Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 017
Chapter Title: Ghostbuster (1)
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A used bookstore with no customers in sight.
"Yaaawn..."
The clerk let out a yawn amid the laid-back atmosphere.
Then—
Rumble—
A group of people burst through the bookstore door like they owned the place.
"Search every inch of it."
They rummaged through the shelves, hunting for something.
"W-What the hell are you guys?!"
The clerk jumped in shock, hesitating over whether to call the cops.
A mild-mannered man who gave off intellectual gangster vibes smiled and spoke up.
"Oh, we're not suspicious or anything. We're just looking for a specific book. Isn't that perfectly normal in a bookstore?"
"...Well, I guess so."
"We'll buy a few on our way out."
Under the pressure masked by that smiling face, the clerk shut his mouth.
Kim Bureau Chief, the intellectual-looking man, inwardly grimaced at the orders from those spoiled brats at the chairman's house.
According to Special Task Force intel, a grimoire might have found its owner.
Scour used bookstores and libraries—if you find one, bring it back. What a bunch of lunatics.
Order of the Holy Maiden.
A pristine white temple where darkness draped like a cozy curtain.
The flames in the brazier flickered beautifully as young girls gathered in prayer.
Of course, it wasn't a legitimate order by any means.
But they'd acquired the true power to maintain and expand the organization.
A beautiful silver-haired girl closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against the cover of a white, ornate book.
"Ahh~ Great Raziel. Yes~ Speak to me."
She praised with ecstatic voice, ears wide open.
"Your saintess will listen."
Then her closed eyes fluttered open, revealing sky-blue irises.
A bewildered voice escaped her lips.
"...Huh? Korea? ...Yo, han?"
Whoosh—
The brazier flames shifted to blue, sparks flying to scorch words into the floor.
'Kill Yohan.'
The book had been ignored by Yohan at the used bookstore.
It had promptly sought a new owner.
But...
...She couldn't accept that.
How dare he overlook her radiant self for something so sinister—
Choosing that shit grimoire was unforgivable.
Even if it brimmed with milk and honey like a holy grail, one drop of poison made it a poisoned chalice.
The vessel of evil had to be shattered before it grew.
As Raziel's oracle concluded and the blue flames died down,
the silver-haired saintess,
Elsi cautiously asked the other girls.
"Um, does anyone know... where this place called Korea is?"
Her voice rang with confusion.
"...We're in Finland here."
Outside the Order of the Holy Maiden, fierce winds howled.
A white-haired old man cloaked in a dark overcoat that shrouded his entire body.
A wanted necromancer who had slipped into Korea.
Edward Coffin swung the censer dangling from a chain attached to the rod in his hand, deep in the shadowed cemetery.
Acidic smoke billowed from the censer, spreading through the graves.
"Aaaah..."
Several zombies, also clad in black coats hiding their forms, shoveled graves open with spades. The incense pierced the exposed corpses.
A cold voice echoed from Edward's lips.
"You who can never rise again—by my command, stand once more."
"Aaaah...!"
Crack—
Impossible sounds rang out as the corpses in the coffins rose one by one.
A routine he'd repeated countless times. Edward watched the scene unfold.
Burial cultures made disposing of bodies so convenient.
Plenty of material, no hesitation in using it.
Forcing the dead to walk again, Edward gazed up at the sky amid the undead.
Reading the stars.
Through astrology, he'd finally caught the trail of a great treasure.
Better known by its famous name—
The grimoire that commanded the lords of hell, Solomon's 72 demons.
Lemegeton.
A grimoire any mage would kill for.
Why it resurfaced.
Why it appeared on this land...
He didn't know, and it didn't matter.
Didn't matter. Didn't matter. Didn't matter.
"Great grimoire, Lemegeton."
Edward's voice rang out as he stared at the heavens.
"Behold me."
He spread his arms wide, howling skyward.
"I am the one worthy to wear Solomon's crown! Behold me, Lemegeton!"
"Aaaaaah...!"
The wails of the undead filled the sky.
Dark light gleamed in Edward's eyes.
Even if Lemegeton had already chosen a new master, it didn't matter.
He'd just kill them...
And prove he was the superior mage, more fitting for the grimoire.
The rookie female agent from the Special Task Force covered her mouth at the cemetery's horrors, retching.
"Urk..."
The stench of rotting corpses turned her stomach.
And the grotesque tower assembled from decayed bodies made her head spin.
"Tower of Babel?"
Shin Sion furrowed her brow but kept her eyes fixed, investigating the structure.
The female agent couldn't comprehend it and asked Sion.
Why go to the trouble of using magic to build something like this?
"Why the hell do something this messed up?"
Sion thought for a moment before replying.
"...It's like a mating display, metaphorically speaking."
"Huh?"
"If Edward Coffin's after a grimoire, it's like a toad croaking louder to show off his magical prowess to it."
The female agent stared at the monstrosity with trembling eyes.
"...Does this crap even work?"
"Maybe for a grimoire without an owner. But if it already has one? No chance."
Sion stated firmly.
"Grimoires prioritize taste when choosing masters."
Though killing the owner could claim ownership for some grimoires as spoils of war. Cases varied, so nothing was certain.
Either way, the real concern now was...
"Someone who pulls stunts like this won't back down easily. He'll keep causing trouble."
Sion narrowed her eyes at the cemetery carnage.
"We need to catch him before he triggers something bigger."
After pocketing thirty million from Smith,
Yohan was en route to his reserved hotel for some genuine vacation vibes.
That's when he spotted a tented area displaying all sorts of goods.
...A bazaar?
He had time—might as well browse a bit.
Not planning to buy anything specific, but he wanted that relaxed holiday feel.
As he wandered,
next to a stall selling drinks and cookies, he saw stacks of books for sale.
Drawing closer, the vendor smiled and said,
"How about some snacks or drinks? We've got books too."
"Sure, I'll take a look."
He replied casually to the woman and eyed the piled books.
"...Hm?"
An old leather-bound book caught his eye.
The title felt vaguely familiar, making his eyes narrow slightly.
...Eh, plenty of books slap 'Solomon' on the cover.
As he dismissed it and looked away,
"Hey, customer, wanna sample this drink... Whoa!"
Splash—
The vendor slipped while handing over a paper cup of beverage, splashing it across his face.
"................."
"S-Sorry!"
It wasn't on purpose, and she apologized—nothing to do but accept it.
"No worries."
He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
She seemed flustered and hesitantly offered,
"Um... I'm really sorry. Want to take any book as an apology?"
"...........".
He glanced at the books on display before him.
Nothing suspicious, but... it felt contrived somehow.
Back in the day, he'd buy on whims, but now he knew grimoires existed in the world.
Hadn't read the contents yet, but he couldn't tell if it'd be a boon or poison.
Grizzly at least listened to him decently.
But what if this one housed a monster that ignored him?
...Still, maybe skim it quick?
As he pondered,
the vendor brought another drink.
"Hehe~ Here you go properly this time— Whoa!"
Splash—
He got drenched again.
"...........".
He ran a hand through his soaked hair and sighed quietly.
"Haa..."
Something met his eyes.
Fine. Fine. Fine.
Just buy the damn thing.
He picked up the book and told the vendor,
"How much? I'll just pay full price."