25 times
The Nemean Cat
025 ?
“You dared, mortal.”
An unusual chill permeates this cramped hotel room.
And then there’s Luna’s overbearing voice coming from under the blanket. Anyone who isn’t a total idiot would immediately know that something out of the ordinary is going on.
“… What the hell?”
My breath was coming out of my mouth, and I felt like I was in a freezer. What the heck is going on?
As I was shaking with embarrassment, I heard Luna’s voice again from under the blanket.
“The laws of the supreme beings are not so easy to break as a mere mortal. You have broken the precepts, so are you prepared to pay the price?”
“Yes, okay?”
The overbearing tone of voice was so strong that formal speech came out of my mouth without me realizing it. Was that really Luna, the fool who was curled up under the blanket?
No, it might not be Luna. I felt that instinctively. This was Schrödinger’s Luna state that you can’t know until you check it.
But I didn’t have the courage to open the blanket.
Anyway, I chose to lie face down on the floor, feeling like there was a knife to my throat.
“Okay, I was wrong! Please forgive me just this once!”
I don’t know what I did wrong, and I don’t know how this happened, but I thought it would be best to first apologize.
The back of my neck started to tingle and my survival sensors started to sound an alarm. I felt like it wouldn’t be strange if I was frozen to the bone in this abnormally cold weather.
“Yes, you know what you did wrong. It is very important to realize your own mistakes. It is a pleasing attitude for a mortal.”
“… Then, will you forgive me?”
“No. If you rely on kindness to enforce the law, great chaos and confusion will arise in the world. Therefore, I cannot pretend that it never happened. The least I can do is cut off your head without pain.”
“Oh, that’s unfair! What on earth did I do wrong!?”
Shit, I opened my mouth with the intention of finding out what I did wrong even if I had to die. Then, Luna’s voice, as cold as ice, continued from under the blanket.
“Mortal, your area of medicine, like Clepius’s, has the potential to cause you to later violate the laws of the underworld and heaven.”
“What does that mean…?”
“Clepios was struck by lightning and died after resurrecting the dead. The world is in chaos because of the lawlessness he created. Such a tragedy must not happen again. Therefore, mortal, your life is taken today.”
The voice coming from under the blanket reminded me of something I had been wondering about.
That was the answer to the question that healer Finley had given as to why healers should not practice healing privately on the road.
I thought at most the civil servants would come out to inspect, but this is just not right, damn it!
“Be content with being able to die a painless death. I will personally bestow glory upon you, seeing your repentant attitude.”
Whipnus-.
Hooooooo-.
A strange pink gas-like substance begins to emanate from under the blanket Luna is curled up under.
“Eek!”
As a healthy South Korean man who completed his military service in Gangwon Province, I can proudly say that I know better than anyone else the horrific power of chemical warfare.
I held my breath, thinking that if I inhaled that gas or smoke, something really big would happen. Shit, I have to get out of here! Gas, gas!
So I got up and ran towards the inn door.
Jeok-.
But the visitor was frozen solid with this damn ice and wouldn’t budge. What the hell, this inhumane ice prison!
“You will die as if you were sleeping. There will be no pain. Accept it. And make sure you pay the price for touching my daughter so carelessly. You won’t be able to hold your breath forever.”
“Cough, ugh-.”
Finally, pink mists began to seep into my nostrils and mouth. I felt as if my heart was being trampled, and I went half-mad.
No, I couldn’t have been a slave and then become free, and then I couldn’t die like this!
“Master, open the door!! Open the door! Open the door!!”
Boom, bang, bang.
I pounded the frozen door as if I was going to break it down. My hands were sore from the door being so hard that I looked towards the window, but it was the same there.
What the heck, a closed room!
As I was pulling out my hair in agony, I heard Luna’s voice behind me along with a small laugh.
“You’ve lasted quite a while. Ordinary mortals would have lost their lives with just one breath.”
“Boss, this place is fucked up! Open the door!”
“Indeed, he is quite strong for a human child. It would be a shame to lose him.”
“I’m dying! Save me! Master, open the door! Open the door!”
“… It’s a bit noisy. When on earth do you think you’ll get a good night’s sleep? Rather, be quiet… . When I feel it closely, I can sense the karma of a familiar man inside you. Mortal, have you received a favor?”
I, who had been going crazy for a while, stopped in my tracks when I heard a questioning voice.
This was because the hostility that I had seen had subsided considerably, and the freezing cold that reminded me of the harsh winter in Gangwon-do had also slightly eased.
“Uh, grace? Yes. From the sun god…”
“… How could that be? This is definitely a different feeling from that sly sun god… . Oh, indeed, that’s how it turned out. This is interesting. My goodness, I can’t believe such a thing is possible. Child, I’ll ask what your name is.”
The voice that had been questioning and answering questions on its own asked me my name. I don’t know what it was, but was it perhaps trying to forgive me?
So I barely managed to move my mouth, my nose running and shivering from the cold, and said my name.
“Ha, it’s Hassan… .”
“Hassan. Yes, Hassan. I will grant you a reprieve from the night of the beginning. And I will bless your journey. With my grace, you will be able to deceive the eyes of the ignorant.”
Deering-.
“A blessing comes from Knox on the night of the beginning.”
『As a reward, you have obtained the 『Grace of the Night Curtain』.
When you’re trying to kill me, you suddenly give me a blessing? It was a bit confusing how your judgment changed 180 degrees like a palm flip. Anyway, it seems like I saved your life.
“Go, thank you.”
“I am a well-mannered child. I am the Night of the Beginning, and Knox, the Mother of Superstition. The power that comes from me will be a dark curtain that will deceive the eyes of other watchers.”
“Um… , , , may I ask what that means?”
“Literally. It is to deceive the eyes of the gods and hide your identity. However, in these days when faith is declining, my power is so shabby that it cannot be compared to the great past. Therefore, excessive… use of medicine… is prohibited…”
The voice of the woman who identified herself as Knox crackled like an out-of-tune radio.
“Look, the light grace that is bestowed… is enough to maintain the appearance… I will step aside now… and take responsibility for my daughter-.”
He did say something more, but it was as if he was whispering into a fresh snowstorm, so I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
**
“Hassan, wake up. It’s morning.”
“Wake up! Lady Elfriede!”
“Who’s Elfriede? I’m Luna. Yes, P, party member… Hehe. We’re in the party, right?”
“Ah, it’s Luna.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again, and it was already morning. Damn, time seems to pass so quickly when I’m sleeping. Is it just me?
Anyway, even though I slept, it didn’t feel like I slept. In fact, I don’t even know when I fell asleep. What the heck happened?
The only fortunate thing was that instead of being tormented by Elfriede, I was able to wake up to the sound of Luna’s cheerful voice.
It feels real to be free once again, and a sense of relief fills my heart.
“Good morning! I feel so refreshed! I feel like I’ve been reborn! Is this the refreshing morning that adventurers who have formed a fixed party feel? It’s like this.”
Luna shouted brightly. The boy’s flushed cheeks were as splendid as spring flower buds bathed in the morning sunlight, and just looking at them gave off a refreshing feeling.
It seems like the curses I’ve been using have had some effect. Still, there are some things that definitely need to be addressed.
“Is there anything else wrong? There was rust on your body yesterday…”
“Why? What happened yesterday?”
Luna tilted her head as if asking what was going on. I was speechless at that.
“Don’t you remember?”
“I remember coming home after washing up and lying face down on the bed… It’s strange. I didn’t drink much either. I couldn’t get drunk on barley wine. What is it? Anyway, I feel refreshed!”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s fine.”
Don’t you remember the ice age thing that happened yesterday?
In fact, even I feel like it was just a dream. I also fell asleep at the time and wondered if I was dreaming.
“…Long live chaos.”
Deering-.
『Name: Hassan Lv. 9
Strength: 4
Agility: 2
Stamina: 3
Task: 177
Grace: Blessing of Chaos》 Clumsy Handicraft》 Night’s Veil》
The new Grace of the Night Curtain is proudly added to the letters that appear before your eyes. This is clear evidence that last night’s madness was real.
“Hey, I’m just curious, but what is your mother’s name?”
“Huh? Mother? Didn’t you tell me? I don’t have a mother. I’m an orphan, so I lived with the island elders.”
“Oh, yeah. I see. I asked a pointless question.”
“It’s okay! I don’t feel bad because I didn’t have it from the beginning. But my physical condition is really good. I feel like I’ve thrown off the heavy bag I was carrying. So, Hassan, what are you going to do today? It’s the first day of the party!”
“What are you doing-.”
As I got up from the bed, I had a strange experience of my whole body aching and all of my strength draining from my body.
“Ugh-.”
What should I say? It feels like all the yang energy in my body has been sucked out and I have no strength left.
I feel like an invisible hand is sprouting from the ground, grabbing my shoulders and legs, and making me sag. It’s as if the near-death experience from last night is coming back to me like an aftershock.
I just want to lie down and sleep some more. But when I think of the pink haze from last night, I feel a fear that I might never wake up if I fall asleep like this.
“Hassan, are you okay? You don’t look well. Are you going to rest today?”
“You have to earn money to rest.”
So I moved my languishing body and headed towards the guild building.
I think it must be a truly superhuman mental strength. It can’t be helped, it’s something you have to do to avoid starving to death.
“You’re back again, Mr. Hassan. You’ve become more and more likeable since I last saw you.”
The eyes of Daphne, the receptionist at the Mars Guild, move quickly.
The way he looked at the protective gear I bought for 5 silver and the three-sword sword he took from adventurers was so blatant that there was no need to hide it.
Daphne quietly smiles with her narrow eyes.
“I heard an interesting rumor. You fought with a fellow Mars Guild member?”
Ah, shit. What the hell are rumors spreading so fast? Is it bad if guild members fight each other? I hope I don’t get punished or something – I was worrying about such girlish things.
“Are you sure you have your opponent under control?”
“Oh, yes, yep.”
“It is truly thanks to the grace of Mars. The iron-ranked Ska, Utter, and Corin who lost the duel were expelled from the guild.”
“If I lose a duel, will I be expelled from the guild?”
“Because a loser and the god of bravery, Mars, don’t get along. Still, you were lucky against three of them, Hassan. Those guys were about to be promoted to the same rank, so they were pretty solid.”
“I helped out too!”
As Daphne finished her story, Luna, who had been quietly listening to the conversation from the side, shouted.
“Oh, you’re Luna, right? If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask, did you two come together?
“Oh, that’s….”
“We decided to have a regular party starting today! I came here to see that!”
Luna, who is yelling at me instead of the player. Why is your voice so loud? It’s making my ears hurt, damn it.
“A fixed party? Luna and Hassan?”
“Yeah, yeah! And take this.”
Luna rummaged through the bag on her back and took something out. It was the Korean totem Dolhareubang that I had made.
“What is this? What should I say, it looks like shit. Are you sexually harassing me by giving me something so unwholesome and obscene!?”
Huh? I thought things had gotten a little better since the slap-the-cheek reconciliation agreement, but it seems not. Luna and I were both so flustered that we could only gape and not say anything.
“I’m joking.”
Daphne smiles slightly, moving the corners of her mouth. But her eyes are somehow cold, so it doesn’t feel like she’s joking at all. Anyway-.
“Do I have anything to do today?”
“I had a request to give to Mr. Hassan today. There was a client who had designated Mr. Hassan as the client. It was a project that had to be accepted by party, but it turned out well since you have a fixed party.”
Place name? I already have a place name request?
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