Chapter 42: Seolrang (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Seolrang (4)
Immediately upon arriving at Kahara, the City of the Old God, the mages of the Red Magic Tower, Rian, Seolrang, and the Golden Mane Tribe decided to wait near the entrance, where the landscape of Kahara was most visible.
Seolrang and Evan had intended to follow Alon, but he left them at the entrance and descended into the city alone.
There was only one reason.
[I hear a voice, so it seems you possess at least the minimum status. Come alone to the central tower of Kahara.]
It was because the voice he had heard the moment he entered Kahara had whispered those words to him.
Of course, he had no idea whose voice it was. He had visited this city dozens of times before, but never once had a voice echoed in his head like this.
However, he instinctively sensed that it was related to the words left behind by the Brute God. Without hesitation, he moved his feet and eventually reached the center of Kahara.
Alon stared blankly at the tower, which was built so high for an underground structure that it looked more like a castle than a forgotten city, before stepping inside.
Upon entering, he saw a spiral staircase leading upward.
“…….”
Alon climbed the stairs in silence.
Whoosh!
As he began his ascent, lamps began to flicker on one by one, as if lighting his path. The situation, something he had never seen in the game, made him pause for a moment, but only for a moment.
Alon followed the lighting lamps.
Finally, after climbing the long staircase, Alon reached a massive room.
Vrrrrm—!
“!”
As a magic circle activated, the empty room was suddenly filled with giant bookshelves. The shelves rose from the floor, quickly covering the entire tower. Aside from the ground and the ceiling, it became impossible to distinguish front from back, no matter where he looked.
At that moment.
[You have arrived.]
* * *
In truth, not all members of the Golden Mane Tribe felt an unusually strong affection for their fellow clansmen.
Of course, compared to other beastkin, their racial affinity for one another was quite high. Though it held no meaning now, the Golden Mane Tribe had been the race that stood above all other beastkin five hundred years ago.
Even so, that affinity was usually no deeper than the bond one might have with family. They simply liked each other a bit more than other species did. In the end, they were still strangers.
However, the reason Seolrang was so obsessed with her kin and family, and why she cherished the Golden Mane Tribe so fiercely, was because of her past.
Her happiness resided in the past.
She had been happy when she lived with her clansmen.
She felt a sense of accomplishment when she finished the day after helping her father.
She was happy sitting at the table in the evening, eating dinner with her family.
That life, where only the Golden Mane Tribe lived together, bound by the framework where everyone was kin and there was no need to distinguish families—that remained Seolrang’s definition of happiness.
That was why Seolrang intended to take revenge on the ‘Black Dragon’ who had shattered that happiness, and why she sought to reclaim that ‘happiness’ by gathering her kin. Her respect for the Great Moon stemmed from the same place.
She believed that the Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe Alon had given her would grant her both revenge and the chance to find happiness once more.
And for someone like her—
Crunch!
“Huh?”
The death of a Golden Mane clansman was more than enough to make her reason boil over into a vicious rage.
Before her very eyes, the body of a kinsman who had been talking just moments ago collapsed in an utterly hollow death.
At the same time, the one who appeared before them was—
“Hmm—is this all?”
It was Malliam.
“Nothing special.”
Babayaga Malliam.
His hideous face twisted into a repulsive smirk as he tossed the corpse of the Golden Mane clansman aside, clearly enjoying the situation. Behind him, dozens of men in black appeared.
“Oh no—”
“Prepare for battle!”
The mages of the Red Magic Tower and the mercenaries they had hired raised their staves with tense expressions. The faces of the Golden Mane Tribe, which had been relaxed until a moment ago, were now stained with panic and a sense of crisis.
And—
“What… do you think you’re doing?”
Malliam stared at Seolrang, whose expression had turned chillingly grim, and curled his lips into a sneer.
“Are beastkin really that stupid? Asking me that in this situation.”
His voice was thick with mockery.
Seolrang’s eyes snapped open, as if she didn't need to hear another word.
Crackle!
Currents of electricity surged out in all directions, enveloping her body. The moment her glowing golden eyes locked onto Malliam as her target—
“!”
Seolrang twisted her body, narrowly avoiding an attack thanks to a sudden, chilling sensation.
K-Boom!
The ground exploded instantly. The hollow space echoed loudly, as if a massive meteor had struck.
“Wow, you dodged that? You really are something else, aren't you?”
“…….”
The man who had completely demolished the entrance—Kalman Arens—walked out of the dust with an air of absolute leisure, a deep smile on his face.
Seeing Kalman stand beside Malliam as if he had been waiting for this, Seolrang let out a hollow laugh. She could tell exactly what was happening from the current situation.
Seolrang clenched her fists.
Zap!
Electricity erupted in response to her will. She took a combat stance, making it clear to anyone watching that further conversation was unnecessary.
“W-Wait! What on earth are you doing?! We are mages of the Red Magic Tower! And aren't you the Babayaga?!”
Unlike her, one of the mages from the Red Magic Tower shouted out, desperate to escape the situation without conflict. Malliam turned his gaze toward them.
“Hmm, mages of the Red Magic Tower—it certainly would be a problem if I touched you.”
He let those words slip.
“That’s right! If any harm comes to us here—”
“However.”
The mage began to add more, but Malliam cut him off without a moment's hesitation, forcing him to shut his mouth.
“That’s only if you make it out of here alive, isn't it?”
At Malliam’s twisted grin, the mage’s expression hardened completely. They weren't stupid enough to miss his meaning.
And so.
“Tsk. If you hadn't run wild like that, we wouldn't have had to do this. Why did you have to be so troublesome and make things difficult for everyone?”
“Come to think of it, I don't see that noble brat we’re supposed to deal with. He should have been with you.”
“Well, let’s just kill these ones first and find him at our leisure.”
Kalman, responding casually to Malliam’s words, spoke up.
“Now then, shall we…”
He scattered a chilling black mana that anyone could see was ominous.
“...begin the experiment?”
BOOM—!
The battle began as he threw a punch toward Seolrang.
* * *
Alon realized that the voice that had echoed in his head was now coming from right in front of him. He looked up to see a figure sitting at a desk.
Its appearance could not be defined. To be precise, its form was unstable, as if constantly resisting any attempt to define it. It looked like a human, then a beastkin, then a monster.
As Alon stared blankly at the shadow-like form that shifted infinitely, the entity spoke.
[Do not stare so intently. Even if thou triest to perceive my existence, thou shalt not be able to.]
At its words, Alon snapped out of it, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke.
“Who are you?”
[If thou canst not even perceive my form, dost thou think thou canst perceive my name?]
“……Did you know I was coming?”
[How could I possibly know? How long dost thou think I have been imprisoned here?]
“For someone who didn't know, you spoke as if you did.”
[I did no such thing. Art thou not mistaken?]
“…….”
For some reason, Alon felt the urge to flick the forehead of this formless, fluttering entity, but he held back and spoke.
“……I came here after hearing the words of Uultultus—no, the Brute God.”
[Hmm. I suspected as much.]
The entity spoke with a hint of interest.
[Did he reveal his true name to thee? ……Well, looking at thee, I can see why he thought it was worth placing a bet.]
Watching the entity nod as if it were quite a reasonable conclusion, Alon paused before asking.
“……What kind of bet?”
[A bet on an opportunity. For thee.]
“An opportunity……?”
The entity spoke as Alon muttered to himself.
[Thou seemest to have many questions. But unfortunately, the current me can tell thee nothing. For thou dost not possess the status to match.]
“What does that mean?”
He asked, puzzled by a setting he had never heard of even within the game.
[Let me be clear: this is not a grade I am judging. To be precise, it is the standard by which this world judges ‘thee’.]
The entity said this and seemed to ponder for a moment.
[Thou must be confused and full of questions. So, I shall put it simply.]
It soon opened its mouth again.
[Before long, another Outer God shall descend. Dispose of him and return.]
“……And then?”
[Thou shalt meet the minimum requirements. The minimum requirements to see me, and to solve the mysteries thou holdest.]
“So you’re saying there’s nothing I can know right now.”
[Well—I suppose I can give thee one hint.]
The entity, whose form was still indiscernible, smiled clearly at Alon.
[When thou leavest the tower, read the inscription at the eastern end of this castle. Then, thou shalt surely be able to draw a rough picture of this situation.]
“……The inscription at the eastern end.”
As Alon muttered, the entity hummed for a moment before speaking again.
[Very well, I have decided.]
[In truth, my business here is finished, but since thou hast gone through much trouble to come this far, I shall grant thee one piece of interesting knowledge.]
The entity spoke before Alon could even ask a question.
[In the magic of this world, there is a stage beyond Phrases called Principle. Art thou aware of it?]
“Principle……?”
[Indeed. Beyond that lies Self-Embodiment, but that is still too early for thee.]
After muttering for a moment, it continued its explanation to Alon.
[Principle is the foundation of the magic used by the fools of this world who cannot even be called mages. From what I see, thou art far better than them, yet thou art still using it incorrectly.]
The entity continued to speak as if enjoying the situation.
[Magic manifested through Phrases has a Principle. It is not something to be thrown together haphazardly. Only when thou deployest the Phrases and chantest the name according to the Principle solely aligned with it, is it true Magic.]
It then extended its index finger.
And.
[But even if I tell thee this, thou shalt not understand, will thee? Therefore, as a gift, I shall teach thee one Principle.]
It spoke.
[The way of true Magic.]