Ch.196196. Rules of the Succubus Battle

“Huh?”

Looking closer, the woman before me seemed younger than I had thought, but she was definitely the Dark Spiritmaster. From her response to her name being called to her attire, everything matched.

The Dark Spiritmaster before me had shoulder-length hair, and through her semi-transparent veil, I could sense her youthfulness.

“You know me?”

Moreover, her demeanor was quite sharp. Her tone was much colder than when I first met the Dark Spiritmaster.

Even her speech pattern was raw, without any politeness.

An aggressive pressure emanated from her, suggesting she would eliminate anything that displeased her in the slightest.

I could understand why the woman who had been stitching her hand earlier fled at the sound of the Dark Spiritmaster’s footsteps.

“Yes, I know you.”

“Hmm?”

Since she was alive, this must be the Dark Spiritmaster from the past. I wasn’t sure if the timeline connections were tangled or if Learic was up to some other trick.

Either way, I could tell that the demon Learic was running this mansion in quite a malicious manner.

“Since we’re both spiritmasters, I was wondering if you know about Lemegeton?”

“…”

“Maybe I should ask about the spirit stone instead?”

I see.

So the past Dark Spiritmaster came here looking for Lemegeton.

While I could roughly understand the flow of events, I could also guess the outcome for the woman before me.

‘She failed.’

The Dark Spiritmaster ultimately fails and gets expelled from Mongmajeon.

Before I entered the general store, the Dark Spiritmaster had said she didn’t know much about archdemons.

Also, during the battle with Magan, she showed a first-time reaction to the relationship between the archdemon Learic and Lemegeton.

I quietly turned to check one of the rules of Mongmajeon again.

-5. The total duration of stay at Mongmajeon is five days, after which forced eviction will occur.

-8. After five days, if you are expelled from Mongmajeon, you will lose all memories of what happened here.

‘If that rule is correct, then the Dark Spiritmaster with me must have lost her memories.’

I suspect she lost her memories after the five days passed.

“Hey?”

The Dark Spiritmaster called to me.

As I slightly turned my head, she had her arms crossed, displaying her displeasure.

“If you ignore me one more time, I’ll cut out your tongue thinking you can’t speak.”

“…”

I don’t know how young this version of the Dark Spiritmaster is, but she’s quite aggressive.

I silently looked at her and shook my head.

“I don’t know.”

Honestly, I was conflicted.

If I told her our story here, would her future change?

If it did change, how would it change, and would I survive if that happened?

I needed to be careful with my words in many ways.

After all, despite her prickliness, she was the master who taught me spirit magic.

But what if.

What if.

‘What if I hinted to her not to come to the academy.’

If the living Dark Spiritmaster met Gideon but didn’t come to Robern Academy.

If she never met the girl who was an angel.

Would the Dark Spiritmaster still be alive?

I had many concerns.

Starting with my belief in distinguishing between the dead and the living, to my personal regret toward the Dark Spiritmaster.

It seemed difficult to come up with an immediate answer.

“Well, it wouldn’t be that easy. Are you from the kingdom?”

“Yes.”

Hearing my answer, she tilted her head, looked around, and then shrugged.

“That’s interesting. I thought all spiritmasters in the kingdom would be hiding like me, but you’re so confident.”

“…”

“And you’re a noble, right? Your entire family could end up on the execution platform because of you.”

What if.

What if I revealed information about the future here? What changes would occur?

Would she be able to accept it?

‘The mansion might impose some special sanctions.’

Looking at the rules of Mongmajeon, there seem to be quite a few unknown ones, and among them might be stories about different timelines.

It’s a bit risky, but.

I needed to test it.

“I am a spiritmaster recognized by the king.”

“…What?”

“I’m called a necromancer and have been permitted to work as a Black Mage in the kingdom.”

“You, you’re from the future, aren’t you?”

As I heard those words, I glanced around. I was worried something might happen.

“Don’t worry. There are many people here from the future and from the past.”

“…”

“The mansion doesn’t really care if you share information. By the way, I can’t believe Griffin would accept Black Mages. How far in the future are you from?”

Is it that lax?

Several possibilities were erased in my mind as I continued the conversation with the Dark Spiritmaster.

“It seems like you know me. How am I doing?”

“…”

“The fact that you came out of the lab, does that mean I succeeded?”

The Dark Spiritmaster asked me with a slightly excited face. I could feel her rising emotions through the semi-transparent veil.

“I don’t know well.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve only heard stories about you, I don’t know the personal details.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Though disappointed, she accepted it easily without finding it strange.

Then, with a nod, she suggested:

“Well, you seem to know a lot of information that I don’t. You look useful, so I’ll specially guide you around the mansion.”

“Alright.”

For now, it seemed necessary to stay with the Dark Spiritmaster and understand more about this place.

Instead of the left corridor where the woman who had stitched her hand had fled, we headed to the opposite right corridor, at the end of which was a door leading to the dining room.

Elegant tableware and luxurious food befitting the mansion.

“Just eat if you’re hungry.”

“Let me hear the explanation first.”

To be safe, I avoid touching the food if possible. The Dark Spiritmaster sits down, pouring pre-boiled coffee from a silver drip pot into a cup.

“Well, everyone called here has the same task. You need to find the lost rules of Mongmajeon.”

“Rule number 9.”

-9. Rules about Mongmajeon are written throughout the mansion. If you find them, there are prizes.

The Dark Spiritmaster nodded with a gentle smile at the rule that immediately came to mind.

“That’s right. If you find the rules, you can get prizes. And the biggest prize is escaping from this place.”

“Escape… I thought we’d be kicked out after five days anyway.”

To my response, the Dark Spiritmaster sipped her coffee and answered.

“You lose all your memories. In other words, you lose everything you gained here.”

Clack.

As she put down her coffee cup and crossed her legs, her eyes pierced into me.

“Think of it as a kind of dungeon. You can get many treasures, but if you can’t escape, it’s all for nothing.”

Swish.

The Dark Spiritmaster took something out from her bosom. It was a note written on quite luxurious purple paper.

“The rules are written in various ways. Some are written as notes like this.”

After placing the note on the table, the Dark Spiritmaster’s fingertip now points to an extinguished fireplace on one side of the dining room.

Mana flowing through her finger lit a fire there.

Soon, the flames from the fireplace spread into the air, forming letters.

-21. Meals are replenished daily. Please feel free to enjoy them.

The 21st rule of Mongmajeon disperses and disappears.

“You can discover them in unique ways like this.”

“Hmm.”

“I don’t know how many there are, but if you find the last rule, you can escape Mongmajeon.”

This raised a question.

“What did you gain from discovering these rules?”

The Dark Spiritmaster had already discovered two rules. I thought she might have received a reward so outstanding that she wanted to escape.

With a seductive smile, resting her chin on her hand, the Dark Spiritmaster teased in her response.

“I don’t trust you that much yet. Especially since all spiritmasters except me are creepy. You haven’t forgotten rule 6, have you?”

-6. Combat activities within Mongmajeon are not recommended.

It meant they don’t recommend it, but they don’t impose sanctions or stop it.

So she’s keeping quiet because someone might attack and steal the rewards she got from finding the rules?

She was wise, unlike the Dark Spiritmaster I knew.

“Well, I’ve pretty much told you everything I know. Anything else you’re curious about?”

The Dark Spiritmaster asked as she poured more coffee into her cup. Since she seemed to want to end the conversation, I thought for a moment and voiced something I felt needed confirmation.

“How did you come to this place?”

I came here through the general store, but I wasn’t sure if Learic had the general store in her time.

I wondered if she had met Learic separately.

“That’s unfortunate.”

Saying she expected that question, the Dark Spiritmaster gestured with her chin to the note she had just placed on the table.

With subtle suspicion, I opened it.

-13. You must not explain to other guests how you found Mongmajeon.

“Sigh.”

There were indeed many rules. The Dark Spiritmaster turned her gaze elsewhere, indicating she wouldn’t talk anymore.

She seemed to be deeply contemplating something while staring into space, so I quietly tried to leave.

But before closing the dining room door, I asked her one more personal question.

“How old are you now?”

I don’t know the age of the Dark Spiritmaster when she was a soul, but I believe she’s around my age.

“18.”

I see.

Now I understand why she’s so aggressive and her speech is so flippant.

This must be a period the Dark Spiritmaster would consider her dark history.

‘I should go to room 110, which is supposedly my room.’

Setting aside thoughts of the Dark Spiritmaster for now, I close the dining room door.

There might be more information there.

I didn’t want to be swayed by this mansion, which was like Learic’s playground, but it seemed better to be cautious for now.

‘I can’t predict what situation will unfold.’

It felt like walking through a minefield. I was worried I might unknowingly touch a sensitive spot in this mansion and get harmed.

I head back to the entrance and take the left corridor where the woman who had stitched her hand had run.

There were room signs starting from 101, with 110 being the last.

There was nothing special inside room 110. Just basic furniture like a bed and a desk.

Of course, they were all high-quality items, but there was nothing particularly special.

Except for one thing.

A purple letter placed on the bed.

It was the same type of letter the Dark Spiritmaster had shown me earlier, containing the rules of Mongmajeon.

Feeling uncomfortable again, I slowly reached out and opened it.

-20. Even if you don’t know the rules of Mongmajeon, the rules still apply.

It seemed like an obvious statement, but in this situation, it was chilling.

As I just mentioned, it was like walking through a minefield.

Because I could unknowingly break hidden rules.

It was a place where the violent oppression of “ignorance is no excuse” applied.

‘Do they give one rule to each room?’

If so, it means each guest knows at least one rule.

At that moment, the space in front of me began to ripple, and something emerged.

Since there’s a reward for finding rules, I thought that might be it.

What fell into my hand was something familiar yet alien.

“This is.”

Already broken, and essentially a trace of a demon’s malicious prank.

A black jewel.

It was Lemegeton, known as the spirit stone.