Do the Slothful Dream of Nightmares? (2)
What should she be called? A malevolent spirit? A rākṣasī? No, she was the price of sloth, the fitting retribution for corruption.
"Incompetence should have its limits."
As the door opened, water from outside poured in. It was so cold it snapped her mind to attention.
"Hng…."
Directly in front of Bang So-hyun stood a ferocious mage with glowing red eyes. She entered the room, displaying her clumsy Korean.
"The Mage Association isn't supposed to be like this. I've been worried sick that my little one keeps having these negative experiences…."
"……."
"But you stayed. Because your disciple liked Korea. And this is the price?"
Only then did Bang So-hyun realize who she was.
"Monica Newell… Mage?"
The moment Bang So-hyun finished speaking—
Kwang! With a massive crash, she was flattened to the floor like a frog. No incantation, no casting—just brutal suppression with condensed ether.
Yet Bang So-hyun couldn't resist at all.
"Wrong…. But I really don't know anything…."
"Bragging, are we? You, the president of the association?"
"……."
Bang So-hyun writhed under the crushing ether pressure that felt like it would snap her spine.
"Agh! I'm sorry…! I was really planning to quit this crap today…!"
Monica released the ether and spoke.
"Look at the state of the juniors right now. Are you people sane? And you call yourselves seniors?"
"Th-that wasn't something I wanted…. It was all the Elder Council…."
Lee Ha-ryeong, who had been gauging Monica's mood, hurriedly interjected.
"Monica, this is the President of South Korea. He rushed here to resolve the issue."
At the pink-haired woman's words, the murderous ether eased slightly.
"……."
As Monica's killing intent softened a bit, the president fiddled with his tie and said,
"We're doing everything in our power to find a solution. Those 60 mages are vital assets to our nation…."
"No, you're planning to give up on them."
"……."
At those words, Bang So-hyun, still prone, widened her eyes and lifted her head, while Lee Ha-ryeong pressed her forehead. The president's expression darkened.
Bang So-hyun shook her head frantically.
"Pardon? No way, how could we abandon 60 mages—pro mages directly tied to national security, no less."
Despite Bang So-hyun's desperate plea, the president and Lee Ha-ryeong remained silent.
"Uh…."
Only then did Bang So-hyun realize there was something she didn't know.
Monica pressed them coldly for an answer.
"Because you have to block the new Abysses that pop up whether the mages die or not, right?"
"Abysses…?"
At that, Bang So-hyun finally grasped the gravity and swallowed hard.
Abyss simulation was a high-level miracle of a spell. The most notoriously tricky creation-type magic among 7th-level spells. If it went haywire, an Abyss spawning wasn't impossible.
"But that shouldn't happen so easily…."
"They found an Abyss seed in one of the simulation devices."
Bang So-hyun covered her mouth with her hand at Monica's words.
"What?! An Abyss seed?!"
An Abyss seed forcibly generated an Abyss using ether. The kind of thing you'd see from terrorist groups in America or China.
"Wh-why would something like that be in our country's stadium…."
If so, the lives of 60 mages wouldn't be the immediate issue. It could link to a core-level Abyss from the magic's rampage.
"If an Abyss pops up in Ilsan by any chance…."
Korea's capital would be sandwiched between the Ilsan Abyss and the Gangnam Abyss. Sensing it was bigger than she thought, Bang So-hyun's eyes darted around.
'No wonder everything clicked so perfectly—terrorists, huh?'
Whatever the blame, the priority was calming Monica.
"Uh…. Well, our Mage Association…."
"Shut your mouth. I might kill you."
"Yes, ma'am…."
As she felt the ominous Abyss churning fiercely, the president stood.
"I'm sorry. This is our fault. The Mage Association will mobilize every administrative resource to hold them accountable."
"And they'll just invoke immunity to slither out?"
"I'll take responsibility and deal with the culprits."
"……."
"Their immunity means nothing in cases of attempted national subversion. We can clean house this time."
At the president's words, Monica released her ether laced with killing intent.
"I have data to send inside."
"Good…."
As soon as Monica dropped her aggressive ether, the bloodied security team burst in.
"Mr. President!"
"I'm fine. Someone bring some cold water? And take care of our mage Monica."
Monica bowed her head and sank into her seat.
"Haa…. My little one…."
Her eyes were dull, unlike the ever-sparkling Queen of Water.
*
President Nam Tae-hong checked on his battered security team. Whether the Queen of Water retained some rationality, they weren't as badly hurt as they looked. No deaths, just two serious injuries.
Nam Tae-hong confirmed the report that the two guards who tried to fire had lost their arms.
"……."
'Arms can be reattached with magic, so is that a relief…?'
Nam Tae-hong's stomach churned. His own danger was nothing. But seeing the rotten underbelly of the Mage Association made it hurt.
'National heroes colluding with terrorists on top of corruption.'
Since becoming president, he'd requested audits on the Mage Association and Towers, but Congress was bought off. Laws involving mages and towers got delayed for years as routine.
This was the result of that sloth and corruption.
'Even in a wartime-level crisis, they've all lost their minds.'
Abysses piling up with deep entities, Spectrum's threat looming over every nation. In such dangerous times, this mess.
Nam Tae-hong rubbed his temples in exhaustion.
'Things just got bigger.'
60 mages' lives, Abysses, the Association's outrageous corruption—piles of issues. Thanks to Monica's rampage, now U.S. diplomacy too.
"Director."
The Portrait Investigation Bureau director nodded from afar.
"Find out who leaked the Abyss seed info to Monica."
[Yes.]
"Someone deliberately fed her that info. Probably to drive Monica away from our country."
[Most likely….]
"Yes, America or the antisocial group Spectrum."
America wouldn't, so Spectrum for sure. Nam Tae-hong clenched his fist, eyes gleaming.
'Good, actually. With things this big, now's the chance to uproot society's cancer.'
Hero or immunity be damned—colluding with terrorists was attempted subversion. Only one response left: crush the heroes with national power.
Social backlash and lost votes aplenty, but no choice now. No, he had to.
'If not, you'd have let it fester, you lazy bastard Nam Tae-hong.'
If he had a share in this hell, it'd be a big one.
"Looks like I was the slothful one. 'Good is good' doesn't fly here…."
Nam Tae-hong finalized his decision and headed back to the Shadow Room. His choice today would claim many lives. His wet, splashing footsteps echoed his heart.
*
In the simulation where time stood still, I was enjoying rare meditation time, trapped inside.
'Looks like that's the same bio-contamination I saw on the spaceship back then….'
The massive swelling flesh was growing even in the frozen simulation.
'At that rate, it'll fill this place in a day.'
Jang-gil's words suddenly came to mind.
'Demons, was it?'
Those blocking world maintenance. Ones borrowing evil gods' power for magic.
'To keep clashing with them, I should handle this solo….'
Virtual ethers tangled across my vision. Same as real ether, just with condensation limits.
'Can't change the simulation itself unless interfering with 7th-level magic.'
Smashing Park Yu-hye's mental core to nullify was an idea, but no certainty.
'Wish I could test it….'
The tangled ether warned: mess with it carelessly, no return.
'Unknown chain reactions.'
As I pondered, the woman's left arm swelled rapidly. Soon, one mage crossed the river of no return.
Maybe time to try something—then a familiar voice.
Hello.
'Jang-gil? How'd you get here…?'
Super high-spec body, y'know. Maintaining an avatar overlap on the same timeline via probabilistic manipulation….
'No explanations needed. How?'
Smash the mental core. I'll handle the chain reactions.
At Jang-gil's words, I began casting. Her mental core sucked into Park Yu-hye's left arm. Trusting him, I absorbed all the tangled ether.
Ether Dynamics — Reaching Light
Matching the simulation's limit razor-thin, a black beam poured before me.
*
The simulation's release was surprisingly live-streamed by some lingering YouTubers at the stadium. Meaning many watched Monica and Yoo Eunha smash the simulation bug.
Munching an apple in the hospital, I turned off the TV and shook my head.
"No injuries, yet they lock me in here."
As I muttered, two entered: Monica and Jang-gil.
Seeing me, Monica teared up.
"A simulation rampage? What nonsense! No safety on that ancient junk from years ago?!"
She just hugged me, relieved.
I eyed Jang-gil, black hair and red eyes glowing.
"This is reality."
"Oh, right. Got confused in human form."
Jang-gil grumbled, sitting in the chair beside.
"Hmph, lucky you had a VR expert like me. Otherwise, you'd be toast."
"I see. Thanks."
"Cutting that tangled ether clean without bugs or chains? Took forever. Snip! Just like that?"
"Yeah, yeah, good job."
As I smirked, Jang-gil furrowed his brow.
"Tch. Don't laugh like that. Get attached to guides, and it gets headache-y."
"Hm…."
I stroked Monica's head as she clung tight.
"Monica? What's wrong? You're hugging me non-stop."
Jang-gil wrinkled his nose, pointing at her.
"While you were trapped those few hours, your master caused quite a scene everywhere?"
"What do you mean…?"
Monica scratched her head at my question.
"…Nothing much, kiddo. Let's say I had a little chat with the president."
Her words sent cold sweat down my spine.
"A chat… with the president…?"