Killing Intent

"Alright, let's head to the performance hall now. We should check it out quick while it's still empty."

"The actual shows probably start at lunch, but we might catch a rehearsal or something?"

*

"Come to think of it, I skipped breakfast watching the stream…."

I'd originally planned to ask Luna out on a date today…

But she said going to the park on opening day felt too overwhelming.

Luna seems to avoid crowds, so I couldn't push her to come along…

"Tch… Late at night when it's empty might've been perfect…."

There wouldn't be many people, and even with the park lights, it'd be dark enough to hide her burn scars.

Though the shops would probably be closed by then, and no shows, the landscaping alone would make it enjoyable enough.

Hmm… Maybe ask the dwarf brothers to keep their shop open a bit?

"Sigh… But in the end, none of that matters if Luna doesn't come with me…."

Given her personality, she probably doesn't want me getting dragged into trouble over her burn scars.

Which means I really need to get my hands on that potion soon…

But no matter what, the ingredients just won't turn up…

Well, if they were easy to find, the church would've made potions ages ago to heal monster victims.

I've been scouring the market daily, asking Joodak-noona and Yeomje, searching info myself…

I can buy whatever ingredients are available with money, but the ones that don't exist in the shelter? No way.

At least some herbs are preserved by folks, so as Dungeon Master, I might snag them somehow.

The real issues are the moonlight grass and the special herb called red-horned deer flower.

They're super sensitive to mana and environment, so magical preservation or shelter greenhouses won't work. Basically, no one in the shelter has them.

To get those herbs… looks like surface trips are the only option.

Gotta consult Joodak-noona and Yeomje about this later.

*

Went out for lunch and managed to schedule with Luna.

I barely convinced her—stubbornly refusing otherwise—by suggesting late night when it's empty.

- "…Then let's go on a shop off-day, oppa. I'll grab tickets too."

I suggested just going after closing today, but she's too diligent, or maybe opening day was too much, so she passed.

"Tch…."

As I sulked in my room,

Bang bang—

- Baek Soo-chan, you there? Come out.

Ah… Elise again, probably wants tickets.

Click—

"Here ya go. Have fun?"

I handed her another ticket.

She took it but ignored the "have fun" bit.

"Now it'll be fun, right?"

She smugly pulled out an extra ticket to show off.

"Wha…!! You didn't… ticket success?!"

"Nah? This is the one you gave me this morning?"

"???"

Wait… she didn't use it?

"Why… didn't you use it?"

"No fun alone. So if you're free today, come with me."

"……."

Did she eat something weird? Well… it'd be more fun together, I guess….

"Touched? I saw that shit-eating face when you gave me the ticket this morning."

…That was 'cause golden ticket mass-production failed….

Anyway, super unexpected…

The Elise banging on my door all morning just for tickets… sharing with me?

"…Hard to believe you'd show consideration like this…."

"Wanna die…?"

Anyway, since she's generously sharing her share for once, gotta go with her to reward that.

"So, head out now?"

"Hmm… Wanna see the night view too, so evening. Magic practice till then."

"Sure… I'll show you my new technique."

"Weird shit again and you're dead?"

*

Elise watched my magic demo.

"Blizzard."

A snowstorm swirled in the room.

But no bone-chilling cold, no wind.

"What the hell is this… Hey, no substance again. Where's your imagery leaking?"

"…Feel it closely. Kinda refreshingly cool, right?"

"Not cool at all. Quit the weird crap and practice what I taught."

Something's off… Using her formulas and chants feels similar to my homemade spells, so why do mine just project images?

"Hmm… Tempest."

A massive storm raged in the room, but that was it. Barely any physical force. Air barely rustling… or not?

"Gonna work…? Image is solid weirdly enough… but empty inside, ugh…."

"Just become an illusion mage?"

"Haha…."

And past 5 PM.

"Time to head in."

We entered Starlight Lake Park together.

"

The blinding light faded, revealing the lake before us.

Familiar sight to me now.

But first time for Elise, so she freaked out.

"We're here—!! Hey, hey look, it's a lake!!!"

"Yeah yeah, got it. Stop shaking me by the collar."

Perfect timing to catch both day and night vibes?

Suddenly crowds poured in, lights flashing.

"Whoa—! View's insane, finally in!!"

"Wheeze… finally ascending, fuck you dungeon-pung…"

"Goseongji ass-plant—!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hmm… Feels familiar, but first time this packed…?

Buzz buzz—

The festival vibe made my chest itch excitedly.

Elise noticed.

"Hehe… You look ready to enjoy now?"

Ready to enjoy… Ah—'like that'

Until now, I'd viewed it all as organizer, third-person, just watching reactions.

Made the game as dev, never played it myself. Saw/heard dungeons only through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠others' mirrors.

…To make better dungeons, gotta experience 'em direct.

Then—

"Like that— that's it. Got it now, Elise."

She caught my shift.

"…Ready, Chan?"

I sucked in a deep breath and yelled.

"Hell yeah— Elise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We bolted to the food street.

"Kuhahaha—! Keep up!"

"What? You're slower—! You keep up!!!"

We raced competitively, arriving packed as expected.

"Hey, hey Baek Soo-chan, what first!?"

"Hmm… That Milky Way cafe with cow slime greeters… Said they give milk, gallery promo…"

Elise ignored, dragging me elsewhere.

"This way."

"Wha… That's the other direction…."

We wandered, stuffing every food.

"Cool pineapple's a delicacy itself."

"What? First time for you too. But damn good, fruits after how long."

"Huh? You got money, shelter greenhouse sells 'em no?"

Shelter greenhouse grows herbs and tiny fruit batches. Checked pre-restaurant.

"…They don't sell to fallen nobles…."

"……."

Juice to smoothies, fresh fruit, tanghulu, gems—everything—bellies bloated, sat on lake-view bench.

"Haa… stuffed, truly happy in ages…."

"Where next?"

"Hmm… Performance hall classic? But too crowded, worry… Boat?"

As we debated remaining time…

"Elia? You're Elia Lizes von Adelheit, right? Long time."

Fancy-looking bob-cut noble girl approached with middle-aged attendant.

"…Charlotte."

"Hmm…? Thought you holed up in shelter dungeons, finally gave up reclaiming family lands?"

"Cut the shit and leave…."

Who? Knows Elise, noble prob.

"Anyway, who's that beside you? Look close—don't tell me you fell for a commoner?"

"…My disciple. Warning: one more word, you're dead."

Elise snapped cold, but Charlotte's attendant stepped forward.

"Insolent—! Wretched fallen noble with nothing but bloodline, threatening lady? No fear of repercussions? No protectors on surface or shelter!"

"…Ha? What bullshit from half-ass mage without full hierarchy. You fucks both bitching?"

Sudden intense aura from Elise shook the air.

Bad vibe, Charlotte sweated, reined him.

"N-no… Didn't say go that far… Bram, don't provoke Elia. She's been psycho since academy, blind rage, who knows what she'll do."

"…Be grateful for lady's mercy, wench."

"Hey, come back with full hierarchy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠next time you yap? Fuck off… Baek Soo-chan, let's go, ruined good day."

Elise stood first, I followed—

Twitch—

What? Felt like a needle prick.

Elise sensed, turned slow, murder-eyed Bram.

"You, what'd you do to my disciple?"

"…Nothing. Tested how great her disciple is."

"Crazy? Learned magic less month, you manifest killing intent at him?!"

Elise was furious to baffled.

"Hey, Baek Soo-chan, you okay?"

"…? What."

"No you… uh… really okay?"

Fine, just slight sting, nothing else…?

"…Tanked Bram's killing intent unscathed?"

Not full hierarchy, but Bram war mage, intent real. Killed dozens, hundreds on battlefield 20 years back. Impulse from aggressive nature.

'Less month magic = civilian… takes mental imagery of killing intent unscathed?'

"What'd he do? Tell me."

"…Applied imagery build for magic, but pure killing intent blast. Weak mind takes it, vegetable. Ha… those fucks crossed line, what now."

"Condense… and shoot killing intent?"

New application… Mage pissing contest trick…

I eyed Bram.

"Hah, fine, my mistake. But nothing happened, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right? If mad, shoot intent at me till satisfied…."

"…Bram?"

Bram's eyes bulged, sweat poured like rain.

Pupils shook violently, staring voids, body quaking like leaf.

"Bram!! What's wrong!!!"

"…Soo-chan?"

Condense and shoot…? Unclear, but intending kill, suddenly saw Bram's death grains clear.

Explosion, crushing, stabbing, drowning, burning, freezing, falling.

Here, any way, anytime killable—odd certainty.

Couldn't explain, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but sustained sense. His death visions filled sight.

This… less 'can kill' more 'choosing how already-dead died.'

'Ah, yeah… like digesting stomach food.'

What feeling? But imagery stuck, consciousness honed.

Deeper… dungeon sense like my body, all beings' info tangible.

As Bram foamed eyes-rolled,

"Hey Baek Soo-chan!! Snap out!!!"

Elise's voice snapped me.

"……."

"Hey… with it? Okay?"

"…Yeah, fine."

Brief dizzy spin, slumped on bench.

"Bram…!! Snap out!!"

"Grrgh…."

Bram twitched ground like epileptic, Charlotte yelling.

Noise annoyed me instinctively, their bodies light-wrapped, vanished.

"…Tickets expired? Looked rough tho… what…."

I sprawled on bench, woke head on Elise's thigh.

"Soo-chan… okay? You looked wrecked earlier?"

"……Yeah, bit drained."

"Can't forgive those bastards… what'd they do to my precious disciple."

*

Golden light, summoned to shelter mansion—Charlotte and Bram.

"What…? Ticket time left plenty…."

"Guh… haa… haa…."

"Bram!! You okay? What happened?!"

"Hng… s-sudden… body crashed…"

Lame excuse, but felt it clear—that inescapable killing intent.

Vanished post-teleport, body still alarmed.

'…What the hell was that….'

World denying his existence—horrific. Thousands eyes staring, myriad deaths hammered brain nonstop.

Even he, crossed deathlines countless battlefield, nearly mind-broke longer exposure.

'Certain….'

Something dangerous in that dungeon.