Ch.66Chapter 66 – Received a Skull. (2)

As Rich waved his hand, a small image-like object appeared on the table.

‘Visual aids to help with understanding, huh.’

While I was thinking this, the image changed.

It showed angels and demons fighting.

[Long ago, there was a war in this world between gods and demon-kind.]

The image shifted to demons pointing swords at an angel.

[One race rebelled against the rule of the gods. They brought in demon gods and devils from outside and attacked the gods. The war burned throughout the world, and eventually, the dragons, unable to stand by any longer, decided to intervene.]

The image showed a dragon breathing fire toward demons and angels.

Soon, dragons, demons, and angels were facing each other, growling.

[Originally, the dragons had intended not to get involved in the war, but they joined when they saw that even uninvolved races were being dragged in. They taught magic to the races that hadn’t participated in the war so they could protect themselves. Eventually, the war became a three-way conflict.]

Rich paused for a moment.

[And both gods and demons began to continuously harass and pressure the newly gathered forces to either join their side or prevent them from joining the opposition. After several years, the dragons made some kind of contract with the gods. I don’t know the exact terms of that contract.]

The images of angels and dragons looked at each other, then the angel image disappeared.

[The gods stopped intervening in the war and withdrew. And the forces led by the dragons fought against the remaining rebel forces.]

“Weren’t they neutral originally?”

[Perhaps their thinking changed as the war dragged on. Like deciding who was bad for starting this war.]

Rich said this while moving his hand.

[Anyway, the dragons had to face the rebellious race and the demon gods and devils they had summoned. It was too much for them alone.]

Now the image changed to a confrontation between dragons and demons.

But the fight didn’t end easily.

[So they decided to use a certain method to destroy those beings.]

“What method?”

[Summoning a hero.]

A warrior appeared.

[The dragons called someone with the right qualities from another dimension and gave them the title of hero. They gave the hero everything they could offer and assigned companions to intervene in the war.]

As he waved his hand, the image changed.

[Around that time, the rebellious race came to be called the demon race, and their leader was established as the Demon King.]

The demon and the warrior fought each other.

[The hero’s power was tremendous. Enough to fight equally with beings who could battle gods.]

And the warrior cut off the demon’s head with his sword.

[Finally, the Demon King of that era was beheaded, and the demon race was sealed beyond the dimensions. And the dragon race took direct control of managing the boundaries of this world’s dimensions.]

“Managing?”

[It might seem arrogant, but… whatever the case, the hero played the biggest role in driving out the demon race in that war, and it was the dragons who summoned him, so I think they claimed that right.]

Rich paused briefly before speaking again.

[Or perhaps it was a right they obtained through their deal with the gods.]

The image changed. Three spheres floated around a world surrounded by a protective barrier.

[After that, the world was divided into three parts. The divine realm where gods reside. The middle realm where the races that sided with the dragons live. And the demon realm where the demon race is imprisoned.]

The image disappeared.

[That’s the outline of the Demon War.]

“It sounds too much like a legend to really grasp.”

[Indeed it does. It’s now passed down as legend.]

Rich clasped his hands together.

[However, it’s not a falsehood either.]

Rich waved his hand again.

[Now let me explain a bit about the current situation.]

Another image appeared.

[After the Demon War, the dragons took over managing the dimensional boundaries, and they repaired those boundaries.]

Dragon images were fixing something like a protective barrier.

[When summoning the hero, the dragons discovered that each time an outside being is summoned, a large hole is created in the dimensional boundary. So they learned that boundaries shouldn’t be carelessly crossed.]

And as he waved his hand again, the image changed.

Holes were punctured all over the protective barrier, and the dragons looked aghast.

[But now, large-scale summonings from other worlds are happening. How they’re being summoned is questionable, but that’s not the issue.]

Rich, who had been watching the image with me, looked at me.

[The boundary itself has become highly unstable, and it could collapse if things go wrong.]

And the cause is the Emiris Order recklessly summoning people like me.

‘These religious folks really aren’t helping the world.’

I don’t understand what they wanted to achieve by doing this.

[We don’t know what will happen to the unstable boundary or what negative effects it might bring. If the boundary collapses, the seal on the demon race might be broken.]

Rich paused briefly.

[If we’re unlucky, we might have to fight that mythical war again.]

Rich said the dragons would want to avoid that at all costs.

“But it hasn’t happened yet, right?”

[That’s true. But from the dragons’ perspective, they’re currently dealing with an immediate problem where their guaranteed rights have been infringed upon. They’ll probably try to resolve this situation somehow.]

Rich said this while interlocking his fingers.

[That’s why I wanted to warn you.]

“Warn me?”

I haven’t done anything wrong.

Rich seemed to think the same.

[As I mentioned earlier, they might target your life.]

“Me?”

[You’re clearly a being from another world that they didn’t summon. They might see you as a potential threat.]

Rich looked at me again as he spoke.

[I told you earlier, didn’t I? The hero was powerful enough to fight against gods. If such a being might do something unpredictable and they have no means to control you, they might decide to eliminate you instead.

They’re the type who would actually do that, and more.]

“Because they’re so narrow-minded,” Rich added.

An awkward silence fell.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up.

“But why me?”

I expressed the first doubt that had come to mind.

“As I said, there are over 20 others like me.”

[They would be dangerous too. They’re not exceptions.]

Rich answered, making himself comfortable.

[However, you’re the most dangerous right now, so they’re most likely to see you as the biggest threat.]

“Why me?”

[Including the otherworlders captured in the tower, the others have no sense of self or anything. They’re clearly being controlled, regardless of the method.]

Rich looked straight at me.

[But you move by your own will. You’re a being that no one can control.]

“I suppose so.”

[Also, you’re currently not under the protection of any faction.]

Those test subjects at least have the Emiris Order backing them.

The test subjects captured by Beatrice could claim the Magic Tower as their backer, if pushed.

In contrast, I clearly don’t have anything solid behind me.

‘I guess that’s not wrong.’

Puppets who move as they’re told versus me who moves as I please.

In terms of being controlled or not, I might seem more dangerous, but…

“I’m not a hero though.”

[That’s right.]

“Then I’m not that dangerous, am I?”

[However, depending on how you look at it, you could easily become a hero.]

Rich looked at me as he spoke.

[A hero isn’t made immediately upon being summoned. Certain materials are needed. Some conditions must be met.]

Materials, huh.

[Among those materials, there are things that can no longer be made. For instance, something like the Philosopher’s Stone.]

“If it can’t be made anymore, then I’m not that dangerous, right?”

[It might still exist somewhere, or the formula might be preserved. Someone might have restored it. So even if you can’t be made into a hero right now, the possibility isn’t zero.]

Rich crossed his arms again as he spoke.

[In other words, your level of danger, at least from the dragons’ perspective, can only be high.]

I understand the gist of it.

“That’s quite arbitrary.”

After being kidnapped, now I’m told dragons might be after my life.

How unfair.

As I was expressing my indignation to myself, Rich quietly addressed me.

[The purpose of my visit this time is simply to warn you. If you hear news of dragons near you, it’s up to you whether to seek them out to minimize damage or run in the opposite direction.]

“I see.”

I don’t know if what this lich is saying is true, but if a dragon comes, I’ll just run away.

I’m just a person who wants to go home. I have no reason to fight.

‘The problem is how to get home…’

I’ve successfully made contact with the Magic Tower, but I’m not sure how to ask them to find a way for me to go home.

[But somehow I feel like you’ll end up fighting with dragons.]

“Me? Who’s paying me?”

Honestly, I have no intention of doing anything that doesn’t pay.

When I expressed my disbelief, Rich smiled slightly.

[You say that, but I have a feeling you’ll end up fighting because of the people around you.]

“I’m not that kind and impressive person.”

[Let’s leave it at that.]

Rich spoke quietly.

Somehow, I felt that if this lich were in a normal state, he would have been laughing.

[I’ve brought a gift as a token of goodwill for our next meeting.]

“A gift?”

[First, this.]

Rich handed me a wooden ornament.

A wooden human skull… or something like that…

‘Is this a human skull or a monkey skull?’

It was carved so crudely that it was hard to tell.

If I asked Sera or Christina, they’d probably give different answers. Eve would likely say it’s trash and suggest throwing it away.

Glancing aside, I saw Rich with his arms crossed.

If he had an expression, he would probably look proud.

“Is this handmade? Did you carve it yourself?”

[It’s carved quite well, isn’t it?]

I seriously considered whether I should confront this lich with the harsh reality.

[I deliberately chose wood. I could have used gold, but then someone might take it.]

If it had been made of gold, at least it would have had value as a material.

It could have been melted down and used somehow.

Holding out this monkey skull-like object, I asked:

“So, what is this?”

[It’s a tool for me to find you.]

A stalking tool, then.

As I was about to throw it away, Rich quickly grabbed my arm.

[Wait, why are you trying to throw it?]

“Wouldn’t you feel uncomfortable if someone proudly announced they were going to stalk you?”

Even if it were a beautiful girl, I’d be scared enough to report it, but my stalker is a thousand-year-old skull.

I should throw away this cursed item immediately.

[If I need to find you for something, that skull will make a sound.]

“I don’t need it.”

[No, please. Keep it. It saves me the trouble of arranging meetings like this. Isn’t it better if I announce my arrival rather than suddenly appearing?]

“This is clearly one-way communication, you skeleton.”

He can notify me when he’s coming, but I can’t refuse. What’s the point?

Rich soon mumbled awkwardly:

[I can briefly observe the surroundings through that skull, so I’ll avoid making it ring or appearing at bad times.]

He can observe the surroundings?

This item is even more problematic.

[Please, keep it. I need it if I want to give you important information or gifts.]

I don’t need it.

“I’ll just return it.”

When I firmly expressed my refusal, Rich deflated, his earlier confidence gone.

[Then, how about this?]

Rich took something out from his robe.

It was a gold bar.

[I’ll throw this in, so please just keep it.]

Now he’s trying to bribe me.

I found it amusing that he thought I would fall for this.

“…I’ll keep it for now.”

Sometimes you have to knowingly walk into a trap and accept the consequences.

I carefully tucked the gold bar into my pocket and picked up the wooden skull.

Then I immediately asked something that came to mind:

“If this breaks or gets damaged, will you get a signal?”

[Yes, if it’s damaged, I’ll bring you a new one right away.]

It seems I’ll need to store this item in a quiet box somewhere.

If it breaks, it just means I’ll have to meet this guy again.

‘I’ll seal it away.’

One gold bar received, one cursed wooden skull to be sealed.

Not a bad deal, I suppose.

‘I’ve got something to request from Sera.’

Item creation should be left to an alchemist.

I quietly resolved to request it as soon as possible.

Now that the conversation seemed over, I stood up.

I decided to ask one more question.

“Let me ask one more thing.”

[What is it?]

“Why are you so intent on maintaining contact with me?”

At my question, Rich paused briefly.

[Just personal reasons.]

Rich said.

[I don’t have any ill intentions toward you, so please don’t misunderstand.]

“Says the guy who looks like that.”

Rich was silent for a moment.

[I’ll be going now. Don’t forget my warning about the dragons.]

Rich’s body began to fade gradually.

[Oh, and along with that gold bar, I’ve delivered a gift to your lady, so take it with you.]

“What?”

Had he already made some move on Sera?

I immediately turned around.

Laughter came from behind me.

[I hope we meet again in good health.]

With those words, Rich disappeared.

+

I ran back the way I came and shouted:

“Sera!”

“Mr. Kay!”

Sera came running as if she had been waiting for me.

It seemed she hadn’t been harmed.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? I’m…”

Sera was a bit taken aback by my sudden question.

But soon her expression changed as she looked at me.

“You weren’t harmed, were you?”

“Not for now.”

We’re both safe.

I was worried he might have put on that oddly foolish act to lower our guard and then planned something behind our backs.

He seemed to laugh at the end; maybe he did this on purpose.

“Phew…”

People come first. Now that I knew Sera was safe, I could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Sera?”

“Just a moment.”

Sera briefly felt around my body before exhaling in relief.

“It seems you really just talked.”

I was surprised when she suddenly started touching me all over, but it seemed she wanted to check for herself.

“What did you talk about?”

“It’s a bit of a long story.”

Perhaps because I’d heard such sudden information, fatigue was starting to set in.

Stories should really be kept short and simple.

“By the way, did you get the Bycon’s horn?”

“About that…”

Sera hesitated for a moment.

“Actually, after you went in, suddenly a Bycon came with this.”

What Sera held out was a horn.

A Bycon’s horn.

It wasn’t from the one we had caught earlier.

‘Is this the gift he mentioned?’

Just say it directly.

It seemed the lich had prepared this as his own kind of surprise.

Since the quest itself seemed to have been set up by him, this was probably meant to help us complete it.

“…Now that the quest is done, we should head back.”

“Yes, we should.”

There was really no reason to stay here anymore.

Sera soon rummaged through her bag and took out a scroll.

“Then, I’ll tear it.”

“Go ahead.”

As Sera tore the scroll, a blue vortex appeared.

We stepped through it.

‘Come to think of it.’

That lich seemed strangely knowledgeable and interested in heroes.

If he’s lived for thousands of years, perhaps…

While I was thinking about this, Sera and I arrived at an open space in the capital.