A Reason to Trust
A question troubled him.
Why hadn't the message appeared? In Muzark's mind, the recent ambush was the most visceral crisis he had faced so far. Yet, the system message had remained silent.
There was no way to know the answer. Unless the system told him directly, any guess was just a guess. And throughout the two days he spent agonizing over it, the system remained utterly silent.
Eventually, Muzark reached his own conclusion.
‘Maybe I wouldn't have died even if I had done nothing.’
Let's look at how it played out.
First, Yen pushed Muzark out of the way, saving him from the initial surprise attack. Then, while Yen played dead, Muzark bought time by fighting the mage hunter.
What if Muzark had done nothing?
Yen would have stood up sooner to fight the mage hunter herself. Back in the mine, she had claimed she "couldn't use any grand magic," but conversely, that meant she was still capable of basic spells.
‘But "basic" is by Yen's standards.’
A mage from the Fifth Region, Yellowline.
At her peak, Yen's skills would have been far beyond Muzark's current comprehension. Even if she was in poor condition now, her fundamental understanding of magic was on an entirely different level.
‘Yen kills the mage hunter, and that's it. Maybe that's how it would have ended.’
But variables remained.
There was a chance Yen could have suffered an irreversible injury during the fight, or that Misha and Evan might have died. Perhaps only Muzark would have survived. Would the system really care about the safety of others?
In the first place, surviving the initial ambush had been a stroke of luck.
If Yen hadn't put herself in danger to help him—or if her reaction had been even a fraction of a second slower—it wouldn't have been surprising if Muzark had ended up with a bullet hole in his head.
‘So it's one of two things.’
Either the ambush itself fell completely outside the system's predictions,
Or it had factored in Yen's actions and concluded it wasn't a real threat.
‘In the end, it just does whatever the hell it wants.’
Either way, the reliability of the system had plummeted.
He couldn't afford to live complacently, relying on a half-baked insurance policy.
‘It was suspicious from the start anyway.’
He had to keep his wits about him.
And now, he was about to take the first step toward doing just that.
Yen arrived at the lodging later than usual. The warmth in her brown eyes seemed to have cooled slightly. Whether it was due to her pale, haggard complexion or a shift in her state of mind, he couldn't be sure.
"Yen, I have something to tell you. It might be a bit sudden."
Believing they didn't have much time left, Muzark cut straight to the chase.
"I told you before. That I could help you."
"...I didn't expect you to bring it up first. I thought you'd completely forgotten about it."
"I have no excuse for that. I'm sorry for trying to brush it off."
Muzark had thought about why Yen had pushed him out of the way back then. He could think of several reasons. Perhaps she felt it was a waste to let him die, or maybe her body had just reacted on instinct.
But whatever her underlying motive, one fact remained unchanged.
"You saved my life. Both in the mine and yesterday."
"If you know that, then be properly grateful. You can start by letting me win our board games."
"Right. That's why I've decided to take the first step and trust you."
Whenever they had serious conversations, Muzark usually tried to maintain a poker face. This time, however, he didn't bother hiding his emotions. His anxiety, his guilt, and even his anticipation were laid bare.
Under her sharp gaze, Muzark tore down his walls.
"I'll give you Harmensales's knowledge."
The very value that had protected Muzark Bespard from Yen.
Yet, at the same time, the obstacle that had driven a wedge between them.
The tension he felt now was different from the life-or-death struggles he had faced since his transmigration. Before, the sheer urgency had left no room for stray thoughts. Now, he was plagued by doubt and hesitation, wondering if this was truly the right choice.
This wasn't a simple matter of killing or being killed, of stealing or being stolen from. Even if his relationship with Yen fell apart, the chances of him being murdered right here and now were extremely slim.
But things would inevitably change.
At the very least, from this day forward, Yen would never tell him who had stolen the ore. She would never take a bullet for him in the heat of an ambush.
Perhaps that was more important than merely surviving the immediate future. Since ancient times, the bonds between people were never something that could be neatly severed by the parties involved.
Debts of gratitude and resentment.
Was there any heavier concept in the world?
"Yen. The reason you posed as a laborer in the mine was obviously because you wanted Harmensales. You wanted to borrow his knowledge. If I hadn't suddenly popped out of nowhere, everything would have gone according to your plan."
Muzark had been the catalyst for Claude Regan's decision to get rid of Yen. If Yen hadn't helped Muzark on a whim, her infiltration would have proceeded much more smoothly.
And the reason for Yen's whim lay in Muzark's sudden change. A miserable, constantly complaining bastard had suddenly transformed into an entirely different person overnight.
A single moment of meddling had completely derailed her plans.
"So, even if it's late, I'm saying I'll cooperate."
"..."
Yen didn't rush to answer.
"You are late. But at the same time, you're a step ahead."
What if Muzark had been a naive, good-natured fool? He would have said these words the moment he learned of Harmensales's power, just to keep the promise they made in the mine.
What if Muzark had been an irredeemable idiot?
He would have eventually tried to use Harmensales as a bargaining chip.
Begging for his life while looking up at Yen in some deserted, abandoned building.
As it turned out, Muzark was neither a fool nor a saint.
"We actually have a few things in common."
"Like what?"
"Acting on impulse, yet being surprisingly cautious. For me, well... helping you in the mine was an impulse. But protecting you instead of quietly getting rid of you all this time? That was caution."
Yen looked down at Muzark's arm.
The area slashed by the mage hunter was wrapped tightly in bandages. Even Eastred, wretched as it was, had medical facilities.
"You know, normally, killing a contractor doesn't transfer the demon to you. If I knew things would turn out like this, I would have killed Claude Regan myself. Just like that bastard yesterday—bang, right from behind."
"I thought you said you couldn't use any grand magic?"
"I can't. None of the grand spells I have in mind."
The only physical injury Yen had sustained was the self-inflicted cut on her palm. Yet, her condition was far from normal. Even as they spoke, cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
Even with a body so thoroughly broken, Yen had killed the mage hunter. Though she had relied on a surprise attack by playing dead, she had pierced his Shield in a single blow. The difference in their caliber as mages was stark.
"I'll be honest. Even now, I'm debating whether to get rid of you. It's true I need Harmensales, but ironically, the reason I can't do it is also because of that damn demon."
This was Yen's caution.
"There's no guarantee that what happened once will happen twice, right? What if the demon gets bored after seeing two contractors die? Or what if he just doesn't like me? Even demons have preferences."
"Hearing it put that way makes me uncomfortable. You think he actually likes me?"
"How should I know?"
At a moment where she would usually offer a sly grin, Yen remained solemn.
"I think you've handled yourself well so far. You knew exactly where your lifeline lay, so you kept an eye on me, listened to what you needed to hear, and filtered out the rest. That's your cautious side."
Up until now, they had simply been feeling each other out.
Waiting to see who would make the first move.
"And then today arrived."
Only now did Yen smile.
A cold smile, stripped of all playfulness.
"Without Harmensales, your value to me drops by more than half. Your magic? The reason you suddenly changed? Sure, I'm curious, but those are things I can just overlook."
"I suppose so."
"You know that, so why? What's your goal in helping me?"
Yen's words were no bluff.
The gap in their standing within the city was as vast as the gap in their magical prowess. Even if it was difficult right now, Yen was confident she could kill Muzark. She was equally confident she could secure her own safety afterward.
Thus, she assumed Muzark must have some hidden agenda. He wasn't the type of person to be ignorant of how disadvantageous his position was. He wasn't that stupid.
Schemes, deceit, trickery.
Yen's predictions, which suspected some sort of underhanded ploy, were completely off the mark.
"To repay a debt."
"What? A debt?"
"I've owed you my life several times now, so I figured it was time to settle the score."
"Did you not hear a word I just said? Whatever the case was the first time, this time was—"
"I know. Given your circumstances, it would have been troublesome if something happened to me."
Muzark spoke in a calm, steady voice.
"But a debt is still a debt."
To call it pure goodwill would be a lie.
Muzark had his own goals. Ultimately, it was a struggle to survive. But he had absolutely no intention of lowering her guard just to stab her in the back, as she suspected.
"I realized I won't last long at this rate. Surviving in this world isn't easy. My life was already suffocating enough, but somehow it's only getting tougher."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Just keeping my eyes open isn't enough. Eventually, I'll slip up. I might get lucky and survive once, but if it happens two or three times, I'll end up with a bullet in my head in no time."
His face grimaced at the thought. Ever since he had transmigrated, Muzark had been suppressing his fear. He had run all this way with the sole, desperate desire to live.
"When I was younger and foolish, I used to have some strange ideas. I stubbornly insisted that I had to live my life entirely on my own. But looking back, there was never a bigger load of bullshit."
There was a time when he had no choice but to bounce around his relatives' houses.
He had viewed it as a struggle. Endurance until he had the power to stand on his own. While walking on eggshells around his relatives, he had constantly repeated to himself: ‘On my own, somehow.’
He had been foolish back then. Were those relatives, who gave up a part of their own lives for him despite their disapproving glances, not human? Was the food they prepared for him, however half-heartedly, not real food?
It was no different after he became independent.
There were always others in the world.
"How can anyone survive this harsh world alone?"
"That's a weak way of thinking."
"Of course it is. When a single bullet can end your life, you can't help but be weak."
Weakness was inevitable.
Once he acknowledged and accepted that, navigating life became much easier. Easy enough that he could occasionally send his regards to the uncle he had never once opened up to when they lived together.
It was an attitude toward life he had forgotten while desperately struggling to survive.
And now, Muzark had to live in a society vastly different from the modern world Baek Si-woo had known. A world far more brutal and vicious, yet one where mystery and beauty still breathed.
It was absolutely impossible to do it alone.
"That's why I need someone who will push me out of the way next time, too. Someone I don't have to constantly suspect of trying to kill me, exploit me, or rob me the moment I show a weakness."
"How do you know I won't betray you?"
"At least you'll help me until you do."
He looked Yen straight in the eye as he spoke.
"Once I've repaid my debt and Harmensales or whatever doesn't matter anymore, let's just say we're allies and board game buddies. I'd like us to start fresh from there."
Muzark finished his long explanation.
A long silence fell over the room. Yen sank into deep thought, much like she did during their board games. She was thrown off by Muzark, who had torn down his walls and stepped forward so readily.
A conclusion did not come easily.
For she knew all too well that the world was harsh precisely because relationships with others were difficult. She knew that a half-baked trust like "until betrayal" was nothing but an illusion.
But once she stripped away the excess, only profit and loss remained.
"Fine. There's no reason to refuse when someone is offering to help."
On the way to the security office.
Fearing another ambush like the last one, they stuck strictly to the wide, open avenues.
Yen, who had been walking in silent contemplation, finally broke the quiet.
"People in the Redline often have a misconception. They think everyone in the upper regions lives a life of luxury. Maybe if you go all the way up to the Greenline or Blueline, but where I lived? Not so much."
"Is it actually worse than here?"
Muzark's expression grew as grave as if he had just heard of the end of the world. If escaping one trash heap only led to another, then his entire goal was flawed from the start.
Should he leave the Empire altogether?
"The quality of life itself is better up there. But everything is relative. Down here, everyone is equally miserable, but the higher you go, the wider the gap becomes. The haves and the have-nots."
So it was a matter of wealth disparity. It seemed he had overreacted. After all, the Greenline from two hundred years ago that Harmensales had shown him was incredibly advanced.
"Most people are the have-nots. The miserable ones who can't use magic. That's where the real divide begins, and the criteria are quite clear: whether you know an influential mage, or whether your family has produced one."
A society built solely for mages.
"My family hadn't produced a mage in about seventy years. Without any backing, we obviously didn't have money. If you don't want to die, you have to work yourself to the bone. What do you think is the most efficient way for a beggar to make a living?"
"Selling organs?"
"Close, but not quite."
Yen let out a dry chuckle.
"Experiments. At the request of mages, the institutions periodically put out notices. 'Mage so-and-so is offering this much money for such-and-such an experiment, seeking volunteers.'"
Crazy. Legal human experimentation?
"Well, they have their own rules and safety checks. But that doesn't mean accidents don't happen. If a spell were a hundred percent safe, why would they pay people to test it?"
"I take it something happened."
"Yeah. When I was eleven, my younger brother died in an accident during an experiment."
Her voice was incredibly detached. Sometimes people forced a casual tone to mask their pain, making it sound even colder, but that wasn't the case here. There was truly not a shred of emotion in her voice.
"We got the compensation money, so we didn't have to worry about meals for a month."
It sounded monstrous at first glance, but Muzark didn't jump to conclusions. From what he had seen of Yen, she wasn't a psychopath. A lunatic, maybe, but not a monster.
She continued her explanation.
"Back then, I hated magic with a passion. And I had every reason to. I believed magic had ruined my life and my family. It wasn't exactly an incorrect assumption. But then, something happened."
When Yen turned thirteen, she suddenly hit a turning point.
"The person in charge of the experiment that killed my brother was arrested. Apparently, they were testing a different spell than the one they had registered. I was stunned. Not by the corruption itself, but by the fact that the corruption had actually been exposed. Why blow the whistle over the death of a nameless kid with no backing?"
"That's a lot of deep thinking for a thirteen-year-old."
"I was a bit precocious."
Her pace slowed slightly.
"The moment I heard the news, a strange feeling washed over me, and I ran out of the house. My chest was tingling. I don't know where I got the courage in the dark of night, but I ran through the alleys and out onto the main street."
Yen stopped mid-sentence. She halted her steps and looked up at the sky. Catching a glimpse of her profile, Muzark's eyes widened.
"—And then, magic happened!"
Yen was smiling with pure, innocent wonder.
Only then did Muzark realize why she could speak of her brother's death so calmly. She had already overcome the pain. A sparkling, brilliant admiration had covered her wounds.
"Multi-colored starlight exploded like fireworks and cascaded down like waves, turning into countless specks of stardust and droplets as they fell. I stood there for the longest time, just staring at the sky and the starlight flowing over my palms. Who wouldn't have?"
Muzark looked up as well.
The sky of the Redline was as dreary as ever. Yet, he was certain that Yen was seeing a brilliant cluster of stars amidst that very dreariness.
"That was when I realized. The things I had loathed so deeply were nothing but cheap imitations. Worthless trash. For the first time in my life, I had witnessed true magic."
It was a sight more than enough to make a young girl fall in love with magic.
"Just once is fine. I just want to see it with my own eyes again."
"It's a bit overwhelming to process. What exactly should I ask?"
"February 11th, fifteen years ago. Ask him what happened on Firenze Street in North Yellowline that day. It definitely wasn't a dream or a hallucination."
An admiration bordering on obsession flowed from the tip of Yen's tongue, taking the shape of words.
"Because no magic ever happens without a reason."