Rune Clan (3)
We slipped out of the orphanage first. No way were we doing this inside.
"We need somewhere quiet. Know any spots?"
"Follow me. I've got the Iris Guild's Korean branch hideout."
I let Rebecca envelop us in her Rune Barrier as we headed to the suburbs. Along the way, I kept observing it, but my own barrier remained unchanged.
Why can't I analyze it no matter how hard I try?
Unlike other magic, Rebecca's Rune Barrier defied analysis. More precisely, even if I broke it down and replicated it exactly, the results never matched. Whatever principle it ran on, it felt like something profoundly extraordinary.
"By the way, what about Su-hyun?"
The Rune Clan survivor. Cheon Su-hyun at Sunshine Orphanage would just live out a normal life if we left her be.
"I'm bringing her with us. Even without proper training, she's Rune Clan. I'll build a bond slowly, adopt her myself, and... turn her into a true member of the clan."
I could feel Rebecca's genuine love for her people in her words. But the mention of "training" caught my ear.
"What kind of training? Something special unique to the Rune Clan?"
That incredible Rune Barrier was probably part of it.
"Well, simply put, they live inside a Rune Barrier from childhood. There's a special Rune Clan method to forcibly align their mana nature with the barrier."
"Oh..."
"After years of focusing inside the barrier, their mana circuits transform completely. That's when they become true Rune Clan."
So the Rune Barrier I'd been using was only half-baked. No wonder it broke so easily.
"Come inside."
Rebecca led us into a creepy building in a rundown corner of the city. Past a dark hallway that looked like it might house bats, a surprisingly bright living space opened up.
"This room has a bed and bathroom. Come on."
She started shrugging off her outer coat, heading in. Clearly eager to get started right away.
"Hold on, Rebecca. Just a sec."
"...Weren't you gonna help me make a baby?"
She shot me a disappointed look as I grabbed her coat.
"There's something I need to check first. Let's go inside the room."
Rebecca pouted, looking a bit scary, but I managed to herd her in. I sat her at the table in the witch's-lab-like room and took the seat opposite.
"Look, you were with Pandemic, right? I need to confirm something because of that."
"...I never killed anyone."
She seemed tense. I hadn't even planned to ask about that.
"It's not that. Pandemic's boss, Maestro, has brainwashing magic. I need to make sure you're not under it."
That was the real reason I hadn't fully accepted her yet. Maestro's mind control. I couldn't trust anyone who might not truly be on my side.
Rebecca relaxed with a relieved laugh at my explanation.
"Oh, that? Don't worry. I know about Maestro's mind control."
"What? Really?"
She knew about it?
"Yeah. Every time I meet him, I activate my Rune Barrier. So no issue there."
"...Maestro's magic is pretty strong. You sure you're immune?"
"My Rune Barrier's strong too. It blocks it perfectly—he hasn't even noticed I'm resistant."
"..."
I tilted my head, watching her confidence. It didn't match what I knew.
Rebecca was definitely under heavy brainwashing in the original story.
In the game, her brainwashing broke right before she died. Of course, she had no idea now, so I'd phrased it carefully. But this certainty was confusing.
Maybe she hasn't been hit yet?
Unlikely—Maestro usually ensnared people on first contact. Then I recalled her earlier words.
'I never killed anyone.'
"Rebecca, you've never been on a mission where people died?"
"Of course not. I only gave minimal help—in exchange for them digging into the Rune Clan's trail."
"..."
She said that, but...
No way.
Her Rune Barrier had definitely been at the Magic Society's friendship party terror attack. She might not have killed directly, but casualties happened.
"..."
I studied her face. Not a hint of shame.
"...Rebecca. Repeat after me."
"Huh? What?"
"Just say exactly what I say. And... steel yourself."
"Steel myself? I told you, no brainwashing."
I remembered her death scene from the original. Tears streaming as she regretted her past.
Finally subdued by the protagonist and heroines, her brainwashing lifted only at the end.
- It was like that from the start... Haah... Why did I end up this way?
As a popular villainess thanks to her looks, the devs gave her a special finale.
- I never wanted to kill anyone. I just... just wanted my clan back... Maestro...
Back then, as a player, I had to kill her. But now was different.
Rebecca looked annoyed but followed my lead obediently.
"Repeat exactly."
"Repeat exactly..."
"Not that—starting now."
"...I was just trying to lighten the mood. Don't get mad."
Haah. Did she have any idea what was at stake?
I slowly recited the brainwashing trigger from the original—Maestro's incantation. Saying it started the control, but hearing it from anyone else triggered agony and flooded the victim with memories if they were ensnared. Discovering that made Pandemic raids a breeze.
"...To arma Maestro."
"To arma Maestro."
Rebecca seemed fine after repeating it. Was she really clean?
"...You okay?"
"Yeah, what's this? Of course I'm—huh?"
Thud—Her body went limp, tumbling from the chair.
"Rebecca?!"
"W-Wait... Why... me? Why... Ugh, urk! Blegh!"
"..."
I watched her vomit everything up, then looked away. The onslaught of memories brought splitting headaches and full recall of her crimes. Watching was rude.
"Urk, blegh... Cough. Cough."
"Clean."
As she stabilized, the floor gleamed spotless at my signal. I approached.
"Rebecca. You alright?"
"...I thought I blocked it."
Her face drained of color, she muttered.
"That's what makes Maestro terrifying. No gaps allowed. For now, let's find a way to fully break it together."
This trigger only confirmed if someone was brainwashed. Removing it required more complex steps.
"No need. I got it now."
Rebecca took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and gathered mana. It coalesced near her heart—a tiny, barely visible dot. The pinpoint mana swelled suddenly, surging through her body without a gap, forming a sphere outside her. Black mana clung to it like filth.
That creepy energy—I knew it instantly.
"No way that's..."
"Maestro's mana. No clue when it snuck in, but now that I see it, my Rune Barrier can extract it."
She gathered the black mana in the air, compressing it with crunching sounds. Plop—into a nearby beaker, where it dissolved away.
"...Haah. So much for my boasts. Sorry the baby mama showed such an ugly side."
"It's fine."
Baby mama already, huh.
"A-And... it wasn't true. About not killing. Sorry for lying."
"...It's okay."
Morally, legally problematic, sure. But I wasn't exactly squeaky clean either. Just as I had to pursue the heroines, Rebecca had to chase her clan. It was her life's passion.
Good thing we'd caught this early. Late-game original Rebecca was a merciless killer. Nipping it before it deepened was a win.
"Don't beat yourself up. Not your fault."
"But... Haah. What now."
She still couldn't believe her actions.
She's got a good heart deep down.
Didn't force me once she learned I wasn't Rune Clan...
Yeah, fundamentally kind.
Lucky we met soon.
If after worse deeds, the guilt might've broken her irreparably.
"We'll do volunteer work together later. Or I'll hook you up with a good counselor. The point is reviving the Rune Clan, right?"
"...Yeah."
She looked every bit the decadent witch outwardly, but inside she was soft. Joining evil Pandemic? For her clan's revival.
Her eyes widened at me voicing it.
"So... we doing it now? Checks done?"
"That sounds good, but... I want proper Rune Clan revival. You too, right?"
"Obviously. I'd stake my life."
"Then teach me Rune Barrier."
"Rune Barrier? What for?"
"The better I get, the more talent our kids inherit, no?"
No guarantees, but better than nothing. Plus, improving my skills was a bonus.
"...True. But sooner the better—one kid at least..."
"No. What if the child can't wield true Rune Barrier? I won't risk that."
"That's... Haah. Fine, your way."
Rebecca grumbled but nodded under my gaze. I was providing the goods, after all... what choice did she have?