episode_0075

“You. The sorcerer I saw on the train.”

“Oh, um, me?”

Damn it.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

Sweat drips down my back, and my pupils shake uncontrollably.

Some senile old man said he needed an exorcist, and I came here to scam him!

Why is the sorcerer I saw on the train here!

“Really?”

“Yes, yes! What are you talking about? I don’t? understand?”

The sorcerer stares at me suspiciously.

But he hasn’t fully confirmed yet.

At that moment, my clone was an adult, but now, having lost its power, it has turned into a child…

Even if the clothes and atmosphere are similar, the age difference might give it away, right?

“So, that totem wasn’t yours either?”

“No! Of course not! I don’t do curses…”

“I never said anything about curses.”

“Oh.”

Caught red-handed.

A smile forms on the sorcerer’s lips.

Without hesitation, I turn around and start to retreat.

“It’s dangerous! It’s dangerous!”

My instinct screams inside me.

That sorcerer is a monster beyond the norm.

Why didn’t I realize it when we first met?

Maybe I was distracted by the smell of the vampire all over the man’s body.

The scent of countless monsters…

“There was even the scent of Cali!”

And faintly, amidst it all, I could also detect the scent of the Grand Druid.

The reason why the unique dungeon collapsed when the Grand Druid suddenly disappeared is now clear.

The Grand Druid was killed by that sorcerer.

The Grand Druid, favored by the Dragon Lord.

What are the odds of me surviving against the one who killed the Grand Druid?

It’s obviously zero!

“I want to live! I want to live! I want to live!”

I don’t want to die.

How did I survive in a collapsing dungeon?

I’m much smarter than my kind!

My death would be a loss to the world!

“Mijung. Catch him.”

“Um, what? There are multiple now?”

Split.

Instantly dividing into five bodies, each fleeing in different directions.

If four of the clones are destroyed, I’ll lose most of my power, but it’s the only way to survive.

There’s no way I can control five objects with telekinesis.

This is the method with the highest survival rate.

A mere 20% chance!

Maybe I can survive and escape…

“Huh? Huh?”

I should be there.

Why is my body floating away?

Perplexed, I turn around, only to see the other four clones running far away without any hindrance.

They caught only the original, not the clones?

Even though there’s no visible difference?

How…?

“No. Trying to escape like a water deer.”

“Ah!”

I tried to release the disguise spell and transform into a water deer to escape, but I couldn’t take a single step before being caught and dragged back by telekinesis.

“Gotcha. Cute little guy.”

“Ah…”

As I’m dragged in front of the sorcerer, the smell of monster corpses intensifies.

This is not good.

Losing all remaining tricks and feeling drained of strength, I absorb all the fleeing clones, return to human form, and kneel.

Because being a water deer might increase the chances of dying…

“I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead!!!”

I know how people in this world view monsters.

Prey leaving loot or medicinal herbs.

Or pests to be exterminated.

How will this man see me?

It’s obvious.

Since I tried to knock out everyone on the train, he probably sees me as a harmful pest…

“The sorcery I used on the train wasn’t meant to harm people! It’s actually a curse that only induces unconsciousness! I need to replenish my energy regularly to survive, so I have to absorb the life force of almost one person a day! It’s so bothersome, so I thought, why not just absorb the life force of hundreds at once? And I couldn’t resist the temptation…”

“I’m not interested in that.”

“Um…”

Amidst my rambling excuses, the man cuts me off with a cold voice.

Kneeling in submission, I waited as the man grabbed my head, forcing me to meet his gaze.

‘How cold-blooded…’

The eyes of a monster who had hunted countless monsters.

The eyes of one who had killed the Grand Druid, filled with a heightened sense of fear.

I trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the intense fear in his eyes.

“First, your name and affiliation-”

“I refuse! I refuse to say anything! I was dwelling in the exclusive dungeon of Cali the Grand Druid! My specialty is division! Splitting my body into multiple parts…”

If caught lying, death awaited.

Even if hidden, death awaited.

With that in mind, I desperately divulged all information about myself.

“And! I learned magic from some wandering old man! Transformation magic…!”

I expected at least some resistance.

However, he divulged everything willingly, even things I hadn’t asked about.

Is he really cooperating so readily? If so, the chances of being killed decrease significantly.

‘A monster, he says…’

His true identity was quite shocking.

To think he was a giant spider monster living in Cali’s dungeon.

Monsters, excluding the Four Kings, typically have low intelligence.

Occasionally, there are mutations, like this one.

Considering the case of Mijeong, it’s not as rare as one might think.

“Looks like a common mob, but how does he know so many tricks? How many people have you killed so far?”

“I haven’t killed anyone! I swear!”

“Putting people to sleep in groups on the train. Do you expect me to believe that?”

“I just wanted to make them sleep for a while and suck a bit of energy. I really mean it.”

“Would you believe someone like you?”

“I-I swear! I swear…!”

The spider nun whimpered as if feeling unjustly accused.

Whether or not this creature had harmed people, it didn’t matter to me.

The only thing that mattered was whether it could be of help to me.

“If you want to live, wake up that demented old man.”

“Are you talking about Awakening Magic? It does improve dementia symptoms, but it doesn’t last long…”

“How long does it last?”

“About a week.”

“That’s enough. Proceed with it.”

“Will you really let me live if I perform Awakening Magic…?”

“I said I would.”

Did he survive by deceiving me?

The main reason I came to Taeyeop City was for Keren.

If Keren wakes up, I can forgive the minor incident on the train.

But the spider nun still seemed hesitant, twisting her body as if she couldn’t trust me.

Slowly, she approached Keren’s bed to prepare the magic.

“If you try anything funny, you’ll die.”

“Oh, I won’t! I’m crazy!”

Certainly.

She could try to escape when the opportunity arose, but I didn’t think she would stab me in the back.

She seemed too scared for that.

‘What smell does she detect from me?’

She sniffed around me and her face paled.

Did something smell on me?

“It’s… a delicious smell.”

“No. Besides that.”

“I don’t know.”

This kid only sees me as a piggy bank.

Not helpful.

“Now, I’ll start the magic…”

The spider nun prepared the magic, glancing at me.

Closing her eyes, she raised her right hand, and black energy began to emanate from her fingertips.

Magic.

Made of mana, but different from magic power, a unique energy gradually took shape.

“This is originally a very expensive magic… It consumes a lot of mana. In the southern regions, many nobles pay a fortune to have their parents use this magic.”

“Hey, bug. Stop chattering and just do the magic.”

“…”

The brat.

Still not fully awake, he muttered in a crawling voice.

But his hands continued to shape the magic.

From right hand to left hand.

And back to the right hand.

As if shaping pottery, the spider nun sculpted the form of magic, then pulled out a talisman from her bosom.

Bringing the form of magic she had created to the talisman, she chanted a seemingly convincing spell.

“Grant us this favor. Please vanquish the evil that clouds this old man’s mind.”

After chanting what seemed like a plausible incantation,

“Hyah!”

She exclaimed and stuck the talisman on Keren’s forehead.

At that moment, Keren’s eyes widened, and he suddenly began to cough uncontrollably.

*Cough! Cough! Gasp! Linda! Bring me some water!*

[Understood.]

At that moment, a mechanical doll appeared at the door, carrying a cup of cold water.

I didn’t realize it didn’t have voice recognition capabilities.

It seems to only respond to its owner’s voice.

As Linda handed him the cup of water, Kaelen sat up in bed.

His gaze was steady and resolute.

Though his body seemed frail, the remaining muscles hinted at a difficult life he had lived.

He rose with his cane, looking around at us before speaking.

“Did you wake me up?”

“Yes. We have a request to make.”

“Strange. I thought I’d go crazy and no one would come to see me until I die. But I’ve had visitors twice recently. Maybe I should have Linda set up a guest reception mode.”

“Yes? Twice? Who came to see me before?”

That’s impossible.

Kaelen had lost his wife, children, and colleagues. Who would come looking for him?

“A mermaid came to see you. A woman with a beautiful face, black hair, and brown eyes asked if a man matching your description had been here. Come to think of it, you do resemble the man she described.”

That’s sharp.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.