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At the end of summer240 ? At the end of summer #2
“Hassan, do you have the doll I gave you safe?”
“that?”
I thought of the straw doll Luna had made for me. It looked like a voodoo doll, a cursed tool that you could stick a needle into and it would probably work.
Luna said it was an amulet she made for me, and since she gave it to Erebor, Luna’s father, I believe it must have had the same effect as an amulet that protected me, just as Luna said.
But it seemed a bit odd to say, “Who gave it to me?” So I decided to just say that I lost it in the dark.
“Did you lose it?”
“Oh, sorry. I worked hard to make it, but I lost it in the dark.”
“No, it’s okay! It’s a good thing I lost it!”
“okay?”
Why on earth?
Is there anything you’re glad you lost?
Was there some kind of time bomb installed? While I was having such absurd thoughts, Luna continued to say a few more words.
“Erebor, the god of the abyss, considers anything that enters his domain as his own. So, he must offer something in return. In our Ideopheus, we offer a doll as a sacrifice instead!”
“Oh, a sacrifice?”
I recalled my conversation with Erebor. He had said that if I wanted to save my companions and the Silver Rose party, I had to sacrifice one of them.
“If it’s lost in the darkness, then the darkness has taken it.”
“Indeed, now that I hear it, that seems to be the case. Luna, the things you gave me were helpful. The lightning bolt, the rope, things like that.”
“Really? I told you I know a lot about the Abyss.”
When I expressed my gratitude, Luna hesitated as if she was very embarrassed.
Of course, what I said wasn’t an exaggeration. If Luna hadn’t taken care of this and that, I don’t know what would have happened.
Both Antiope and Hippolyte were great adventurers, but they may have faced greater hardships and trials than they are now experiencing.
Thinking about it that way, I thought about what it would have been like if I had done this with Luna. Surprisingly, things might have been easier to handle than they are now.
I left Luna behind because I thought she might be in danger, but wasn’t I subconsciously ignoring her?
“Hassan, I’m glad we met again safely.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
It was only a day or two for me, but it was almost ten days for Luna. It seems she was worried a lot about me not showing up during that time.
Of course, I was still dumbfounded, unable to believe that ten days had passed. Was it like Interstellar? Was it because gravity was so strong in the darkness that space-time was distorted?
Luna adds her words in a subtle way, as if water is flowing while she is thinking like that.
“And while Hassan was away, I thought about this and that on my own.”
“Thoughts? Thoughts?”
For a moment, I felt a pang in my chest.
I heard from my friends who had girlfriends before that if they ever hear their girlfriends say, “I thought about it by myself-,” they’ll definitely say something shocking, so you have to brace yourself.
Could it be that Luna was the type of person whose heart grew distant when her eyes grew distant?
I had heard about girls who, if left alone, would think about this and that and eventually sort out their feelings, so I was a little worried.
However, that was just my opinion, and Luna’s words were a little different from what I had expected.
“I thought about it on my own. I think I was relying too much on Hassan.”
“okay?”
“If I had been a little more skilled, I wouldn’t have just cheered Hassan on as he went to such a dangerous place. That’s why I decided to train too!”
“Luna, you’re training?”
I thought about Luna learning Auror.
Of course, Luna is a girl born of powerful gods, so if she trains, she has the potential to become stronger than anyone else.
However, I’m worried that if I become too strong, I’ll be caught more quickly by the Gigas, the Lords of Hell or something.
“So, in fact, as soon as Hassan entered the Abyss, I also saved the master. Just like Hassan, I decided to learn various things by spending 1 gold per month!”
“Really? Master? Are you a capable person?”
“Hassan is someone I know! To be honest, I didn’t really feel like it, but it seems like there’s no one around me who’s as good as him.”
I thought long and hard about who among the people I knew would be a good fit for Luna’s teacher, but no one came to mind.
“Who are you?”
“That witch. Nemea.”
“Ugh, huh-.”
“Huh? Hassan is glad that I’m training! Let’s become gold tier together!”
Nemea.
I never thought that name would come up again. I felt like my stomach was going to explode. If that woman opened her mouth even once, it would be like a bomb was going to explode.
While we were thinking that, we soon reached the entrance to the cave leading out of the valley.
*
*
*
When we came outside, Luna’s words about the city being turned upside down were not a lie or an exaggeration.
As soon as we entered the city, countless people surrounded us, asked us questions, grabbed our ankles and wouldn’t let us go.
“You disappeared for ten days! What on earth happened on the cliff?”
“I heard there’s a giant monster that the Sodomora authorities are hiding. Is that true-?”
“This party consists of three women and one man. Does that mean anything?”
“Okay, okay, everyone step aside. From now on, I, Baltmar, the leader of the Mars Guild, will take charge.”
Our group, who were filled with fatigue, were able to defeat them all with the authority of Baltmar, the high-ranking member of the Mars Guild.
Baltmar took us all into what seemed like his office.
The conference room of the Mars Guild.
widely-.
“In the spacious room with the cool marble table, a half-bald, one-eyed man named Baltmar put down his teacup and said,
“I’m glad you came back safely. However, it’s not all that fortunate. If possible, I wanted to ask you on my own. But that didn’t work out.”
Baltmar’s only amber eye was sunken as if he was quite troubled. He said that the aftermath of this incident had been quite serious.
As far as I know, Baltma was a figure of great influence, comparable to the saints of the temple of Venus.
He is a man with so much authority that he can use his authority to tacitly deal with incidents or bad things that occur among adventurers, knowingly or unknowingly.
If it had become an incident that even a man with that kind of authority could not handle, then I think it would clearly mean that a group with greater power or influence than this man was holding onto this matter.
Antiope, who was listening to the story absentmindedly with her legs propped up on the table, asked if she was not the only one who had figured it out.
“Are you a Templar? I left my post without permission, and the palace has come down to you to reprimand me?”
“Yes, I know. The royal palace said they are investigating this matter. An investigation team will be dispatched from the palace soon. For the time being, don’t cause trouble and stay still. If you call, come out immediately. And in Alfheim-. No, this is not something I should tell you.”
Baltma clicked his tongue and quickly ended his story.
An investigation team is dispatched from the palace.
king.
King in English.
It is said that a person with such great authority that it makes you wonder what they are doing and the organization they belong to are coming to investigate.
Indeed, in front of such a being, Baltmar, with his head half-bald, would be no different from an old man.
For some reason, Baltma’s forehead, which was dripping with sweat, seemed wider than usual.
“Just stay still for a while. Don’t go outside. No matter what you do, it might be viewed politically, and you’ll be feeding the rabble-rousing copycats.”
Antiope and I could only nod our heads to Baltma’s words.
Just then, Antiope asks a question.
“So what about my sister and the others?”
“He was taken to the treatment center. He must have suffered a severe shock. That Hippolyte couldn’t come to her senses. What on earth happened in the abyss?”
At Baltma’s question, I glanced at Antiope. Then Antiope opened her mouth first as if she was going to speak.
“I just hunted a giant monster there. I fought the remnants of the spiritualists. My sister was pushed to her mental limit, so she couldn’t hold out.”
“I see. Spiritualists. That’s a big problem.”
Of course, Antiope’s words were a lie.
Hippolyte lost consciousness after being hit directly by a lightning bolt fired from the white-robed man’s finger.
However, it seemed that it was better to keep it a secret because even if he talked to Antiope, no one would believe him and it would only cause trouble here and there.
I agreed too.
Because I kept the fact that I had been talking to the gods a secret from others in the first place.
I had a feeling that if someone kidnapped me and cut my head off, it would be a big problem. I wondered, “What the heck is this kid?”
The medical technology of this world is so poor that it was certain that my severed head would not be restored to its original state.
“Ah, it’s not easy to fool Mr. Baltmar.”
Antiope stretched as she left the conference room.
Because he was wearing leather clothes that covered his entire body, sweat was dripping from his neck and forehead, making him look really hot.
I asked.
“Really? Didn’t we just finish talking?”
“No, I know because I’ve been watching that guy for a long time. He doesn’t seem to believe us at all. But I think he’s just decided to let it go.”
“I see.”
I began to feel that those in high positions did not get there for show. And Antiope, who realized this, was a more capable person than I had imagined.
So, you’ve become a high-ranking figure in the guild, and so you’re in charge of the important task of being a Temple Knight.
“So, Hassan, what are you going to do now?”
“What should I do? He told me to stay quiet for a while, so I should stay quiet.”
“That must be the case. But, Hassan, you should be careful about getting involved with the king. The current king is not someone you would like very much.”
“okay?”
“Do you know why Pluto believers are treated as a cult?”
“No, I don’t know very well.”
“Lying. As you know, it’s all because of the laws of the kingdom that the new king revised when he ascended to the throne. There are actually many reasons, but that’s the biggest reason.”
“Is it legal-.”
“I… I thought that was Jupiter’s will. But now that I look at it like this, I wonder what I’ve been doing all this time.”
Antiope had the look of helplessness on her face, like someone who had just given birth to a daughter. In fact, it was probably no different from what I was comparing her to.
She probably felt a sense of doubt and sageness about her job right now.
“I still have a long way to go. Perhaps, the voices I heard in the darkness were also my true feelings. I am still young.”
It was Antiope who clenched her fist and raised it towards the empty air.
I’ve seen many people waver about what they’ve done. So I thought about offering them some words of comfort, but I soon shut my mouth.
There was no need for me to offer my feeble consolation, as Antiope was already looking up at the blue sky with an eager face.
I guess that means she wasn’t a weak woman who needed something like my comfort.
“In that sense, I feel destiny now. It is my destiny to fix what is wrong. So, at the moment when everyone else lost their minds, I must have witnessed everything without losing my mind. I, I was chosen after all. I am different from everyone else.”
The problem was that my head seemed a bit messed up.
*
*
*
When I returned to the cabin, unexpected sights awaited me.
Because in the yard, there was something like a strangely growing tree with leaves and vines spreading out here and there, creating the appearance of a mangrove ruin.
“What the hell is this?”
As far as I remember, the only plants growing in the yard were potato leaves.
What on earth could have happened in the meantime for this to grow like this? A massive invasion of the earth by plants?
As I was feeling flustered, the door suddenly opened and Luna ran out, her bare feet stepping on the dirt.
“Hassan, you’re back! How’s it going? Did things work out well?”
“Yeah, I guess so. He said it would be best to stay quiet for the time being. He said that some kind of investigator might show up from the palace.”
“King?”
“I might have to meet some high-ranking people soon.”
“Wow, Hassan, then you’ll be super famous! If you can connect with Wangseong, you’ll be one step closer to Gold Tier!”
Unlike me, who was worried about being reprimanded by those above me, Luna’s reaction was quite positive. Thinking about it that way, Luna’s words were also right.
In the self-help books that were popular in the past, it was often said that those who can turn a crisis into an opportunity will become successful.
Indeed, if the country makes a strong appeal to those coming from the palace about its people, it won’t be a big deal to become famous.
But now, I feel like that’s not such a big deal.
To me now, even the adventurers of the Gold Tier, the King’s Castle, and even the vines growing in the yard or Luna’s chattering stories were like sand passing through the palm of my hand, and they were all inaccessible to me.
That must be why.
“Hassan, Hassan – where are you?”
“Wait a minute, over there, on the hill. I’ll go by myself.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’ll be back soon.”
I walked away again, leaving Luna behind who was wondering.
The place I was headed to was a steep hill inside the city center with a wide view of the city.
On this hill, which is known as the Giant’s Knee and is famous as one of the tourist attractions, for some reason, not a single person can be seen. Perhaps it is because it is sunset time, or perhaps everyone has gone home.
Of course, for me right now, this silence and tranquility is perfect.
I sat on this high hill with a clear view of the distant sunset and the city of Sodomora, or rather, the entire continent of Gaia.
As I took a breather, the first thing that came to mind was a conversation I had with a white man I had met earlier, or maybe even a few days ago.
Sigress, you are sealed. It goes without saying that your danjeon has been destroyed. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to use your aura.
While I was churning my stomach, the man told me something like that. At the time, I was so out of it that I didn’t think much about it, but now that I have some time to myself, I know for sure.
Necromancy is the power of death. The power of life, the aura, and the magic of hell cannot coexist, but you may be able to do so. Therefore, it is necessary to balance the two powers equally.
It hurts, it hurts-.
Was it because I remembered that time? The intense pain in my abdomen where the man had touched it began to come back vividly again.
However, it is you, Siegless, who must ultimately take control of your own destiny. I can only provide support.
What did I do to you…? By whom?
Well, that’s the one who handled your body the most. Now, remember this feeling. The feeling of life stirring in your stomach.
Blood flow from all over the body begins to concentrate on the abdomen where the pain is radiating.
I could feel my hands, feet, head, and extremities getting colder with each passing moment due to lack of blood.
Blood is the life itself of a person.
I could now clearly feel my life circulating through every nook and cranny of my body.
The nerves and cells in the places where the blood flow reaches are awakened, and the physical body that makes up the human body is clearly felt.
The sensations inside my body, and even further, the feel of the fabric touching my skin or the cool breeze blowing through it, begin to amplify.
When I finally opened my eyes again.
My childhood with the setting sun.
Summer was coming to an end.
[Work Review] The story will continue to move forward…
But as expected, live serialization is hard work… I want to stock up… at least build up to two episodes… but hiatus is a no-no… That’s why I’m staying up all night writing…!!!
