Chapter 63: No, I’m Serious, It’s Not Like That! (End)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: No, I’m Serious, It’s Not Like That! (End)
The night air was quite refreshing.
Park A-ram wasn’t usually one to enjoy going out, but she found tonight’s weather rather to her liking.
A pleasant breeze blew, enough to make her think it might be nice to enjoy a stroll after finishing her business quickly.
“It’s not so bad to be out on a night like this. Professor Cathy keeps telling me to get some sun, and while moonlight is just reflected light, it’s basically the same as sunlight if you look at it broadly. Don’t you think so?”
She directed her question toward her silent date, but he remained as unresponsive as ever.
“Hah, wow. I knew you weren’t sane the moment you asked me out like this in the middle of the night, but how about at least answering? That way, I might beat you up a little less before I turn you in.”
Dressed in a jet-black tuxedo and a pure white demon mask, his attire was, frankly, enough to reek of a very specific brand of adolescent angst. However, the chilling, eerie aura he exuded was enough to make the look feel perfectly natural.
“I guess my words sound like a joke to you? Well, that’s fine by me. If you get hit so hard it hurts like hell, don’t go blaming me, okay?”
[Hmm.]
The figure in the ghost mask finally spoke.
[It is a pity you did not care for my invitation. For that, I shall apologize.]
“Aha, no need to apologize. I’m not going to go easy on you anyway. I’ll finish this quickly and go for that walk.”
[What a shame. Personally, I wanted to enjoy this moonlit date a bit longer.]
“You’re more of a romantic than you look. But you picked the wrong person. Romance and I are worlds apart.”
[Is that so? I don’t think that’s quite true.]
“I don’t know where you’ve seen me to be saying things like that, but…”
[Park A-ram. You act as a professor of Mana Studies at the Academy. But that is not your true form, is it?]
“…I see now, you’re just a stalker. Prepare yourself. Once I catch you and beat the truth out of you, I’ll find out exactly how much you know.”
[Do not get excited. You cannot defeat me as you are now, anyway.]
“You certainly have a lot of confidence.”
[If you are so sure, shall we put it to the test? I will show you the difference between us.]
“…The difference?”
[Anything will do. I shall take your most confident spell head-on. I promise not to even defend myself. If you manage to wound me, I will surrender and tell you everything I know.]
“Ho, that’s a tempting offer, and it sounds like a great way to relieve some stress. But usually, there’s a catch to stories that sound this good, isn’t there?”
[It is nothing much. I am not asking for anything grand, so do not worry. I simply ask that after I endure your attack, you listen to what I have to say.]
“Aha, is this already a request for a second date? Your first invitation was a mess, but the follow-up isn’t bad.”
[Come. I shall show you the difference in our ‘status’.]
“You’re going to regret this.”
The moment she raised her staff, a magic circle composed of countless circuits materialized in the air.
“They say small peppers are the spiciest, and I happen to be very spicy.”
Then, a golden flash, compressing countless incantations, streaked through the night.
True to his word, he neither dodged nor blocked. He calmly watched the golden light flying toward him before being swallowed by the flash without resistance.
The overflowing golden light that illuminated the night exploded with a thunderous roar.
“You’re not dead, are you? If you’ve been scattered without a trace…”
She needed information, so it would be a problem if he died. She had intended to suppress him moderately, but just as she began to worry she had gone too far, she had to admit her assumption was wrong.
[There is no need to worry. I am unharmed.]
The man in the ghost mask standing before her was perfectly fine, without a single scratch.
Even the aura he emitted remained completely undisturbed.
“…Hah, wow. You really are a monster.”
* * *
Let’s take a moment to review my current combat power.
Excluding Ruyi, most of the artifacts I have were obtained from catching the Golden Goblin that was trying to pull some nonsense at the Academy. Anyway, I have a teleportation artifact that can be used twice a day, and an inventory-like artifact that can only be opened after owner registration.
I haven’t been able to form a contract with the Lucky Double Coin that heals near-death injuries yet, and finally, I obtained the offensive artifact, Black Shadow.
Now, can I beat Park A-ram with this?
No, absolutely never. No matter what happens, I can’t win.
Maybe if my Reinforcement grows and I can use Multiple Reinforcement, it might be a different story, but at this stage, she isn’t someone I can even touch.
The Platinum Witch. Although she is a character whose true self is currently sealed, I’m the only one who knows the truth because I’ve read the Setting Book.
Originally, she is an existence closer to a Calamity than a human. Even with most of her power sealed along with her true body, she is an absurd being who operates as a high-ranking A-rank Hero.
How could I possibly beat someone like that?
However, even if winning was impossible, there were a few ways to bluff my way through.
The reason I turned Ruyi—one of my few offensive means—into a tuxedo wasn’t because I was obsessed with looking cool, nor was it just to save on clothes or use it as a quick-change device.
On a small scale, it was to prevent people from associating this form with Kang So-hyun, who uses Ruyi as a weapon. On a larger scale, it was because Ruyi itself could be used as an incredible defensive artifact.
In her Park A-ram state, she has a habit: whenever she is provoked to use her full strength, she always crushes her opponent with the same spell.
Her original incantation, ‘Overflowing Golden Light.’ Many people misunderstand it because of the brilliant golden mana that surges forth, but it is actually a technique that converts mana into physical force to crush the opponent.
Of course, the power behind it is absolutely insane.
However, it isn’t easy to break a quasi-mythical artifact with a spell that simply has strong physical force.
Of course, only Ruyi was perfectly fine; it didn’t mean I, inside it, was okay.
— The Will of the Saint enhances your recovery.
— …Are you alright?
‘I’m less okay than I thought. I would’ve died without Ruyi. Still, it’s not completely unbearable.’
After making the reinforced Ruyi as heavy and solid as possible, I endured the strike she was most confident in.
This was the method I came up with to project an overwhelming presence against her.
No matter what the inside looked like, Ruyi wouldn’t have a single scratch from her magic. To her eyes, I would appear completely unharmed.
Ah, damn, this really hurts like hell, though. Will my voice even come out?
[Then, as promised, you must listen to my story.]
Ah, it came out. And naturally, too.
“…You just want me to listen?”
[Yes. What I am offering is merely a proposal. Therefore, everything that follows is your choice, and you must bear the responsibility for it.]
“A proposal…?”
[Indeed. You have caught the eye of the Great One whom I serve. Will you not join hands with us?]
She also possessed the talent to become a compelling villain, in my opinion.
In the original story, she was bound by those damn restrictions and ended up being killed by Lilac, but that was entirely the fault of my foolish friend who failed to utilize her character properly.
A cute, youthful appearance with a sealed true self.
To kill off a character with a backstory that readers would love? That was absolutely unacceptable.
“I don’t know what kind of person this ‘Great One’ is, but I have no intention of submitting to power and serving under someone, okay? Actually, it’s more accurate to say I have no intention of serving under anyone, regardless of power.”
[I shall correct two things first.]
“Two things?”
[First. That person is not a mere, lowly human, so watch your tongue.]
Perhaps because my intimidation increased to match the atmosphere, her shoulders flinched.
Ah, this is starting to get fun again. This is bad.
[Second. We have no intention of crushing you with force. It would be meaningless unless you are truly inspired by us and act as one of our members. If you accept the proposal, we will simply grant you what you desire as a token of your membership.]
“What I desire? What do you know about what I want to be talking such nonsense…”
[The essence of alchemy, the Philosopher’s Stone. The final ingredient needed to break your seal. Am I wrong?]
For the first time, shock washed over her face.
“How did you… No, who are you really? Are you saying you know my true identity?”
[Lacking.]
“What?”
What was this sudden nonsense? To her, who wore a bewildered expression, I continued in a deeply lowered voice.
[Your imagination is lacking. Your reaction is monotonous. If you are an existence the Great One has taken notice of, I had hoped for a more novel reaction, but I suppose it cannot be helped for now.]
Maybe I really do have a talent for acting?
[Knowing who you are, seeing through your goals and what you desire—all of this is thanks to His grace. He can see through the desires of insignificant creatures like us as much as He wishes. Furthermore, He is one who possesses the power to easily fulfill the wishes of those He favors.]
I spread both arms and naturally reached forward.
[There is no need to think of anything as difficult. Simply become one of us, take His hand, and accept His grace. He is the only god who can fulfill your wishes in this incomplete and violent world, and the emperor who shall reign as the sole order.]
“…Hah, wow. You’re not just an ordinary madman. But if what you’re saying isn’t a lie, am I to understand that there are many people like you who are fine even after taking my attack, and that there’s an existence reigning over them?”
[Of course.]
There aren’t any yet, but I’m going to go find them soon. Wow! Join now and you too can be Villain Comrade No. 2!
“…It’s hard to believe.”
[A human who truly finds something hard to believe does not make such a face. I do not particularly care for the way you deny it with your words when you have already reached a conclusion.]
“I still can’t believe it. Especially the part about easily obtaining the Philosopher’s Stone, which I haven’t even caught a glimpse of despite searching for years.”
[I suppose so. Therefore, I shall make a promise.]
“…A promise?”
[Yes. Well, since the Great One desires you, I shall reveal my hand first.]
After a deliberate pause, I spoke.
[Two months.]
“Pardon?”
[Two months from now. I shall appear before you with the Philosopher’s Stone. Ah, of course, there are no conditions just for showing it to you. We shall finish our conversation after you have seen the stone and realized His authority.]
She looked as if she couldn’t believe it, yet she also seemed to harbor a hope that the thing she desired more desperately than anyone else might actually come into her possession.
“Hah, wow. Your invitation was so terrible I thought your manners were non-existent, but you’re a more charming man than I thought. Your skill at securing a second date is no joke.”
[I cannot act in a way that would tarnish His reputation.]
“But listen. What if, contrary to our promise, I get blinded by the Philosopher’s Stone that day and try to take it by force? Why make such a promise? Are you going to bring your comrades?”
[Try it, if you wish.]
“…What?”
[However.]
I reached one hand into the air and concentrated Black Shadow to create a sphere.
But perhaps because I hadn’t grown Black Shadow yet, the sphere I made was a bit pathetic-looking.
It felt lacking for something brought out by a grand existence as a warning.
So, without much thought, I used Reinforcement on Black Shadow as I usually did, and something entirely different from before coalesced on my hand.
A darkness with a texture far too viscous to be called a mere shadow appeared on my palm.
That small darkness greedily swallowed the light from all surrounding sources, and the absolute darkness that arrived in an instant was enough to make a human feel primal fear.
Honestly, if I hadn’t known what it was, I would have been a bit scared too.
This was originally a technique that could only be used after awakening Black Shadow, but it seemed I could achieve a similar effect to awakening through Reinforcement.
[At that time, I shall understand that you have rejected the proposal.]
As I clenched my fist, the gathered darkness dispersed, and light returned to the surroundings.
“…Haha, damn. I’ve really stepped in it this time, haven’t I?”
* * *
Park A-ram had to feel fear for the first time in a very long while.
Although the time she had lived as a human after losing her true body wasn’t that long, she was someone who had clashed with those called the strongest even in that short period.
This was almost the first time she had felt this way.
A sensation she had forgotten.
Wary instincts on a primal level sounded an alarm.
If she were to follow the ethics she had established while acting as a hero and educator, the right thing to do would be to immediately call for a hero of a higher rank than herself.
However, she couldn’t make that choice.
The Philosopher’s Stone.
Because he was an existence who claimed he would easily hand over what she desired so desperately—what she couldn’t find no matter how hard she tried.
And if he was someone who could make her this afraid, it felt like he truly could fulfill that wish. She simply couldn’t kick away the opportunity.
— I’ll ask just one last thing. What exactly is your goal? Are you, like, going to conquer the world?
To the question she finally voiced, the man in the ghost mask pondered for a moment before answering.
— You are not wrong. He shall become the sole order and standard. Whether you will stand by the side of Him who reigns as a symbol, or bow your head before Him… the choice is yours.
“…A choice. Hah, sounds nice.”
It had become too late for a night walk.
“I should head back.”
Even if she had to agonize over what to do, she had to return first.
As she turned her steps with that thought, a certain question suddenly popped into her mind.
‘…But why on earth did he call me out like that in the first place?’
It wasn’t a very important matter, so she could just ask next time, though she doubted he would give her an answer.
* * *
“What is this? Is this mask cursed? Why does this nonsense happen every time I put it on?”
— No, no matter how you look at it, it’s just your true nature…
“Be quiet. There’s no way that’s true.”
No, the original plan was indeed this. It was, but I swear I had no intention of making the tone or the process so excessive.
— But why did you do that?
“Pardon? Do what?”
— When you called that witch out at first.
“Yes.”
— Why did you call her out with a letter like that instead of just calling her normally?
“Ah, that?”
When I called out Professor Park A-ram, I sent her something like a chain letter.
To others, it might look like a malicious prank, but it was a warning filled with my own brand of sincerity, and a small preparation to make her an ally.
[If you do not come alone to the designated location by 6 PM today, those you cherish most will soon fall into danger. Choose with your own hands whether to save them or abandon them.]
It was something along those lines.
“It’s not a lie. They really are going to be in danger.”
— Is that so?
“And now that I’ve kept my promise, I’ll appear just like that! To help her.”
If I appear out of nowhere and save those in danger, her guard will drop a bit.
It’s a bit of a cliché development, but clichés are clichés for a reason. It wasn’t a bad plan.
However, no response came for a long time.
“…Hello?”
— No matter how much you deny it, it seems your true nature really does lean toward that kind of sensibility.
“…How can you say something so horrible?”
No matter what, that wasn’t it.
It would be more persuasive to say that Lilac was going to turn evil.