Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Secret Outing
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"So, what was that about last night?"
"...No, um, sorry. I was just a little scared being alone."
Iru Ri decided to keep everything that happened with the grimoire last night hidden from the others.
'Well...'
This was a problem. A pretty troublesome one.
The fact that she'd touched the grimoire.
The fact that she'd talked with the grimoire.
The fact that this grimoire was some kind of transcendent entity that had never existed before.
'What should I do? But I wasn't chosen by the grimoire.'
"Whirly!"
Wisph, oblivious to her inner turmoil, had been riding high on excitement ever since yesterday.
In truth, this was a far more complicated issue than it first appeared.
The Cosmic Grimoire was the 22nd grimoire drawing the world's attention. An artifact under global scrutiny.
Rumors spread faster than words, so caution was essential. If the story got twisted into Korea claiming the grimoire, it could escalate into a diplomatic incident.
On top of that, this mysterious grimoire, previously treated as a cursed object, had revealed itself as something of a far higher realm.
Beings of such elevated realms had always brought harm to humanity, one way or another.
Their sense of common logic differed from humans', and they invariably demanded a price. An utterly outrageous one.
What they saw as minor trifles were often impossible—or hardly minor—for humans.
For example, the Blind Philosopher, the neutral NPC on the 40th floor.
This NPC protected that floor's safe zone from monsters using some unknown power.
Moreover, he lured climbers with promises: fulfill his "small" request, and he'd grant a wish with that unknown power.
A seemingly tiny request: fresh grapes.
Every climber who obliged had their eyeballs gouged out right there, blinded forever.
Some panicked and attacked in response, but the result was total annihilation.
When friendly, he was a reliable NPC like a bowl of hearty national comfort food guarding the safe zone. But as an enemy, he ripped climbers' heads clean off with a force unlike anything seen before.
'Definitely that type of existence.'
Iru Ri was a top climber who'd conquered up to the 50th floor and beyond. With humanity's highest tower progress at the 62nd floor, she ranked in the top 2% of super elites.
Naturally, she'd encountered the 40th-floor philosopher.
By the time she climbed, his rumors had spread worldwide, so nothing happened—thankfully.
It had even inspired famous quests in games with similar concepts.
Even armed with all this knowledge, she could feel it instinctively.
The philosopher was an utterly invincible being.
And the wishes he granted were always twisted.
A climber begging for their eyes back? He'd rip out a comrade's and hand it over.
Demand immense power? He'd transform them into a boss-level monster on the spot.
Ask for a powerful artifact or item? He'd offer his collected "grapes"... no, eyes.
That's why the 40th floor held the record for the most pointless climber deaths. Now, no one dares speak to the philosopher.
A voice from the grimoire—similar to that philosopher, or perhaps even more potent—still echoed vividly in her ears.
Truth be told, Iru Ri just wanted to distance herself from the whole affair. Sure, there'd been brief contact, but she wasn't the grimoire's owner.
"And sis, I'm off today, so lock down the storage—no entry while I'm gone."
"You... something did happen, didn't it?"
"...No, just feels like some special magic power is leaking out. Make the announcement clear. Alright, I'm heading out!"
"Hold on, Ruri—everything's really okay, right?!"
If she left things like this, something dangerous could unfold in her own guild. She needed to figure out a way to contain it.
For today, it should be fine. Nothing would happen as long as no one entered the storage.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Arrrghhh!"
Late into the night.
Inside the Wolverine Guild's artifact storage, Iru Ri stood guard.
"Why couldn't I just say it was my day off?!"
Last night, Iru Ri had made a promise with the grimoire.
'Since it's a job, you'll be here tomorrow as well. Regrettable, but I'll see you then.'
Overpowered by the atmosphere, she hadn't uttered a word as the promise took shape.
In reality, she really, really didn't want to come back—but she had no choice.
'Who knows what an angry grimoire might do...'
What if it took out its grudge on her for breaking the promise and lashed out elsewhere? No one could say.
If someone got hurt or the guild building was obliterated, Iru Ri's sense of responsibility would crush her.
In the end, even on her day off, she was nodding off alone in the storage to honor that promise.
But none of the scenarios she'd imagined came to pass.
A day went by. Two days. Even by the third day, the grimoire showed no reaction whatsoever.
"Um... Ruri, aren't you going to rest?"
"......"
"You look like a corpse right now."
The marks of sleepless nights were etched across her face. Dark circles drooped to her cheeks, and her eyes were hollow, drained of any spark.
The 'Little Saintess' that So Seori knew was nowhere to be found. Instead, a necromancer's summoned zombie crawled aimlessly through the artifact storage.
"No one told you to camp out here 24/7—I said just monitor it while resting."
"I know."
Had the grimoire forgotten the promise? Or did its concept of a "day" differ from hers? Whatever the case, it never showed.
Now, she'd been stood up by the grimoire itself.
"Ah, I really need to rest today. I'm going home, sis."
"Yeah, go wash up. You reek. What kind of saintess smells like that?"
"Whirly."
"......"
No one understands me!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Jingle, jingle.
Late at night in the Wolverine Guild, the only sound echoing should have been the guard's keys. At least, that's how it was supposed to be.
Tssst.
Jingle.
"Who's there?"
The guard spun toward the unfamiliar presence—at the artifact storage entrance.
Common sense dictated no lunatic would risk their life stealing from an awakener guild.
But guilds were veritable treasure troves.
Priceless artifacts still traded briskly on black markets.
Jingle, jingle.
Gripping a tranquilizer gun designed for top-tier awakeners, he crept slowly into the storage entrance and flicked on the lights.
"Who's in there?"
He advanced down the storage corridor, tension unrelenting. With his emergency contact already active, it was clear he wasn't some sloppy amateur.
Jingle, jingle.
The key sounds reverberated through the vast storage.
Turning a corner into the deeper section, he found "something" in human form standing there.
"So there is someone."
The unfamiliar voice pinned him in place with sheer pressure.
The guard held his breath—or tried to. Could this even be called a human voice?
Its form was black.
Cloaked in a mantle that sparkled intermittently.
Perhaps not clothing, but its very body.
It drew closer, slowly.
Where a face should have been hung an abyss.
"Pleased to meet you. No need to be alarmed. I am human. Hmm, Moon Sang Hyuk, is it?"
It seemed unaware of its appearance to human eyes, introducing itself as human all the same.
The voice carried no emotion—like a mimicry of speech.
The moment Sang Hyuk peered into that abyss, he sensed an unfathomable depth.
Pale skin stark against the cloak. Long, lightless black hair. And those eyes.
Human in shape and speech, yet unmistakably not human.
As the starlit, cosmic-mantled being approached, his muscles seized, blood failing to reach his brain.
'Ugh, kuh.'
His mind grew foggy.
"I am Moon Byul. Do you happen to know the Little Saintess?"
It resembled an excited child—or a sage versed in all things.
Their eyes met for the briefest instant, yet he felt exposed like a stripped child. Or a sinner in high confession, everything laid bare.
The guard raised his tranquilizer gun. He knew full well it was pointless against that.
Even so, terror overrode reason. He could only grasp at his means of resistance.
Bang, bang, bang.
He emptied every round into the silhouette.
Click, click.
Only the dry clicks of an empty trigger echoed through the storage.
"......"
Astonishingly, not a single bullet had touched it. They all hovered midair.
As if repelled outright.
He could no longer hold onto consciousness.
"Ugh... huergh."
"Sigh. Such a misunderstanding."
It closed in further, extending a pale hand. Entranced, he reached out with a trembling one of his own.
Yet he desperately avoided actual contact.
It reached to grasp him but relented.
Instead, it dropped a few unfamiliar leaves into his palm, then drew its starry hood.
"This is as far as we go. A pleasure. Those are tea leaves. You'll feel better soon."
With that, it dissolved into smoke.
And there, the newly arrived grimoire.
Displayed behind special glass to prevent touch, it remained firmly shut, its celestial cover rotating on the spine.
The entity calling itself Moon Byul then ignored the glass entirely, vanishing into the book.
Thud.
Deprived of blood to the head, he couldn't stand. Consciousness slipped away.
Wolverine Guild guard Moon Sang Hyuk's memory cut off there.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bang!
Iru Ri's gaze snapped toward the forceful door slam.
"Saintess."
Approaching with a grave expression was the guild's researcher, Seo In Ah.
"Ah, In Ah? Is the appraisal done already?"
Her skill was 'Appraisal'.
Higher-grade Appraisal could detail even powerful items. She was a specialist in Korea for it.
"Saintess, where on earth did you get these tea leaves?"
"Pardon?"
"You brought these to me calling them tea leaves?"
They looked like ordinary leaves—just oddly shaped, something you might find anywhere.
Iru Ri had handed the leaves from the grimoire's inhabitant to Seo In Ah for appraisal, just in case.
Who knew what that entity might give her.
The reaction confirmed they weren't ordinary.
"Right? They're not normal tea leaves, are they? I knew eating them would spell trouble..."
"Where did you get them?!"
Seo In Ah, uncharacteristically agitated, raised her voice, startling Iru Ri.
"Eh...? Well... that is..."
She couldn't say they came from the Cosmic Grimoire. No one would believe it anyway.
Bang!
This time, both Iru Ri and Seo In Ah whipped around.
There stood guild master So Seori.
She must have rushed over—her bangs were a mess, her breathing slightly labored.
"Iru Ri, Seo In Ah—both of you, to my office. Now."
Something about the situation was starting to veer off course. Badly.