Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Additional Rewards
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Still night.
But the scenery around us was completely different from the Paju Central Hospital area near Paju Station.
Trees twisted grotesquely from absorbing mana, specters lurking in the eerie darkness.
Curses and barriers densely layered over every visible spot.
And a massive mansion casting even creepier shadows under the moonlight.
"We're here! Paju's top haunted house and legendary theme park! Wizard's long-awaited home sweet home!"
"...No need to hype up the atmosphere. Cut it out."
"Huh? Atmosphere?"
Oh, right. It was Jang Hyun-deok.
He wasn't joking to cheer me up because of my new madness dragging me down.
That's just how Jang Hyun-deok is.
"Lord Shin-hwa, you've returned? This outing took longer than usual."
Heo Sang-hyeon, waiting at the door, takes my bag.
"Got held up unexpectedly for a few days."
"The connection faded this time, so I was quite worried."
"Oh, hadn't thought of that. Everything okay?"
Yeah, it was really dangerous this time.
I completely lost consciousness and even had control of my body snatched away for a bit.
'The summons connected to me must've caused issues too.'
The less intelligent or inherently wicked ones might've gone berserk. Who knows what chaos happened without me knowing?
Heo Sang-hyeon shakes his head as if to say relax. Good, no major problems then.
"Thanks to the strong authority you granted me, I could control everything in the mansion."
Heo Sang-hyeon is one of my summons, but I gave him completely different privileges from the others. He's the estate manager—the [Butler] provided by the game system.
Even without my control, he can manage things inside the mansion.
"However..."
Heo Sang-hyeon widens his huge, gloomy eyes, looking regretful.
"The ones you let loose outside the mansion caused some trouble?"
"The nearby forest was fine, but the ones in the mountains—"
"Hey! Get down already!"
Jang Hyun-deok's shout cuts Heo Sang-hyeon off. What? Looking over, Jang Hyun-deok is pleading next to his Kolben with me.
"Wizard! Tell this guy to get down!"
Grrrruk—
Ddol-i stubbornly refusing to get off the back seat like a stubborn pup.
Must like the Kolben's seats, huh?
"Ddol-i, why the tantrum? Come down."
Thud! Boom boom boom boom!
"Whew, thanks, Wizard. Uh, what were you two talking about?"
Guess he realizes he interrupted something important.
"Some issues with the test subjects released toward Jang Moon Mountain, right?"
"Yes. The magical creatures you deployed to block intruders went beyond their set range or became excessively berserk."
"Ah! Wizard, that's why the fixers kept raiding us a few times."
"The paths cleared for deliveries got messed up too, blocking food deliveries. It must be tough, but for your meals, Lord Shin-hwa, it'd be best to reopen the delivery routes."
To balance intruder defense and urban infrastructure access, I'd set up complex barriers scattered across the mountain.
But maintaining those conflicting functions meant sacrificing stability, and with me out cold, it all fell apart.
"Hmm... We got food for today, right?"
"Haha, Wizard! Hey? Wizard? Wizard? Look at me! You think someone went shopping outside while deliveries were blocked?"
"Ah, you must've had it rough, huh?"
"Yeah. I went back and forth this whole time—"
"Master Hyun-deok would forget a few items every shopping trip... We're short on quite a few ingredients."
"Wha? You didn't tell me that!"
"No, you got all the important stuff. Just a few missing."
From Heo Sang-hyeon's expression, probably stuff like forgetting pasta noodles on pasta night.
"Looks like a lot happened while I was gone."
Last time I saw Jang Hyun-deok, he was terrified of Heo Sang-hyeon—and passed out from possession aftereffects.
Heo Sang-hyeon saw Jang Hyun-deok as just another of my collected test subjects.
Seems they've gotten pretty chummy while I was away.
* * *
The next day, in the mansion's living room.
"Sang-hyeon, ready?"
"Yes, all set."
Kriirik—kikik—
Three spectral golems creaking into ready positions.
Normally auto-operated, but now manually controlled by Heo Sang-hyeon holding a skull staff infused with necromantic arts.
"Good. Like I said, if I show any odd behavior, move in immediately."
"Ah, got it."
Heo Sang-hyeon looks tense as hell.
I ordered him to attack or subdue me if needed.
"Whew."
Short deep breath.
"Let's begin."
No big deal.
The fact I could even plan this proves my thinking is sound.
"Hyun-deok, bring Red."
"Comiiing~! But seriously, what's this for?"
Casual voice from upstairs.
"Hurry!"
"Ugh, c'mon, Red."
"Kiiiii!"
Fwoosh—
Ugh—it's coming.
Fwoosh—
Coming coming coming coming.
A bizarre owl-thing flapping four wings down from the second floor.
Flying—flapping wings—so it's airborne—and its form is so—uh—
"Aha—?"
Chills.
Goosebumps on my forearms. Wrongness. Like an itch.
"As ex-pected—the feel is differ-ent—fli-gh—?"
My voice, but feels like a stranger's from afar.
Squeeeee—
Tinnitus.
Prickling between temples and forehead. Nauseating burn rising from below the chest, under the stomach. Eerie sensation like blood draining from toes, insteps, ankles.
"Huh, Wizard? What's wrong? Wizard? Wizard?"
Jang Hyun-deok, shut up—
Squeeeee—
Tinnitus.
Scratchy throat inside. Mild dizziness. Eyelids stretching too wide. Pressure on jaw. Grind—teeth grinding. Unpleasant wrongness on cheeks. Stuffy lungs—I'm holding my breath right now.
"Lord Shin-hwa, are you alright?"
Heo Sang-hyeon's voice? Sounds so distant.
Squeeeee—
Tinnitus.
So other sounds barely register.
Onset of minor blackout—vision darkening from the edges. No clue what to do. Obsessive anxiety, boiling impulse.
What judgment now? Why's that thing defying Earth's gravity—why's it flying in the sky?
"Ah—ah—I get the feeli—ng—"
I'm angry right now.
But—not losing reason. Controllable emotion.
"In the name of the connected blood, I command thee, beast with four wings and three legs. Fold thy wings and descend to the ground."
"Kiii?"
Fwoosh—thud.
Red folds its wings and lands, accepting the forceful incantation.
"Uwaaaah—huuuu—haaaak—"
Air suddenly flooding my lungs.
Legs give out; I half-collapse.
"Huuu... As expected, no major issue."
"Uh—Wizard, whatever that was, it felt like a massive great big problem?"
"Nah, I'm fine. This isn't a problem."
"Lord Shin-hwa, are you truly alright?"
"I'm fine. Experiment successful."
Definitely different from prior madness.
Wings are flight organs. Seeing wings naturally evokes flight.
But unlike the doll-movement phobia before, Red's wings don't scare me.
"Kiiiii—"
Red's eyes full of worry.
Even seeing it fly doesn't frighten me now.
Mental state shifted, but not enough to trigger full madness.
"Yeah, sorry. Got startled, huh? In the name of the connected blood, I revoke the prior command."
"Kiii!"
Red nods, relieved.
"Yeah, fly again."
"Kiii—"
Fwoosh—
"Hmmmmm—yeah yeah, good. Now land. Stop, stop!"
Okay.
Got the range and symptoms.
"Thanks everyone for helping. Red, here, eat this."
I pet Red and hand over a mana stone.
Crunch—nom nom—
Red happily chomping the mana stone.
Good. Got it. I stumble a bit walking. So damn tired.
"Uh—Wizard?"
"Ah, Hyun-deok. Gonna sleep a bit. Really wiped out."
"Lord Shin-hwa, let me help you up."
"No—no—ugh—"
I wave him off, but Heo Sang-hyeon ignores it, grabs my arm. His big hand wraps around my waist.
Ah, sleepy. So sleepy—
* * *
"What the hell kinda stupidity was that?"
"But we figured it out, right?"
"Yeah, great that we did."
Grumbling Fox Mask Kim Shin-hwa.
"But that was seriously dangerous—"
Crow Mask Kim Shin-hwa chimes in beside her. Doesn't wait for my reply.
"—We told you before. Your reason stat's down to single digits."
"Gasp, right? Hey, Kim Shin-hwa! Trying to die or what?"
"The sudden sleep was your mental defense kicking in."
"Yeah, I know."
"Know my ass! This was just sleep, but if it hits zero, game over! Game over!"
Fox Mask stomps in rage, whole body furious. Crow Mask nods beside her.
"You know if it really happens, even last time's method won't wake you?"
"Better to test now than get caught off-guard. And anyway—"
"Anyway?"
"Coming up with this experiment itself means no big issue."
"Makes sense in a way."
Crow Mask agrees.
If it were rat phobia, just grab and smash one. But can't.
That'd make it not a phobia.
Crow Mask scratches his beak.
"Shame your remaining reason's so low."
"If we recover even a bit, no shaking like this."
"But thanks to Red, we pinned down this madness's scope right away."
"Yeah. Winged things are fine up to that. Even flying's okay. But—"
"This time, excessive anger at the flight."
"Hey, anger issues now? You're a full mental illness gift set."
Fox Mask mocks.
Yeah, seems like anger management disorder.
"But ending at anger means..."
Crow Mask mutters.
"Right. This madness'll be easier."
I state firmly.
As long as no one tries flying me straight into the sk—
Fuck. What?
Someone's gonna fly me?
Rumble—
Space warps suddenly; horrific vibration as lightning strikes.
"You idiot! Calm down!"
"Kim Shin-hwa! Snap out of it!"
"Hoo—haa—huuu—haa—yeah, yeah, fine. Fine. Mental strength stat's at 21 now."
"Fuck, that wasn't fine at all?"
Fox Mask spews curses.
"Anger management disorder—so per [Cthulhu World] system, it's berserk status. Full trigger overrides even mental strength control."
Crow Mask adds explanation.
"Yeah, easier for sure. Impulse to attack target. Even forcing high-magic-resist Kim Shin-hwa..."
Rumble—
"...Yeah, won't say it. Anyway, forcing you to 'do that' won't be easy."
Good. Summary:
"Yeah. Thought worst-case, but this is easy mode for once."
"Hmm, not overthinking it?"
"You know your inner issues aren't fully resolved?"
Ugh, nagging heavy.
"Got it. Got it. Let's take it slow for a bit."
Rumble—
"Ah, Kim Shin-hwa! Calm down!"
"No, that wasn't my anger."
"Yeah, man, I'm not mad."
"Huh? Then what's that?"
"External—the outer barrier activated, body's tensing. Seems like intruders."
Crow Mask explains for me. I scratch my head, extending senses.
"Intruders? What's coming? Oh, fixers on us, right? Gotta meet Tudor, clean up the area."
"Later—and uh, doesn't feel like pushovers?"
I read the barrier feedback.
"Blasting through at insane speed. Charge rate's no joke. Judge-class? That level?"
"What? Suddenly?"
"Kim Shin-hwa, get out of the dream quick."
"Will. But—hmm—"
Doesn't feel that dangerous?
Monstrous mana approaching at ludicrous speed. Absurd velocity. Barriers pierced illogically.
Ah, I know who.
"That's—"
"Someone you know."
My insight hits; the other two quickly realize the intruder's identity too.
* * *
"Bwahaha! House owner, come greet the Thousand Gold Captain's grand arrival!"
Shout packed with earth-shaking power.
Not hyperbole. Sky and ground actually vibrate from his voice.
"Ugh—can't even sleep properly."
I rise from bed, shuffle to the window.
Open it—yep.
Outside the mansion, a goblin radiating blinding golden mana even in night darkness.
"Thousand Gold Captain, what's this racket at night?"
Thousand Gold Captain Seo Cheon-seul looks up majestically.
"Ten Thousand Gold King issued new orders. Thought I'd drop by to see Kim's face while at it."
"My face?"
"Ah, right. Kim's got no face, huh?"
"The hell I don't."
Seo Cheon-seul laughs bwahaha and changes topic.
"Kim, you like booze?"
"Booze? From Thousand Gold Hall?"
"Bwahaha—real premium stuff."
Seo Cheon-seul pulls a huge jar from his robes, holds it up, laughing heartily.
Seeing him, I smile faintly.
"Was on death's door anyway. Perfect timing."
Finally, last achievement reward: Dream Fragrance.
Ultra-rare brew from Thousand Gold Hall only.
Heals disease, extends lifespan, boosts inner energy or mana, lifts curses, awakens talents or abilities, skyrockets wealth luck—and restores lost reason stat.
"Come in. We'll set up the drinks right away."