Blood, School, and Regional Ties (2)
Clank. Clank. Rattle.
Pandemic's hideout. Iron chains treated with special mana processing and layers of magic circles were set up, and at the center, a centaur was bound. He wasn't particularly resisting, but his power was so immense that they had no choice but to restrain him like this to avoid danger.
"Apostle, please spread the flames of hell across the human world..."
Maestro prayed with hands clasped before the centaur.
Rebecca, standing silently behind him, closed her eyes.
Crazy bastards.
Whether it was the centaur pretending to be weak while suppressing his mana, or Maestro playing along despite knowing everything. They were both insane, that much was clear.
"Human massacre or human enslavement. I can assist with either."
"No interest. Get lost."
"Apostle, if you responded to the summoning contract, that means you have desires in the human world, does it not? Please, tell us."
"Sigh. I've never made any contract. Don't even know why I'm here."
But despite Maestro's persistent overtures, the centaur didn't change his mind.
In the end, Maestro had to switch tactics. Persuasion had been the best option, but now he'd have to waste some precious mana.
"...Rebecca. This won't do."
"Yes, Maestro."
The moment Maestro called her name, Rebecca drew up her mana.
Vmmm—
Soon, a Rune Barrier unfolded around the centaur.
"Hah, beast cubs can't understand words because they're beasts."
"Blather on. Anyway, I—Urk?!"
The Rune Barrier. The reason it was called the ultimate, the worst, the most vicious barrier wasn't just because it was hard to break.
The Rune Clan devoted their lives to perfecting the Rune Barrier. Combined with the bloodline power flowing through their veins, it created magic utterly unlike ordinary barriers.
Thus, their barriers were different. They could control the interior of the barrier. And that power grew stronger the smaller the barrier became.
"Urk. Guh..."
"Apostle. Look into my eyes."
The air inside the barrier had completely vanished. Even with the intense pressure and shocks, the centaur was still holding up.
"Hmm, Rebecca. Maintain the barrier like this. It seems persuading the Apostle will take a long time."
"Yes, Maestro. I'll take my leave."
"Guhh..."
"Now, Apostle. Allow me to say once more—"
Clack.
As Maestro drew close to the centaur again, Rebecca closed the door and exited the hideout.
"Hah, hah... Blocking Maestro's brainwashing takes way too much mana. What a lunatic."
Rebecca could block Maestro's brainwashing with her Rune Barrier, but even she risked her facade slipping if she locked eyes with him too long. That was how dangerous his ability was.
The centaur was resisting, but he'd fall like the other executives soon enough.
"Good work, Lady Rebecca."
Her subordinate, waiting outside, approached.
"Yeah. What's the situation with Lee Ho-yeon?"
"Hospital records indicate discharge soon."
"Oh ho... Got it."
Rebecca smiled with joy at the thought of soon meeting her clan's survivor.
*
Nam Da-hee was lost in her game, ignoring us, while Nam Da-eun, face still faintly flushed, played along with her sister.
"What's this 'hell spawn'? Is that a monster from hell?"
"Nah, no idea. But see that mercenary tag around its neck?"
"Mercenary tag?"
I stared at the TV screen, eyes wide. The footage had paused while experts droned on, letting me see it clearly.
"F... looks like it says."
"That necklace? What does it have to do with hell?"
The design was odd, but nothing too unusual for a necklace. Monsters loved weird designs anyway.
"It's not a necklace—it's a mercenary tag from hell."
"Wait, hold up. It says F. Why use that in hell?"
English was a human language. Why would hell use English?
"What are you on about? Mercenary tags are obviously in English."
"..."
So many points to argue, but I let it slide. I was chatting with a succubus anyway—who cared if hell used English?
"So, who's that centaur? Famous guy?"
I didn't know why he was here, but if he was a named hell monster, wasn't that dangerous?
"Nah. F is the lowest rank. Total trash among mercenaries. They clean garbage in dungeons."
"You see that footage? He sent people flying like trash."
If janitors were that strong, handymen showing up would end the world.
"Hmm... yeah. No way that's F-rank power."
Good, even hell thought he was strong.
"Anyway, that's not the point. Any guess why that centaur's rampaging in our world?"
"Dunno. Probably summoned by contract like me."
Liliana stared fixedly at the TV, thrilled to see an old hell colleague after so long. Useless when it mattered.
"Contract, hell, monster, city attack..."
I racked my brain, recalling the original story to infer anything about the centaur. First time seeing him, but maybe a hint lurked in the plot.
"An intelligent monster hitting and running like that would be tough to counter."
"Yeah... wait, terror attack?"
"Yes. Why?"
Scarlett's offhand remark. Terror attack. One group came to mind: the mine group, Pandemic.
Stories of clashing with Pandemic surfaced in my head.
"...Apostle."
Pandemic had Apostles—subordinates of the Demon King. From then on, their assaults intensified, with strong monsters appearing that didn't belong in the original world. I'd hated it as forced plot to fix power balance...
But no centaur among the Apostles. The first was a round, sticky slime, not some monster like that.
Don't know where it diverged, but... something's twisted.
An intelligent centaur meant he could talk.
"Wish I could talk to him at least once. Any way?"
I looked to Scarlett, our brainiac. A talker might spill unknown info on hell, the Demon King, or Liliana.
"Mm, Iris Guild's already seeking ways to subdue him. Vanished mid-city, but seems still in France."
"Right, Iris is in France."
Poor Ellis. Maybe infiltrate there too. Team up with Iris to catch the centaur...
Wait, how the hell would I subdue that thing?
Looked insanely strong. Combat sense or not, different weight class was impossible. Unless another way.
"Yes. Can't stay here daily much longer anyway."
"Okay. Got it."
Her being here daily till now was abnormal. She had a job.
"Hell... hell..."
Liliana ignored us, gazing dreamily at the TV.
"Liliana."
"Yeah, yeah?"
"Wanna talk to that centaur?"
"...Not really, but seeing that half-human gives me weird vibes."
Odd for her.
"Act normal. Whining suits you."
"What? You nuts? Where's a succubus as prim as me?"
Hell. Hadn't thought much, but it kept popping up. Pandemic, Liliana. Maybe key after all.
*
"...Darling, what's this?"
"Hm? Why?"
Back at the hospital for a checkup, Baek Ayoung's voice trembled strangely as she placed hands on me.
"Your circuits... no, your whole body's healthy. Healthier than healthy... it's getting healthier...?"
"Ah..."
My natural healing boost reward. She noticed.
That shocking?
"Got a new skill recently. That big a deal?"
"It's too clean, too perfect. Your mana circuits will be more efficient than before the injury."
Oh, her shock meant huge gains.
"Discharge sooner then?"
I asked hopefully.
"Tomorrow... no, day after."
Awesome. Too much to do; hospital was wasting time.
But her face fell. Less time together post-discharge.
Made me guilty again.
"Still... checkups often, right?"
She met my eyes.
"Yeah? Ah... yes. That'd be good."
"I'll come regularly. Don't worry."
"...Every day, darling."
"Got it."
Squeeze.
Hugging her glum face, she spoke seriously in my arms.
"...Time to tell you something since discharge nears."
"Mm. What?"
Why the mood? I tensed, waiting.
"Worried about your state, so held back... After you passed out in the terror attack, someone approached me."
"...Who?"
First I'd heard. Her concern meant maybe traumatic.
"They asked me to relay this."
She sighed, slowly recalling.
"'From your past clan. Will visit once recovered.'"
"...Past clan?"
"No need to say now. You have secrets too. But... someday, tell me. I want to help."
She gripped my hand, eyes earnest. Vowing to bear any secret for her love.
I just panicked.
What past clan now?
Headache incoming.