Ch.196Chapter 196. IF – If Mallack Had Not Responded (1)

# Chapter 196. IF – If Malak Had Not Responded (1)

# This story is a hypothetical “what if” scenario and not part of the main storyline.

‘Why? Why on earth…!’

Paya silently cried out as she stared at the dragon-shaped totem placed in the center of the altar piled with various offerings.

‘Why aren’t you responding? Why?’

Several hours had already passed since she began the summoning ritual. High-quality sacrifices, magical tools, and a perfectly crafted totem (at least Paya had carved it to the best of her ability). The basic preparations were flawless, and the ritual had been performed in order without any issues.

Nevertheless, the Roa she served, Malak, did not respond. And today wasn’t even the first time she had performed the ritual.

Paya had conducted the ritual whenever preparations were complete, and this was her fourth attempt. Now there were no more sacrifices or tools left.

‘Please…! Lord Malak…!’

Paya squeezed her eyes shut.

She thought it would be possible. According to stories passed down from long ago, He had cherished their people.

Surely He would see them suffering in this world that had turned into a nightmare and feel compassion.

She thought that while He couldn’t descend due to issues with His divine status, He would immediately come once the preparations were perfectly in place.

Furthermore, as a priestess skilled in magic that controlled flying animals, she was certain she had some spiritual affinity with Lord Malak, who was said to traverse the skies.

But her faith went unrewarded until the end.

“Please…!”

A sound finally escaped from Paya’s chapped lips.

It was after her magical power had been completely depleted to its limit. Soon she would lose consciousness and die.

“Ah…!”

Feeling her consciousness fading, Paya collapsed with a face full of agony.

Despite using every method available for what she thought would be her final ritual, it ultimately ended in failure.

“Paya!”

As she saw her brother Kanto running toward her with a worried face, Paya’s consciousness slipped away.

And with that, her heart crumbled.

***

Paya regained consciousness after several days had passed.

“…”

Silently rising, Paya immediately shut herself in the priestess’s exclusive tent and wouldn’t come out. Despite the concerns of Kanto and the tribe members, she didn’t show her face.

Kanto left food at the door. A small hand would dart out to take it.

“Hmm.”

Kanto let out a small sigh. He was worried about his younger sister but didn’t interfere.

‘She probably needs time alone.’

Unlike his appearance, which suggested his brain might be filled with muscle, he was someone who knew how to be considerate and understanding of others. Kanto silently turned and walked away.

“…”

Watching Kanto leave through a small gap in the tent, Paya picked up her book again. Unlike modern paper books, these were made from tree bark or animal hide.

The priestess’s exclusive tent was filled with books collected or written by the Blue Moss Tribe’s previous priestesses.

“There must be… there must be a way…”

Paya, who had directly managed the tribe in place of her brother who wasn’t good at intellectual matters, knew that the end of the tribe was gradually approaching.

If they had conserved resources, they might have been able to hold out a little longer, but the tribe had made too many sacrifices for the summoning ritual.

A different approach was needed to protect the tribe.

Paya read books without rest. Until her bright, round eyes became bloodshot.

After several more days, Paya emerged from the tent. She ran straight to her brother and said:

“We need to go to the Necromancer’s Tomb with the warriors.”

It was a shocking statement. Before the stunned Kanto could respond, Paya continued her explanation.

“The end of our tribe is approaching. Because the worshippers have discovered we live in the mountains, we can no longer hunt at the base, and with our stored food running low, we will eventually starve to death.”

“Even so, the Necromancer’s Tomb… isn’t that the tomb of Charon the heretic?”

“We need new power to survive this winter. I will no longer… no longer rely on Lord Malak. I’ll learn necromancy. I’ll learn it and gain the power to defeat the demons.”

“Everything forbidden has a reason. That dark art might corrupt your body and mind.”

Kanto tried to dissuade her, saying it was not only blasphemous but also extremely dangerous, but he couldn’t break Paya’s firm resolve.

“This calamity is my doing. If I hadn’t performed the summoning ritual, none of this would have happened. I am the priestess of the Blue Moss Tribe. I must take responsibility for the consequences.

And I’ve already sent Tteontteoni to Chief Nix of the Sky Tree Tribe. It’s too late to turn back now.”

“…If that is the will of Priestess Paya. But I will go too. It is the chief’s duty to step forward in times of tribal crisis.”

And so the chief, the priestess, and elite warriors including Denzo and Una left the tribe. Some lamented that they were sacrificing themselves to reduce the number of mouths to feed.

The Blue Moss Tribe was located in Symphonia at the southern edge of the Empire, while Dubenheim was at the northern edge. It was a very long journey, but by traveling without rest, Paya’s group was able to reach Dubenheim.

The problem was the Sky Tree Tribe. Nix, the tribe’s chief and priest, refused to guide them, saying he couldn’t assist in such an unholy endeavor.

“Unless it was the will of the Roa, I cannot help a mere priestess seeking forbidden power. I would rather die by demons’ hands than become a heretic.”

“…I understand.”

Kanto and Paya nodded. In the end, they retrieved only Tteontteoni, who had been sent as a messenger, and departed.

After walking for hours relying on an inaccurate map:

“Ah, this is it. We’re almost at the tomb. Just a little more…”

Paya’s words were cut short. They had encountered a man wearing paladin armor.

The paladin’s name was Rinojohnnson. He too was searching for the Necromancer’s Tomb.

“What are all these barbarian bastards doing here…”

Rinojohnnson’s sword became enveloped in light.

Unfortunately, he had engaged in many battles with barbarians while searching for hidden pieces. Having nearly died many times when he was low-level, he harbored intense hostility.

“I’ll kill every last one of you. NPC vermin!”

The battle began without dialogue. Rinojohnnson used his skills to pressure the barbarian warriors and killed them one by one.

Even elite warriors couldn’t match a level 4 paladin. Especially warriors exhausted from a long journey.

The glowing sword plunged into the chest of Denzo, Kanto’s right-hand man.

“Kuh!”

Denzo glared and grabbed the sword embedded in his body. It was to create an opportunity for Kanto to attack.

“Yah!”

Kanto’s axe then severed Rinojohnnson’s neck. It was a victory without winners.

“Denzo. My right hand. You were a great warrior and a teacher to all warriors. Rest in peace.”

Kanto looked at the lifeless Denzo with sad eyes.

Paya’s group buried the dead warriors and arrived at the Necromancer’s Tomb.

“I’ll wait here.”

Kanto sat down on the ground after saying this. Blood was seeping from his side.

“I’ll rest for a while, so go ahead.”

Kanto had been severely wounded by Rinojohnnson’s attack. Though emergency treatment had been applied, without proper medical conditions, he would eventually die.

“Chief…!”

Una, who had been secretly in love with Kanto, shed tears.

“…Alright. Please wait for us.”

But she couldn’t show her own tears. Paya swallowed her tears and turned her back, when:

“Paya.”

It was Kanto’s voice.

“Don’t look back.”

“…”

“I was a good brother, wasn’t I?”

Perhaps it was the final lingering attachment of a brother who had cared for his sister in place of their parents who had passed away early.

“Yes.”

Paya nodded with tears welling in her eyes. There was no response, but her brother must have been smiling.

Shaking off her hesitation, Paya entered the Necromancer’s Tomb. The tomb was filled with dark energy, making it impossible for warriors without spiritual abilities to enter carelessly.

Kwik!

But she wasn’t alone. The spirit animal pigeon Tteontteoni was by her side.

“Let’s go, Tteontteoni.”

Paya and Tteontteoni overcame the dark energy filling the tomb with their spiritual abilities and reached the center.

She passed by the murals drawn by the heretic Charon, reached the bookshelf, and obtained the “Book of the Dead” containing necromancy.

“Huh?”

She was about to leave immediately, but something caught her attention. She sensed an unfamiliar energy from the wall near the book.

‘Is it treasure someone hid? …It might be a clue to the strong power I’ve been seeking.’

The wall had magical protections, but they were nothing to Paya with her excellent magical skills.

She disabled the protective spells and dug into the wall. A small jar was there.

“Huh?”

As Paya approached, the jar shook and its lid opened. Something inside the jar had responded to Paya’s exceptional spiritual ability.

A red spirit from inside the jar flew toward Paya. It was Charon, who had become an evil spirit.

She was in danger of having her body taken over.

Kwik!

“Tteontteoni!”

At that moment, Tteontteoni intervened. Tteontteoni’s eyes turned red as it took on the red spirit in Paya’s place.

– Unfortunate… but I have no choice.

Charon, who had taken over Tteontteoni’s body and read its memories, looked down at Paya.

– Priestess Paya.

Paya was sitting on the floor, breathing heavily.

– For me, for us. A chance has returned.