Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Alien Magic - 2
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-Dying...? You mean?
"Yeah. How should I put it... She's receiving something that's no different from a curse to an ordinary person, so her body is starting to deteriorate."
-But... why her? She's not the type to be hated enough to get cursed by anyone...
"You're misunderstanding. People hate others without reason sometimes. Especially public figures who are well-known to many."
Because she's more popular than their favorite idols.
Because the people I hate like that idol.
Just because they hate her.
"Even I have haters now that I've become a big name on the gallery."
When I post about Romance of the Three Kingdoms, they comment stuff like 'Please stop with the boomer bait already;;' or 'You reek of old age, go somewhere else' or 'Why the hell do you stan something like Romance of the Three Kingdoms?'
-Bro... honestly, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is kinda boomer bait...
"Hey now. There's a saying that you shouldn't talk to someone who hasn't read Romance of the Three Kingdoms three times. And like I said earlier, it's curse-like, but not an actual curse."
This is important.
Words have power, so calling something that's not a curse a curse could turn it into one.
-Ah. Okay. Anyway, bro, can you come take a look?
"Me?"
-Yeah. The Poyoo girls told me you're an amazing mage.
"I am pretty great as a mage."
-If I put in a request with the Hunter Association, can't you come officially?
That's true.
Everything in the world requires compensation.
I could move personally, but it's better to get paid.
-Then I'll contact them right away.
.
.
.
.
A few days later.
I was rolling around at home when I got a call from the Hunter Association.
As expected, it was about the request Han Yul mentioned.
No reason to refuse, so I accepted immediately and headed to the S.A. Entertainment building where the client was.
"Whoa..."
I couldn't help but gasp in admiration when I arrived at the building.
It's one of Korea's top three agencies, with tons of hunters signed to it, so the building is ridiculously huge.
"Kyaaah!!"
"Oppa!!"
"Look over here!!"
Not just one or two people had come all this way just to catch a glimpse of a celebrity face.
I could see some girls going wild, probably spotting the one they wanted.
I'm jealous!!
I want that kind of attention too!!
I wonder if summoning Arthur here would get me that kind of reception?
"Bro."
"You startled me. What's with that getup?"
"Ahaha... I'm an idol too...? Anyway, come this way."
I followed Han Yul, armed with sunglasses and a mask, through the back door.
We took the elevator up with some guy blabbing that no one was allowed in here normally.
Lots of celebrities I'd never seen before everywhere.
"Hmm..."
"What's up?"
"Nah. Just realizing anew that Bigsby's agency is way bigger than Poyoo's."
"Heh. Right?"
"Which means it's just as dangerous."
"Huh?"
"Places with wealth and fame always attract malice."
I could see them.
A ghost standing sullenly at the end of the hallway, staring at me.
I could see them.
A ghost trailing a high-ranking man, shedding bloody tears and begging.
I could see them.
A ghost glaring murderously at an idol-looking woman.
"Ugh... creepy. And lately, weird stuff keeps happening at the company... Ah. Bro. In here."
Following Han Yul inside, I saw a androgynous beauty with a short bob cut huddled in the training room, her face pale as a corpse.
She looked like a walking dead body.
"Hey. Ray!"
"Huh... Oppa...? Long time no see... Have you been well?"
"I've been fine, but you don't look it. Been having nightmares lately?"
Her expression hardened.
"Hearing whispers in your ear every night?"
"Yes..."
"Feeling like someone's watching you in the shower...?"
"Y-Yes."
"Whoa. This feels even more magical. Ray, have you ever talked to Wol-young bro or anything?"
"No... I don't even have his number. But Wol-young oppa, how did you know?"
"I'm a mage, so I know."
"Uh... but the mage at our company didn't seem to know."
"Well, different specialties..."
That was when it happened.
The door burst open, and a red-haired woman stormed in.
Wearing a robe and a skin-tight hunter suit.
She held a staff in one hand, so definitely a mage.
"...Who are you?"
I handed her my business card as she glared at me openly hostile.
"A mage...? Huh? Wait. These forearms. And this club-like staff... No way, you're Book Mage?"
"Oh? You know me? Don't tell me you're...?"
I'd unexpectedly run into another gallery regular.
She looked normal enough. Who could it be?
"What's your nick?"
"Hmm... I'd rather not say. But Book Mage, you look like this? My god... Someone so normal-looking. Tsk tsk."
Why?
I'd only posted clean, shameless posts gazing at the heavens.
"Why do you love Romance of the Three Kingdoms so much?"
"To live like a proper human, one must follow the wisdom of the sages. And Romance of the Three Kingdoms is steeped in their teachings..."
"There are plenty of other things... But anyway, you're here for Ray, right?"
"Yeah."
I didn't know who she was, but she was definitely a gallery denizen.
She grinned and stuck out her hand.
"Neia, ice attribute mage."
"Yoo Wol-young. Nice to meet you. Would've been great if you'd shared your gallery nick too."
I didn't want to be the only one exposed.
But Neia had no intention of sharing.
"But you're not Korean? Why the name..."
"Hey now. Stage name. Stage name."
She really wasn't going to tell.
"Anyway, so? What's wrong with Ray?"
"She's caught some bad vibes."
"Why?"
"Don't know yet. Too many possible causes."
"No way to fix it?"
"There are ways, but..."
Blocking something like this wasn't hard at all, honestly.
"She can wear this to block it."
"...What's this? A tinfoil hat?"
Just like Neia said.
A hat made of tinfoil to treat what Ray was receiving as harmful waves and block them.
"Eww... This works? For real?"
Neia looked skeptical.
She couldn't fix it herself, so a tinfoil hat blocking it seemed ridiculous.
"But I don't recommend it. Blocking with this still causes problems."
"Problems?"
"What she should receive bounces to those around her. Then the people nearby get hit instead."
"Someone else takes the hit?"
"Yeah. Best is to find who's sending it and stop them."
"Can you do that?"
"You can, but... hmm. This isn't something just anyone can do easily. Half-hearted desperation won't even let you try."
Not even possible with magical talent like Poyoo's girls.
This was borrowing power from beyond.
"Ray's receiving it because she deserves to?"
"High chance. Unlike curses, there's no malice, so not a grudge."
"Really?"
"And you can't send this unless you think you're super close."
"Then let's ask. Hey, Ray. Come here."
She called Ray in a voice completely different from when talking to me—icy cold.
"Your parents doing okay?"
Starting right off with family.
"Yes? Yeah, everyone's fine. Relatives too... I saw them a few days ago... No one's desperately wishing for something from me..."
"Any romance? Guy you dumped for debuting?"
"No... Never even confessed to... And I've been prepping to be an idol since I was young, so barely any friends... Just the members..."
The kid was terrified.
Push more and she'd cry.
"Hey, go easy. You're scaring her. She can't even talk."
This is why people say mages have shitty personalities.
I pulled Neia aside and asked.
"Really nothing? Even old friends you don't see anymore count."
"...Well... Um..."
A chill entered Neia's eyes.
Only then did Ray's face stiffen.
"...Y-Yeah, there was a girl I was close to before. But she disappeared first."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. She awakened and said it'd be dangerous to stay in touch, then cut contact."
That was unexpected.
"What? So we can't find her?"
Neia, Han Yul, and Ray all looked at me.
But isn't solving stuff like this what mages are for?
"Not no way. We could check Association records since she's awakened... but that'll take time. Let's use magic here. Hey! Han Yul! Empty room around?"
"Empty room? There's a practice room."
"Use that."
"Got it. I'll let them know."
"Alright, let's go."
.
.
.
I took Ray to the place Han Yul guided us to.
Neia naturally followed.
"Why are you coming?"
"Can't I watch? Saw your magic on the gallery before, looked wild."
"Not that I mind. Don't regret it. The spell I'm using now is kinda dangerous."
"I've faced danger once or twice living as a mage. I'm good."
"Sure? If something happens, I'm handling it my way?"
"Okay."
Got permission.
"Ray. Sit there."
"Yes..."
I sat Ray in the chair I'd brought, blindfolded her, and handed her noise-canceling earbuds.
"Uh... Oppa. What's this song?"
"Heart Sutra remix."
"...It says a thousand-won faith is lame...?"
"Yeah. Uh. Your body's deteriorating bad from this, so just listen."
"Okay..."
Made sure the earbuds were in properly, then pulled out a container of chicken blood from my bag and drew a circle.
Placed materials at each point of the circle.
Neia, watching curiously, finally couldn't hold back and approached.
"What's this...?"
"Camping and event use, beach fireworks set Type A. Easiest to buy gunpowder online."
Gunpowder is a great invention that opened a new era.
That's why it's often used to summon new things.
"Isn't this makeup? Why anti-aging cosmetics...?"
"The one we're calling's owner is female-typed..."
"...One more. Why pork belly?"
"Han-don premium garlic-fed pork belly. 4kg. The most important sacrifice."
Got top-grade 1+ from the neighborhood butcher uncle.
Most expensive material I prepped today.
"Alright. Now for the spell, so stay sharp."
"Okay."
She nodded, ready, so I opened The Silence of the Lambs.
"Mother of all things, I offer these sacrifices to borrow your power. Send down your child here to reveal the path of this vain curse."
⟨ Alien Divination ⟩
That instant.
Black energy rose from the circle and enveloped Ray.
And.
"Wh-What is this?"
Neia's face stiffened.
She was trembling, sweating bullets, gripping her staff.
"This... This can't be... How! How is it this strong...!! This is impossible...!!"
"Mages shoot fire from their hands and make lightning and ice from thin air—that's fine? Magic is doing the impossible casually."
Whether Neia freaked out or not, I closely watched Ray wrapped in black energy.
Here it comes.
The alien presence.