episode_0042

As my vision returned from being blacked out, it painted a completely different landscape than before.

The process of the blurry and distorted world returning to concrete shapes was surreal. It felt like rewinding time.

“Where am I?”

I realized it was rude, but I couldn’t help but think that the designer of the transmitted space was sinister. The dim and humid environment induced a damp air, and the smell of decaying paper tickled my nostrils.

“Judging by the situation, I must have been caught in spatial magic.”

Even though I faithfully followed Parallo’s instructions, the trigger for the activated spatial magic was unclear. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for putting the team in a difficult situation because of me.

The princess and Luca might not mind, but Serin might have been angry. She was the one who took care of me, saying that I was her person.

“Now that I’ve been caught up, it’s best to act according to the plan.”

Although the timing was pushed too far ahead, the task at hand remained the same. I slowly moved my feet that had been stuck to the ground.

It was a strange place.

Even after walking for a long time, the corridor seemed to never end.

When I looked to the side, I saw a creature I had never seen or heard of before, breathing in a viscous liquid. It had wings of a bat on both sides of its torso, possessed a goat’s head, and its lower body ended in a tail reminiscent of a centipede.

Sensing my presence, the creature opened its eyes. Green eyes that emitted a faint glow like fireflies met mine. In that moment, it thrashed violently.

Thud, thump!

The unknown creature broke the liquid container it was confined in with immense force.

Crash! Swish…

The liquid, emitting a foul odor, rushed like a torrent. And the contents trapped inside fell in thick droplets, making a scraping sound like metal. Even though words were not exchanged, its threat was clearly conveyed.

“This is…”

I covered my mouth with my mask. This experience, which would be unfamiliar to anyone, brought a kind of excitement to me.

“It’s not running away even after seeing me up close…?”

It was my first experience.

Whether it was a dog, a cat, a horse, or a rabbit, any animal with sensitive senses would have avoided me. They didn’t threaten or chase me away. They were just busy running away in confusion.

That’s why I don’t go to the stables. I had experienced cases where horses recognized me and rammed into the stable walls.

So, even when boarding a carriage, I would avoid the horse’s gaze and board by circling around. If I needed to ride, I would climb onto the back of a trained horse. Even so, it was inevitable that the horse would be scared.

When I brought Serin, who had been kidnapped, I always found myself subtly trailing behind her.

“It’s a shame…”

It was regrettable that the unknown creature emitting a strange aura was an enemy. Still, unable to shake off the regret, when I reached out, the creature mistakenly perceived it as a serious threat and swiftly charged towards me.

“Oh no.”

It was an extraordinary agility. I couldn’t help but exclaim at the movement of a beast that couldn’t be found in the natural world.

Whoosh!

The creature rushed towards me again with a murderous intent.

A fierce charge.

There was simply no sign of negotiation, forcing me to make a harsh decision.

“I’m sorry…”

I struck the creature’s forehead with a strong punch as it charged towards me.

Crack, thud!

With the sound of bones being crushed, the creature’s head was impaled on the ground like a nail. Perhaps the pain was only for a moment.

Life had definitely been lost, yet the entire body twitched slightly. It was a pitiful sight that was hard to watch.

“Definitely not a creature for a regular magician to study.”

While magicians may have their eccentricities, going beyond a certain limit was rare. After all, they were people who integrated into society, married within their own kind, and built families.

In other words, magicians were also races that shared universal emotions.

However, this was a story of a group that did not contaminate their minds with magic.

It was when I took my first step forward, leaving behind the body of a golden figure.

Step, step.

The sound of footsteps echoed. The irregular gait reflected his abnormal state.

Finally, the person revealed themselves to be a woman. She wandered aimlessly, tears streaming down her face, her eyes vacant.

“Ah… Ugh…”

“…”

Our eyes met. The woman screamed and ran away.

“Ahhhh!”

I quickly guessed the situation she was in.

“The mainstream of black magic is mental contamination and brainwashing… So, her bizarre behavior makes sense.”

And her actions led to one conclusion.

“She roamed freely without a mark. And I, too, have been wandering without being bounced out by spatial magic.”

It would be safe to conclude that it was outside the influence of spatial magic. So, the place I fell into must be somewhere where those without a mark should not enter.

“An abnormal composite… And an ordinary person wandering around with a contaminated mind…”

A crisis would arise if evidence leaked out abruptly due to spatial magic. They would be in trouble if they exposed themselves as black magicians.

The incident of me falling into this place due to spatial magic can only be described as a miraculous coincidence.

“Even if I fall, I just need to contaminate their minds and silence them, right?”

A valid plan. In fact, the black magicians of the kingdom had control over the majority of the country’s leadership.

It would be an easy task to cover up the disappearance of just one or two people.

And then, it happened.

Tick, tock.

Unlike the woman I had just encountered, regular footsteps echoed. And soon after, the person who revealed themselves was also a woman. The major difference was that she smiled brightly and had a glint in her eyes.

She spoke.

“Oh my, I was wondering why the test subject was causing a commotion… It seems like you’ve lost your way, sir. You look suspiciously like a gentleman…”

“A black magician, perhaps.”

“Even if I knew that, I can’t just send you back…”

She probably didn’t even have the intention to send me back. She seemed to believe in her own superiority.

“Let’s see… Should I turn your mask inside out?”

She took out an item from her pocket.

It was the appearance of a large magnifying glass.

When she looked at me through the magnifying glass, she staggered and her face turned bright red.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my…! How can such a man exist? It’s not human beauty…!”

I couldn’t believe it. If I had the abilities I imagined, this item should never exist. I asked the frantic woman.

“Is that magnifying glass a magical tool that allows you to see through things?”

“Do you recognize it? It’s a masterpiece that has never been shown to anyone. It’s my pride.”

“I see…”

“By the way, you’re really lucky! How would it feel to enchant the mind of such a person with magic and make them obsess over you… Forget about research and spend the whole day locked up… Ugh…”

The woman’s dark desire may have been unknown, but the power she possessed was different. If by chance that fell into Serin’s hands, it was clear that an uncontrollable disaster would strike.

Therefore, I made up my mind to destroy it with a determination akin to a matter of life and death.

I immediately put my plan into action.

“You said you can’t send back what you’ve already heard.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll cherish it for a lifetime.”

“…Quoting your words, it seems difficult for me to send you back now that I’ve heard you.”

“What?”

As the woman stammered in response, I rushed towards her with all my might.

Crack!

A single blow caused the floor to crack. The woman, with physical abilities no more than an ordinary person, stumbled back in shock, her balance lost.

“Ugh…?!”

Seizing the opportunity, I successfully crushed the magnifying glass she held in her hand. But that didn’t mean the end of all events.

“You didn’t just make one of these magical objects. Where is the rest?”

“Well, if you kiss me, I’ll tell you.”

“…”

They say dabbling in black magic corrupts the mind, and the woman before my eyes was evidence of that. In this situation, the hand of a lunatic demanding a kiss was reaching towards my mask.

“Just once is enough. A deep one. Hmm? Or should we switch roles? I’ll be your bedroom plaything. Would that be okay?”

As the woman rambled on, her face showed signs of lust reaching its limit. At this point, I was the one feeling awkward even after subduing her. Her willingness to comply was becoming unclear.

“Ugh… What should I do… But still, I’m not a bad choice as a woman, right? I’m still a virgin. The men in the mansion are corrupt and have a taste for experiments… Oh, but you’re an exception, right?”

Until now, there had only been a sense of confusion in dealing with the situation.

Until she uttered the next words.

“Um, do you have other women? What does it matter if a man like you does? So… the bedroom is settled, should I be your servant in the government?”

“…”

Thud.

A sound of something snapping echoed.

Government.

As she uttered the concept with her vulgar face and speech, memories of the day her mother’s body was split from head to toe by a carriage wheel while trying to buy skewers with a thin purse came vividly to mind.

The day when she was still unaware of the ordinary.

When the scenery of the day before she knew Roderick and Estelle finally faded after a long time, I finally saw the dimly lit corridor properly.

I lowered my gaze.

The woman who had been craving affection until a moment ago was lying beneath me.

The body of the black magic user who had died instantly with a broken neck bone.

It was only then that I realized.

The sound of something breaking was evidence that the woman’s neck had snapped.

“Sigh…”

I slowly straightened up.

There is no guilt in murder.

I only felt self-blame for momentarily losing my reason.

“My mother was a hated villain to everyone…”

She slaughtered countless people.

All for the sake of ruling the empire.

That’s why she met a tragic end, pushed by countless evils and lost her life.

I, her child, was no different.

Surviving as a street rat in poverty, born as a scapegoat of the cold laundry room, it was all the retribution engraved in my bloodline.

“So, the child of a fallen ruler should not be like this…”

There should be no anger at the death of blood relatives.

Of course, there is no right to be sad.

If the world laughs, I must laugh along.

That is the minimum atonement I must fulfill as I live.

“Ugh…!”

It was when I covered the eyelids of the woman who had lost consciousness.

Several dark magicians spotted me and spat out curses.

“Are you trying to take advantage of Lady Rastali’s absence?!”

Rastali.

The name of the magician who reached the peak at the mansion of the kingdom’s magician. I remembered him briefly being introduced at the interrupted banquet by the noble lady.

“Well… I guess that will do…”

There was no need to submit abundant evidence about the dark magicians.

First, eliminate them all, and then let the kingdom’s investigators search the magician’s mansion later.

After all, this space, the evidence they left behind, there was no way they could escape.

“What… is that…?!”

“Smoke…? Mist…?”

“Engage first!”

Thick clouds rose around me.

While the chilling clouds enveloped me and corroded the corridor, they unfolded their magic.

Apart from dark magic, there were various useful magic spells. For example, creating a huge fireball or manipulating the ground.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Unexpected raindrops fell in the closed corridor.

Thin raindrops multiplied and turned into a downpour.

Kugugugu… Kwarung!

In an instant, the dark corridor covered in darkness was illuminated by bright light.

The life force of the creatures that dominated the minds of people was extinguished in that way.

◇

Kugung, Kwarung!

A loud noise vibrated throughout the magician’s mansion.

Parallo, whose face was buried like minced meat in a short moment, twitched his limbs. Despite being defeated by Serin, a faint scream or shout of confusion rose from his surface.

Bbibit.

At that moment, Kanarin’s eyes focused on the empty space. It was because she heard a familiar sound effect.

[System restoration complete.]

[Update renewal.]

[30%… 70%… 100%]

Ding!

[User: Kanarin Lupentel’s system establishment complete.]

[Main quest in progress will be called up.]

Pajik!

[Failed to call up.]

“… What?”

Kanarin groaned absentmindedly. The status bar that had been perfectly restored had an error before even 3 seconds had passed.

[Causality rate is being adjusted.]

[Emergency notice: Main quest changed.]

“What on earth is happening…?!”

In the face of this unprecedented phenomenon, Kanarin muttered in disbelief.

The main quest ultimately boiled down to going to Seoul no matter what.

For example, let’s say the quest is to keep the number of cows on a farm that is dying at 10 cows. Whether Kanarin heals the cows or buys new ones, the result is the same.

It had never happened that the main quest changed no matter what event occurred during the process.

“This is unbelievable…”

Ding!

[Main quest alert!]

[Main quest: Search for clues of the dark magician -> Main quest: Royal palace battle]

[Existing main quest route will be deleted.]

[400000pt will be paid as a reward.]

[Final quest is being advanced.]

Guguk, Ururur…

The collapsing walls and falling pieces of stone hinted at the impending collapse. Faint smoke also wafted in the air. It seemed like a fire was raging somewhere inside the mansion.

As a result, numerous dark magicians rushed out from the opposite side. If they entered into a full-scale battle, the collapsing mansion would be their downfall.

Kanarin made a quick decision.

“Point store open. Parallel ability list sorted!”

[Loading information from parallel worlds.]

“What would you like to purchase?”

“Saint Yashasmisha’s one-time portal creation ability. 200-meter range!”

[Calculating points based on distance.]

…

[Collecting 2000pt.]

After the system notification was engraved in the air.

Particles of light gathered from the empty air onto Kanarin’s palm. The particles took on the shape of tiny, tiny cubes. In an instant, Kanarin shattered it, scattering it like powder.

Swish.

The air rippled.

Beyond the circular ripples, a new scenery appeared, surrounded by lush forests around the magician’s mansion.

“Luca! Serin! Hurry and jump in!”

“But what about Lian…!”

“Of course, she’ll be fine! Who knows that better than anyone!?”

“…”

Serin clenched her fist, nails digging into her flesh, drawing blood.

Kanarin was right. Despite knowing that, the dark magicians were sinister, and worry for Rahel made their feet tremble.

“Quick, Serin!”

“Ugh…!”

Now, they had to follow Kanarin’s lead. With a final decision made, Serin jumped into the rippling space with the group.

As they paused halfway through the portal, Serin shouted, “I sincerely hope you can kill me today, truly.”

Then, with twisted lips, her declaration was raw anger itself.

“If not, I will make sure to kill all of you!!!”

The thunderous roar that engulfed the entire mansion struck pure fear into the eyes of the dark magicians.