

Even without such paranoia, most noble estates had at least one or two hidden escape routes for emergencies.

However, the passage, gaping open like the mouth of a beast, didn’t seem to be intended for a simple escape route.

‘…Is that the scent of blood?’

Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a faint metallic smell seeping up from the depths of the passage.

Though it was subtle enough that an ordinary person wouldn’t notice, Runiel, who had crossed the line between life and death multiple times, was certain it was the smell of blood.

“What are you doing? Are you not coming in?”

Yet, despite that, she didn’t feel the urge to run away.

Instead, realizing that Whitney had not just been talking but had actually prepared something, her heart pounded even harder.

Of course, there was always the possibility that a trap awaited below, but that no longer mattered to her.

She had already been betrayed countless times by those who once reached out to her, breaking her heart beyond repair.

One more betrayal wouldn’t make a difference.

In other words, she had nothing to lose.

“Alright, we’ve arrived… but before we go in, let me say something first.”

With that in mind, she silently followed Whitney down the increasingly blood-scented passage.

“Don’t be too surprised, okay?”

Yet, when Whitney casually added that remark and opened the door to the basement, Runiel couldn’t help but gasp.

“This isn’t some kind of dark ritual of a black magician.”

The moment the underground chamber was revealed, she saw a massive hexagram covering the entire floor, reeking of blood.

***

“Hmm, this is why I asked you to prepare yourself in advance… I guess a more detailed explanation is necessary.”

I felt a little sorry for Runiel, whose face had gone pale as soon as she stepped inside, but to be fair, I also had my own grievances.

Until a few days ago, I had no idea this place even existed.

When I mentioned needing a hidden location away from prying eyes, Alfred hesitated for a long time before revealing this place to me, looking ashen.

Had he not done so before retiring, I might have never discovered it.

In any case, this chamber had been left unmaintained for quite some time, and given the experiments conducted here over the past few days, even I found the atmosphere unsettling.

However, if one understood the principles behind the magic circle on the floor, there was no reason to be afraid.

“It may look gruesome, but using blood in rituals is a traditional method even within the Holy Church.”

In truth, black magic and white magic share common roots, as both deal with souls, differing only in process and outcome.

Some might misunderstand this to mean that black and white magic are essentially the same, but that’s not the case.

That slight difference determines whether the ritual requires a human sacrifice or not, and whether the result is a blessing or a curse.

The distinction between wicked black magic and righteous white magic is clear in that regard.

“For reference, the blood used for the magic circle is from a cow. So please, stop looking at me like that.”

I did feel a little sorry for Hans, the stableman, who had been sobbing over the death of a cow he had raised for years.

But survival takes priority, doesn’t it?

Besides, if Brown—the beloved cow Hans lost—could see Runiel picking up her sword again, he would surely rejoice from beyond the rainbow bridge.

“Well, if you’re still uneasy about it…”

“I’m not blaming you for anything.”

Just as I was about to add a few more words, sensing that Runiel still doubted me, she cut me off with a cold voice.

“If this can help me wield a sword again, I wouldn’t mind drawing hundreds, no, thousands of these circles for you.”

“Uh… at that rate, there won’t be a single cow left in the empire…”

Sensing that she had misunderstood something, I tried to correct her, but she interrupted me once more, her voice sinking even lower.

“So, explain.”

Her tone was calm, yet her eyes burned intensely in the darkness, sharper than ever before.

“What must I do here to wield my sword again?”

What mattered most was her determination.

Now that I had confirmed it, there was no need for further explanation.

“Well, it’s nothing too complicated. I’ve already finished all the preparations.”

With that, I pointed to the center of the magic circle, my voice soft but firm.

“All you have to do is walk to the center of the circle and stand there. I’ll handle the rest.”

Though I made it sound simple, today’s ritual was anything but easy.

If I weren’t a die-hard fan who had memorized the entire game compendium featuring obscure and forgotten magic formulas and rituals, and if I hadn’t learned how to handle souls for the sake of my family’s white magic studies, it would have been impossible to recreate this ritual devised by the emperor himself.

Even for the emperor, it had taken multiple attempts before succeeding, making the ritual incredibly straightforward compared to its high level of difficulty in design.

And the method?

It involved engraving a refined mark onto Runiel’s soul to replace the mana circuits that had already burned out within her body.

Simply put, it was like slicing open one’s flesh to carve out blood vessels.

In short, it was madness.

‘But it works.’

Do you know how an undead—specifically a lich—manages to use magic?

No matter how much mana their phylactery contains, a lifeless body cannot conduct mana.

However, in order to use magic, there must be a circulatory system that allows internal mana to be projected externally when needed.

Since a lich has only bones left and cannot use a mana circuit, they resolve this by engraving spells onto their soul.

In other words, by embedding mana directly into their soul, they can use magic without needing mana to flow through their body.

Of course, such an act is likely to cause immense damage to the soul and involves excruciating pain akin to having one’s entire body torn apart.

Since this pain is not physical but directed at the soul, even liches can feel it fully.

However, being steeped in black magic, they develop a high resistance to soul-related pain, and since they are already dead, they do not have to worry about dying from shock.

Still, even some liches cannot withstand the torment inflicted upon their soul and end up crumbling apart.

If an ordinary person were to attempt such a reckless act, they would either lose their sanity before the ritual was complete or have their soul shattered entirely.

Therefore, for Runiel, who is still categorized as human, this ritual was designed to gradually engrave the spell over multiple stages to prevent excessive strain on her soul.

Even though the pain itself cannot be reduced, sequentially inscribing the spell through multiple steps can significantly improve stability.

Even so, not even the emperor who devised this ritual was certain of its success.

Despite finally uncovering the long-hidden secret of how liches use mana, she remained skeptical about applying the same method to a living human’s soul.

‘But Runiel will pull it off.’

I know this for a fact because I’ve read her past story in detail from the game’s supplementary lore book, where she was an immensely popular character.

The emperor, who explained all of this to Runiel just as I’ve organized it in my head, gave her a choice.

And Runiel, upon hearing that she could wield a sword again, chose to engrave the spell without a moment’s hesitation.

Even though the process was divided into stages, she endured the agonizing pain that even liches failed to withstand and ultimately succeeded.

However, perhaps due to the sheer severity of the pain, the remnants of her emotions—already faint—were completely extinguished, and she became nothing more than the emperor’s killing machine.

But this time, things might be a little different.

I’ve spent the past few days refining the ritual, and I have something in mind.

“So, you’re saying that if I endure extreme pain in exchange for my soul, I will be able to wield a sword again?”

“Hmm, it’s slightly different, but… let’s just say yes.”

Since it was about time to proceed with the ritual, I gave Runiel a brief explanation of the process, but it seemed she still didn’t fully grasp it.

Well, considering she had spent her whole life focusing solely on the sword, understanding complex magical systems might be difficult for her.

Still, at least she understood the most important part—that she must endure the pain.

That’s what matters most in this ritual—her willpower.

“Let me know when you’re ready. This will be an extremely painful experience, so take your time to mentally prepare—”

“I’ve been ready for a while.”

Yet, as the moment of the ritual approached, I felt as if I was more nervous than Runiel, who had already steeled herself.

Did I really manage to reproduce the emperor’s ritual correctly?

Will the ‘contingency plan’ I prepared work?

“Well then, let’s begin.”

Countless worries rushed through my mind in an instant, but after taking a deep breath, I silently infused mana into the magic circle on the floor.

— Ziiiiing…

In that fleeting moment, a blinding red light erupted, followed by a thick, acrid smoke filling the dark basement.

“Ugh!?”

The next instant, Runiel’s expression twisted in agony.

“Kh… Ugh…!”

“Hmm.”

By now, she was probably experiencing the sensation of her nerves and organs being shredded apart by sharp blades.

I wanted to use a pain relief spell, but since it was her soul being torn rather than her body, it would have been useless.

At this point, all I could do was trust in Runiel’s obsession with the sword and the transcendent willpower that stemmed from it.

“Th-This… is nothing…!”

But despite my expectations, though she initially stumbled as if regaining her balance, her legs eventually gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.

“This is unfortunate.”

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but frown and mutter to myself.

“…This is far below expectations.”

I had worked hard to replicate the ritual, but it seemed that the quality of my magic circle was significantly inferior to the one created by the emperor, who had access to limitless resources and manpower.

Thankfully, the ritual itself was proceeding correctly, but the problem was time.

Not only was the pain far more intense due to the lower-quality magic circle, but the process was taking longer than usual.

At this rate, even someone like Runiel couldn’t be guaranteed success.

“There’s no other choice.”

Of course, I had no intention of just sitting back and watching this situation unfold.

I had anticipated this outcome from the start, and if I hadn’t prepared a countermeasure, I wouldn’t deserve to call myself human.

Alright. Time to use my contingency plan.

“Not… yet…!”

“Whoa—”

As I took a step toward the magic circle, preparing to intervene, Runiel’s piercing voice suddenly rang through my ears.

“I can… still endure! Just a little more time…!”

Collapsing from pain, struggling on the floor, she lifted her head with sheer effort and desperately pleaded.

“I… I will meet your expectations…!”

“No, that’s enough. You’ve done plenty.”

Her willpower was truly admirable, but forcing herself to endure more pain in her current state was nearly impossible.

Even with the emperor’s superior ritual, her emotions were erased in the process—if she continued enduring my inferior version, it wouldn’t just erase her emotions, it might take her life.

That’s why I needed to implement my contingency plan immediately.

“I-I’ll do anything. If my soul alone isn’t enough—”

“…What?”

“Then I will offer this world to you…!”

That’s why I ignored her words and stepped into the magic circle, but suddenly, her voice, now trembling in fear, became even more urgent.

“P-Please… just one more chance…”

What in the world is she talking about?

I’m not some demon lord planning to claim the world.

I have no intention of giving something and then cruelly taking it away.

“I am only trying to assist with your ritual—”

“Ah…”

I scratched my head, feeling like I needed to clarify things, but—

— Drip…

“…Oh dear.”

Despite holding out until the very end, clenching her teeth and enduring the pain as her blood vessels burst in her eyes, Runiel ultimately lost consciousness, a trickle of blood leaking from her nose.

‘She’s truly remarkable.’

Her clothes were already soaked in cold sweat, and her entire body was still twitching and convulsing from the lingering pain.

Even so, she never uttered a word of surrender until the very end.

Truly, she was relentless.

However, no matter how tenacious she was, any further strain on her soul would be dangerous.

Even now, while unconscious, her soul was undoubtedly still in torment.

So, it was finally time to execute my contingency plan.

“Hoo…”

But now that the moment had arrived, I couldn’t help but feel my heart pounding like crazy.

After all, the plan I had come up with was just as crude and reckless as the ritual itself—if not even more dangerous.

“I never thought I’d actually have to do this.”

The method was simple yet extreme: using a hidden spell embedded in the magic circle beforehand, I would transfer the pain inflicted on Runiel’s soul to myself.

It was a technique inspired by the paladins, the pillars of the Holy Knights, who redirected curses and damage from their allies onto themselves while distributing the blessings they received to their comrades.

With this, I could stabilize Runiel’s ritual for certain.

Of course, there was the minor issue that until the ritual was complete, I would have to endure the full brunt of pain, as if my own flesh were being torn apart.

‘But I’ve been through worse in my past life.’

Not that I wanted to remember it, but pain was something I had grown used to from countless experiences in my previous existence.

Besides, I was never the type to make someone else endure suffering on my behalf.

If I did, it would probably haunt my dreams until the day I died.

This was the right choice, even if it was troublesome.

Honestly, though, a part of me just wanted to live a peaceful life.

Why was I putting myself through this kind of suffering?

‘But if I can get Runiel on my side, my future will be smooth sailing. This is definitely worth the investment.’

She had already bought me enough time, so I just had to endure the rest of the process.

And besides, what was the point of regaining her sword if she lost all her emotions in the process?

I wasn’t sure if this would work, but at the very least, I hoped she wouldn’t lose her ability to feel joy.

— Ziiiiing…!

On a side note, people often forget this, but—

A leader must bear the weight of responsibility.

“Ugh…!”

Then again, now that I think about it…

Maybe this responsibility is a bit too much?

Prev I TOC I Next