Second Task (4)
Second Task (4)
Just before entering the castle, we hit a snag.
"The gate won't open."
The middle-aged mage stroked his chin while analyzing the massive castle gate. Other mages beside him pushed with all their might, but it didn't budge an inch.
What should we do about this?
'Should I just break it down?'
I fiddled with the talisman in my hand, briefly considering it. But before I could step forward, Ha-rin nudged aside the mages standing before the gate with her staff.
"Step aside. You're in the way."
As the mages trying to force the gate open moved aside, Ha-rin stretched her hand toward the gate.
"Open sesame."
The moment she uttered the incantation, I saw translucent giant hands emerge from her and forcibly wrench the locked gate open. Standing before the now wide-open gate, Ha-rin gestured to me.
"What was that just now?"
"A spell to open doors. It can force open any door."
When I approached and asked, she naturally clung to me and explained kindly.
"I see."
"Mhm. Since I told you my magic, you should tell me yours."
"I don't have one yet."
"Liar!"
"Believe it or not."
Ha-rin shot me a glare and pouted.
"Hmph, so you're going to keep it a secret till the end?"
"It's not like that."
"Whatever. A man with many secrets has his own charm."
Ha-rin looked at me with a smug face. A face I wanted to smack.
I didn't hold back.
Thwack.
"Ow! What the— Did you just hit me?"
"No, I meant to pat you because you're cute, but it came out wrong."
"Huh? Really? Hmph! Fine, I'll forgive you then!"
Easy. Too easy.
I think I've already figured out how to tease this naive young lady. And we haven't even known each other for an hour. Just how sheltered has she been?
"Hey, so are you going to pat me properly now?"
"No, it's time to get to work."
Passing through the gate and walking through the castle grounds, we soon reached the main keep. Thanks to my conversation with Ha-rin, I had relaxed a bit. Overpreparing isn't good.
But from here on out, I couldn't let my guard down.
"The door's open."
Unlike the tightly shut castle gate, the main keep's door was wide open as if welcoming us. Clearly, there would be traps inside. The necromancer must know we're here.
"Let's hurry inside."
But Ha-rin, acting as if traps didn't scare her at all, entered the keep before I could. I followed slowly behind her. As I moved, the hesitant mages began to move too.
Groooan—!
The moment we stepped inside, the wide-open door slammed shut behind us. Startled mages rushed to try and open it.
"Dammit! It won't budge!"
"Are we trapped?"
I glanced at Ha-rin. She paid no mind to the closed door and kept walking forward, eyes ahead. With the spell she'd just shown, it wouldn't be a problem.
Ignoring the suddenly closed door, I followed Ha-rin, keeping my guard up, of course. My eyes darted around, scanning for enemies.
The old chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, walls adorned with lavish decorations, a once-valuable but now worn red carpet. The interior didn't match the castle's grotesque exterior.
Did a castle like this ever exist in Korea? Even someone like me, who knows little about Korean history, is aware that such a massive European-style structure never existed here. The necromancer must have had a hand in this.
Magic defies common sense—I was starting to understand that, even if just a little. It wouldn't be strange if everything I was seeing was created by magic.
As I walked, tense and alert—
Rumble—!
A massive tremor shook the building.
An earthquake? At this timing? It made more sense that it was the necromancer's doing. Gripping my talisman, I glared down the hallway ahead. The only place an enemy could emerge was straight ahead.
But defying my expectations, the ghouls appeared from the walls. They poured out from the lavishly decorated walls. Emerging from all sides—front, back—until finally, something peeked its head out from the ceiling.
"Greetings."
The thing, dangling upside down with long hair hanging, was a gaunt-faced man. His face matched the one from the request documents. That guy was the necromancer.
"Good. Saves me the trouble of hunting you down."
Ha-rin smirked confidently at the necromancer.
"Amusing. Do you really think a brat like you can handle me?"
"Si-woo. After this, we're going to a restaurant together. Got it?"
Ignoring the necromancer, she pointed her staff at the ghouls.
"I'll finish this quickly."
Huuuuuum—
The air vibrated. A purple haze began to rise from Ha-rin's body. Her glowing violet eyes scanned the ghouls.
"Rana Verti."
As she chanted the incantation, the purple haze transformed into a wave, sweeping past the ghouls blocking the hallway. But the ghouls showed no change. They continued approaching us, unharmed.
Yet, the necromancer's expression darkened.
"A 『Witch』... So that's why my curses didn't work."
"Hmm... As expected of a necromancer. You blocked my curse?"
"I'm not so weak as to fall to a novice mage."
"Doesn't matter. I've already dealt with all the ghouls anyway."
The exchange between Ha-rin and the necromancer confused me. She'd dealt with the ghouls?
I turned my head, looking back and forth. The ghouls were still slowly approaching.
'Should I step in?'
Just as I was about to channel energy into the talisman—
Grrrrrr...
Keeek! Keeek! Keeek!
Grrrack!!
The ghouls' bodies began to twist grotesquely. Their decaying but humanoid forms started transforming—limbs shifting into reptilian parts.
Small human eyes bulged grotesquely, rotting skin turned into moist green hide, five thin fingers morphed into three stubby, blunt appendages.
Ribbit...
Grrr... Ribbit.
Ribbit ribbit ribbit.
Their bloated bodies struggled to adapt, crawling on the ground. A foul-smelling green slime oozed from their new, slick skin.
'...Incredible.'
I stared at Ha-rin with wide eyes.
『Witch』
Her magic—cursing her enemies into frogs. To incapacitate so many ghouls with a single spell... I couldn't help but be awed by its sheer power.
That was real magic...
I finally understood how different it was from mere sorcery. Not the low-level spells of other mages, but the high-tier magic of an arrogant, prodigious mage. The sight before me made my heart race.
And it made me wonder.
What kind of magic do I possess?
What kind of mystery can my unique magic unleash?
"Just surrender quietly. I know these are all the ghouls you have."
"Hmm... To neutralize all my ghouls with a single curse. Not bad for a brat."
"Ha! Must've been hard gathering so many ghouls, huh? Too bad they're all gone now, isn't it?"
"Pathetic taunts won't work."
"Who said I was taunting?"
Thud.
Ha-rin struck the ground with her broom.
Whooosh—!!
Black spikes erupted from the floor, impaling the frog-transformed ghouls.
"You're next."
Ha-rin's cruel gaze locked onto the necromancer.
"Fine."
The man, who had only shown his head, slowly emerged fully from the ceiling.
"If curses, ghouls, and ambushes don't work... then there's only one option left."
"Ambush? Keke! You call those slow ghouls an ambush?"
"Your arrogance ends here."
Now fully visible, he hovered in midair without touching the ground.
"I invite you to the past. Open."
As he clasped his hands in a seal, the world inverted.
Crackle—!
In the blink of an eye, rotten trees enclosed us. We were trapped inside a spherical wooden prison. Just as I was about to throw the talisman in my hand, Ha-rin chanted.
"Open sesame."
A giant hand crushed the trees surrounding us.
"A Domain? No, he's not at that level yet."
After forcibly creating an exit, Ha-rin muttered to herself before stepping out.
"Whatever. It just means he'll die a little later."
"What just happened?"
I approached her, asking for an explanation.
"He ran. But he didn't get far. We can catch him today."
"No, that's not what I meant."
I stared grimly past the shattered trees.
Beyond was the hallway—the same one where we'd faced the ghouls. But something was different.
The faded wallpaper now gleamed like new, the decorations restored to their former luster. Even the worn red carpet had regained its original color.
It was like seeing the hallway as it once was.
"It's just a barrier. You can see it, right?"
"...Then what about those moving suits of armor?"
"Hmm, they don't look friendly."
I stared at the clanking armor approaching from the darkness at the end of the hallway. No human figure was visible inside the helmets.
"I'll handle it."
I stepped forward. The armored figures drew their swords and charged. I flung multiple talismans at them.
KABOOOM—!!
A massive explosion erupted. The blue flames engulfed the armor, melting them instantly. The ghost fire obeyed my will, leaving the building unharmed while consuming only the armor.
"So he had more than just ghouls?"
I stared at the burning armor scattered across the floor, lost in thought. There was too little information. I had no idea how many cards the necromancer still held.
No helping it. This was only my second job. The higher the pay, the greater the danger—I knew that well. At least I wasn't alone; I had experienced allies with me. No need to worry too much.
Finishing my thoughts, I turned to the group.
"Then we should hurry and find the necromancer—"
My words caught in my throat.
The people who had been standing behind me moments ago were all gone.
"..."
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
I turned again, staring into the darkness at the end of the long hallway.
Oooooooh—
An eerie wind howled.
I didn't know where everyone had gone, but one thing was certain.
...I'd have to face whatever lay in that darkness alone, without any help.
"Where... is this?"
Ha-rin scanned her surroundings with wary eyes. The moment Si-woo stepped forward to deal with the approaching armor, something had dragged her to this place.
"What the hell... What just happened?"
"Huh? This isn't where we were before..."
"We're screwed..."
Ignoring the muttering mages, Ha-rin stood up. Everyone except Si-woo had been transported here. As if something had forcibly separated them from him.
A strange coincidence. And it raised many questions.
Could a mere necromancer forcibly move a high-level mage like her?
Why bring her and these lesser mages to this dark place?
"I'll scout ahead."
A mage with 『Transformation』 magic stepped forward. His eyes glowed fluorescently—likely enhanced to pierce the darkness.
"What do you see? What kind of place is this?"
"No traps for now..."
She listened silently as they spoke.
"A vast space...? Like a king's throne room from a movie... Grand and beautiful..."
"Save the commentary. Is there a way out?"
"Hold on... Yeah, there's a huge door at the back. If we go through there... Huh?"
"What?"
"There's something crouched on the throne... Grotesquely long, thin limbs... Not human."
"We should ignore it and get out of here."
"Wait, let me check first..."
The glowing eyes in the darkness cautiously approached the throne. Then, the mage gasped.
"Whoa... Holy shit."
At that moment, a sinister gleam flashed from the throne. A gaze filled with malice pierced the intruder staring right at it.
Seeing those malevolent eyes, Ha-rin sensed something was wrong.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!!!!
"W-What the—! It's looking at me!! Fuck! Its mouth is huge!!"
CRASH—!!
"ARGH!! IT'S ON ME! HELP!!"
Crunch. Crunch.
"AAAAAAAH—!! MY ARM!! IT BIT OFF MY ARM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!! HELP ME, DAMMIT!!"
Squelch—!
"AAAAAAAAH!! MOM!!!! MOM!!!!! MOM—————!!!!"
With the sound of tearing flesh, the screams and the monster's cries fell silent. Yet, Ha-rin and the others couldn't move a muscle.
.........
From within the darkness, those horrifying eyes were fixed on them.