Ch.5Chapter 5 – Seeing Stones as Gold (1)

“I’m quite a famous person! To think my name would be known in the eastern continent. This is rather embarrassing.”

I narrowed my brows while looking at Wolfram who was laughing good-naturedly. The fact that this character was still alive meant that Verdandi hadn’t yet begun her activities as a hero.

In the novel, Verdandi’s first appearance shows her judging the Gold Tower Master, who came to welcome her as a hero, as a villain and cutting him down horizontally.

Of course, that was my creative direction. I thought it was the easiest and simplest way to shock readers.

“Master, that sorcerer appears to be frivolous and fond of alcohol. I think it would be better to keep your distance from him…!”

As I was carefully observing Wolfram, Bi-wol pulled my arm in the opposite direction. She was turning her head away, seemingly disliking the strong smell of alcohol wafting around us.

“Haha, who is this impudent little miss? Is she your daughter?”

“Daughter?! How dare you make such an outrageous statement!”

“…This is my disciple, Bi-wol. She’s young and doesn’t know proper etiquette yet.”

I firmly pressed down on Bi-wol’s head, making her bow. She was straining her neck stiffly, struggling not to move according to my will.

If we were to be disrespectful to the head of a magic tower in this fantasy world, it could endanger both Bi-wol and myself.

Magic towers were places of magical study and learning, and their masters, the Tower Masters, were beings far stronger than ordinary magicians.

“My name is Bing-yeon. In the East, I’ve established a small sect where I teach disciples.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Wolfram Alchemista. I’m both a magician and an alchemist. You’ve heard of my fame, I presume?”

Wolfram swept her golden hair to the side and spoke with a confident expression. She was a character with such a cheerful and bright personality.

“Yes, I’ve heard rumors that you can turn even roadside stones into gold.”

“Ha, you talk like a complete old-timer. Though I quite like your face.”

Suddenly, Wolfram lifted my chin with her index finger and carefully examined my face.

Judging by the contemplative “hmm” she made, she looked almost like someone appraising a jewel.

“Do all people from the eastern continent look like this? I don’t think so.”

“…?”

I simply watched Wolfram’s actions, not understanding what she meant. I held onto hope that she might know a way to fix my condition.

“Ah, cold! Why is your skin so cold?!”

Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case. Wolfram was startled by the extremely low temperature of my skin and shuddered.

“So even the ‘Golden Sage’ Tower Master can’t solve this? How disappointing.”

I clicked my tongue. I had hoped that a magician who had reached the level of Tower Master might find a way to overcome my extreme yin body.

After all, this was the famous Gold Tower Master who could supposedly turn even roadside stones into gold.

I had visited magic towers while traveling through the West before, but as an outsider, I couldn’t easily meet important people like Tower Masters, so I had high expectations this time.

“Your blood vessels are clogged with something strange. Ice fragments? No, something even more serious…”

Wolfram rubbed her hands together and even blew on them. The fact that she could read information about my body in that brief moment suggested she wasn’t lying about her identity.

“How dare, how dare she touch Master’s chin, Master’s chin… even I rarely get to touch it…”

While I was sighing, strange muttering began to come from behind me.

The source of that chilling killing intent was Bi-wol. Her red eyes were slightly glowing, the air around her vibrating as her hair began to float.

‘Oh no, emergency situation.’

This was a similar reaction to when I once made up ghost stories to scare Bi-wol, knowing she was afraid of them.

In times like these, there was one special remedy.

“Bi-wol, calm yourself. This person was merely checking my physical condition.”

I firmly embraced the agitated Bi-wol. It was a somewhat aggressive method.

“Hee, heek…”

After struggling a bit in my arms, she soon calmed down and placed her arms on my back to stabilize herself.

What a high-maintenance disciple. She seemed to be feeling my firm muscles as she ran her hands over my body.

“This unworthy disciple failed to understand Master’s profound intentions…”

Bi-wol even let out an admiring “wow…” with her mouth wide open. It was natural for her to show interest in a body trained as a martial artist.

‘This is getting ticklish.’

Even the Infinite Sword Emperor of the Namgung Family and the Poison Dragon of the Tang Clan of Sichuan had commented on my good physique.

Unable to bear the ticklishness any longer, I detached Bi-wol, who showed visible disappointment with a short sigh.

“…Did I just almost die? Right?”

Wolfram showed an incredulous smile. She must be strong enough to sense killing intent.

“Heh, these two are really funny. I’ll let it slide because you’re cute.”

“…”

Instead of answering Wolfram, I gave a small nod as silent advice not to provoke Bi-wol’s temper.

“Hehe, Master’s scent. Ehehe…”

Bi-wol was wrapping her arms around herself and sniffing here and there. Like a puppy rubbing against its owner’s clothes, she was carefully transferring my scent to different parts of her body.

Even I thought this level of attachment seemed excessive, but a strong connection was necessary to suppress the karma of the Star of Heavenly Murder.

‘A person’s fate can be changed by another person.’

Someone might say this is like trying to cover the sky with your palm or pouring water into a bottomless jar, but…

‘I am also Bi-wol’s creator. This is only natural.’

I believed in Bi-wol. After all, she was the first final boss I had written with my own hands.

If a master doesn’t trust their disciple, and an author doesn’t believe in their own writing, what is there to trust in this world?

“Are you going to meet the hero chosen by the divine god?”

“How do you know that? Is it because people from the eastern continent are so knowledgeable?”

With a swish, Wolfram flipped a wine bottle, and orange-colored liquid poured out. She was demonstrating alchemy, transforming one substance into another.

“Here, this is just juice made from clean oranges. Drink this and let’s have a more candid conversation.”

Wolfram raised the corner of her mouth and began to speak about the hero Verdandi.

* * *

To get straight to the point, if things continue like this, Wolfram will die.

“The divine god bestowed the title ‘Hero of Justice’ and designated her as the hero. I’m going down to this countryside to find that girl.”

“…Is that all? What about the hero’s abilities or things to be cautious about?”

“Are there such things? She’s a hero. Someone who beheads the Demon King and brings peace to this world.”

Wolfram put the wine bottle to her lips again and let out a sigh like an old man. She seemed to be getting tipsy.

Yes, in my novel’s world, most people think heroes are good.

The western continent was constantly under attack from the Demon King, and the basic setting was that heroes throughout history had prevented that.

“It might not be the case. What if the hero is a madwoman who kills everyone around her…?”

“Come on, how could that be? A young girl who hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony, how could she have such power? Besides, it’s the divine god’s selection.”

That’s the problem—I was above that so-called divine god. I sighed deeply enough to sink the floor.

I had specifically given Verdandi a dark past among all the heroes, making her into a vessel for the final boss.

Looking back now, I just wanted to twist the cliché of hero banishment stories popular in Japan, or stories where heroes are betrayed and fall.

“Master, this is…”

“Yes, it’s probably similar to your situation before I saved you, Bi-wol.”

Bi-wol was sipping the orange juice Wolfram had given her while listening attentively to my story. She must have liked the taste, as she had already asked for several refills.

“Listen carefully, Wolfram. After completely sobering up, wrap yourself in several layers of defensive magic before meeting the hero.”

“Why should I do that?”

Wolfram frowned at my words as if looking at a strange person.

“This smells like money. If I can sweet-talk the hero into making a contract…”

Originally, Wolfram drinks when money-related matters arise. It’s her habit to hide anxiety and impatience.

And,

“…You think you’ll be sitting on a pile of money? Because of that petty thought, your body will be cut in half and you’ll die.”

Due to that carelessness and habit, Wolfram fails to properly respond to Verdandi’s strike and dies.

That was the plausibility I had set up. Even the strongest person might let their guard down against a young girl without any weapons.

“Are you picking a fight with me? Saying that a hero chosen by the divine god will kill me? Don’t talk nonsense. I’m the Gold Tower Master, you know.”

“Should a magician speak so carelessly? Heroes are those who even kill Demon Kings.”

I recited the setting that only I knew. Although Verdandi was originally meant to kill her as a hero.

“The king who rules the continent of the Demon Realm, the monarch who commands demons and magical beasts, the being who dyes this world in darkness.”

With his death, the threat to royal authority disappears. I used the device of the Demon King to hide the fact that the royal authority was corrupt.

“So what? I-I’m not scared at all! That’s just a common oral tradition about the Demon King!”

“Doesn’t it seem strange that such power, enough to kill such a being, resides in one girl?”

After the Demon King is dealt with, the king, fearing Verdandi’s power, tries to kill her by accusing her of treason or being a witch.

“Are you saying…?”

And,

That ability to judge everyone as evil was called “The Scales of Justice.”

“…It’s about time someone went mad. The human mind is as fragile as glass; once broken, it’s hard to piece back together.”

I said, crossing my arms. When I think about it, it’s a simple problem. Issues or incidents that occur due to plausibility can be broken by another plausibility.

“You know that’s blasphemy, right?”

After hearing my words, Wolfram swallowed hard, opened her eyes wide, and spoke. We were in a secret place below deck, so there was no one around.

“If a god is someone who captures an innocent young girl and tells her to save the world, I don’t think that’s right.”

I was the one who had set up that damn divine god in the first place.

In other works too, there were many twists where the god turned out to be a hidden villain or the source of all evil.

“Hahaha! You’re really funny. You’d have nothing to say if the Pope declared you insane.”

Wolfram burst into laughter at my words. The scent of wine she had been holding in her mouth wafted out.

“…That’s why I like you even more!”

The Gold Tower Master I had written was a slightly eccentric woman.

She was a character who preferred dynamic over static, and alcohol-induced excitement over quietness.

“Alright! Come with me to meet the hero!”

Wolfram Alchemista requested that Bi-wol and I accompany her.

“I was planning to do that even without you asking. I also have business with the hero.”

I nodded as I took her outstretched hand.