Chapter 245: Turning Point (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 245: Turning Point (5)
Ghost Master, the administrator who controlled the Ghost Busters forum and someone considered a legendary veteran among players.
"It's you, GM."
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
Hans I is the GM?
I was baffled. If that was true, why had a fish as big as the GM approached me while hiding his identity? Because I was famous these days and he wanted to meet me in person?
No, that can't be it.
The GM suspected me of being a player, which was why he had approached me during the banquet to feel me out, and even went as far as following me. Yeah, that was a far more plausible hypothesis, even if it wasn't particularly convenient for me.
Then he must have been the one who cast that wind spell.
Once I established that hypothesis, that particular question naturally got answered. While on my tail, he had watched as the carriage and smoke bomb exploded, blocking his view of me. He would have been curious whether I had lived or not.
I'll think about this more later.
I redirected my focus to the most important part of all this. The man who fell from the sky and called Hans I the GM was intimidating enough to make even knights tremble. Just who was this man?
"Lift the ban, now. If you don't, you're going to die here."
Huh? Lift the ban?
A chill ran down my spine. There was only one person I knew who would make such a request to the GM: a proud son of Korea, Baekho Lee. Of course, there was a possibility it wasn't him. I was sure the number of people banned by GM was far more than just one or two. It made sense that one of them would hold a grudge and show up to cause a scene.
"Do you hear me, old man?"
For some reason, I kept seeing Baekho.
...Is it really him?
Thinking that, I took in the guy's appearance again, committing it to memory. He was around 5'7", dressed in a neat suit with no equipment, and unless he was wearing a disguise, he was human. His skin was pale without any visible scars and he had platinum-blonde hair in a pomade style. The guy had features anyone would say were good-looking, but perhaps because of the sharp look in his eyes, he exuded a vibe more similar to a bad guy than a charming gentleman.
"Lord Yandel." As I was studying the guy, a knight came up to me and whispered, "You mustn't try to run away."
"...What do you mean?"
"He's not the kind of person that will work against." His voice was clearly nervous. Could it be that he knew who this guy was?
"Who is that man?" I hurriedly asked.
"That man—"
The moment the knight was about to answer, the man's gaze shifted to us. "Oh, right. You guys are here too."
Huh, how did he hear that whisper from all the way over there?
"Bjorn Yandel." Seeing as he was calling me by the right name, he seemed to know who I was, but perhaps not all that well. "I heard you beat up that angsty teen bastard? And only in your first year too." The guy gripped Hans I tightly by the neck and spoke with obvious curiosity as if he'd just accidentally stumbled upon something interesting. "I'm just asking this just in case, but... Are you a player?"
Ha, no wonder I'd felt so anxious about the fact that he knew my name. Gut feelings like that were never wrong. I had only one answer to give him.
"...So you're an evil spirit." I didn't pretend to not know what he was talking about, but drew a line in the sand by calling my opponent an evil spirit. Whether this guy was Baekho or not, it didn't matter. After all, what could I say with so many people watching?
"Hmm, that's strange. You've made a name for yourself, but not enough for the GM to be interested unless you're a player..." the guy muttered, then narrowed his eyes. "Hey." His mouth was smiling, but he spoke in a voice that held no emotion. "Just answer yes or no."
"Don't answer... ugh!" The knight trying to give me advice was hit in the stomach by something invisible and sent flying. It was obvious whose handiwork that was.
"Ah, are you worried there are too many people around? Don't worry. If you're a player, I'll kill and get rid of them all. Mm-hmm. I can do you that much of a favor if you sate my curiosity." The guy grinned and once again demanded I choose. "Yes or no."
I just barely stopped myself from answering "no." That was because the question itself was questionable. Asking the same question over and over again with only yes or no as options? It was almost like he had the ability to discern whether I was telling the truth...
An essence like that does exist.
Since I didn't have any information, it would be wise to be careful here.
"If you don't want to answer, just say no. You just have to say one word. I'm just curious."
The more he obsessed over an answer, the more my suspicions grew. And so I had only one viable option. "I'll ask the questions here." Instead of just keeping quiet, I changed the subject in a way that implied that I didn't want to give my enemy the upper hand over me. After all, if I stayed silent, that would just look suspicious to both this guy and the knights. "Evil spirit, are you one of the assassins?"
I tossed out a question that a barbarian who knew nothing about the GM would ask.
Of course, this guy wasn't going to back down so easily. "I told you to answer with yes or no." The moment he spoke, the air became heavier. My body tensed like an animal that had just encountered one of its natural predators in the wild.
Is this murderous intent...?
I was reeling. Was it really possible to emit such a high concentration of murderous intent outside of Ghost Busters? I had no idea. Right now, only one thing was for sure.
"Wow, you're holding up well." This guy was a tyrant, one who was clearly volatile, yet achieved whatever he wanted to achieve regardless of time or place. "Answer already."
My mind went blank. Was this how Clown felt at the Round Table? My breathing stopped and my vision went hazy like the blood vessels leading to my brain were being obstructed. A thought suddenly came to me.
...What happens if I say yes?
I couldn't stop the thought, even knowing it was a vain hope born of a weak mind.
If this guy is really Baekho... can't I just reveal my identity?
Maybe that would actually help me here. We were both Koreans, after all. If what he showed me in the community was his real personality, he might treat me like a real older brother.
Yeah, just maybe...
Depending on my answer here, there was a scenario where I could be carried by Baekho as I grew stronger so that we could one day escape this world together. But the moment that potential future came to mind, I instantly sobered up.
There were several reasons. To start, I didn't know if this was actually Baekho or not. Also, the moment I revealed my identity, the hundreds of civilians here would be reduced to corpses.
"...Bjorn!"
"Missha?"
When I turned in the direction of the sound, I saw Missha running toward me in a hurry. Right, this was happening near my house. She probably came as soon as she heard the commotion just in case. However, this wasn't good.
"Hmm, that's strange. You've made a name for yourself, but not enough for the GM to be interested unless you're a player..." the guy muttered, then narrowed his eyes. "Hey." His mouth was smiling, but he spoke in a voice that held no emotion. "Just answer yes or no."
"Don't answer... ugh!" The knight trying to give me advice was hit in the stomach by something invisible and sent flying. It was obvious whose handiwork that was.
"Ah, are you worried there are too many people around? Don't worry. If you're a player, I'll kill and get rid of them all. Mm-hmm. I can do you that much of a favor if you sate my curiosity." The guy grinned and once again demanded I choose. "Yes or no."
I just barely stopped myself from answering "no." That was because the question itself was questionable. Asking the same question over and over again with only yes or no as options? It was almost like he had the ability to discern whether I was telling the truth...
An essence like that does exist.
Since I didn't have any information, it would be wise to be careful here.
"If you don't want to answer, just say no. You just have to say one word. I'm just curious."
The more he obsessed over an answer, the more my suspicions grew. And so I had only one viable option. "I'll ask the questions here." Instead of just keeping quiet, I changed the subject in a way that implied that I didn't want to give my enemy the upper hand over me. After all, if I stayed silent, that would just look suspicious to both this guy and the knights. "Evil spirit, are you one of the assassins?"
I tossed out a question that a barbarian who knew nothing about the GM would ask.
Of course, this guy wasn't going to back down so easily. "I told you to answer with yes or no." The moment he spoke, the air became heavier. My body tensed like an animal that had just encountered one of its natural predators in the wild.
Is this murderous intent...?
I was reeling. Was it really possible to emit such a high concentration of murderous intent outside of Ghost Busters? I had no idea. Right now, only one thing was for sure.
"Wow, you're holding up well." This guy was a tyrant, one who was clearly volatile, yet achieved whatever he wanted to achieve regardless of time or place. "Answer already."
My mind went blank. Was this how Clown felt at the Round Table? My breathing stopped and my vision went hazy like the blood vessels leading to my brain were being obstructed. A thought suddenly came to me.
...What happens if I say yes?
I couldn't stop the thought, even knowing it was a vain hope born of a weak mind.
If this guy is really Baekho... can't I just reveal my identity?
Maybe that would actually help me here. We were both Koreans, after all. If what he showed me in the community was his real personality, he might treat me like a real older brother.
Yeah, just maybe...
Depending on my answer here, there was a scenario where I could be carried by Baekho as I grew stronger so that we could one day escape this world together. But the moment that potential future came to mind, I instantly sobered up.
There were several reasons. To start, I didn't know if this was actually Baekho or not. Also, the moment I revealed my identity, the hundreds of civilians here would be reduced to corpses.
"...Bjorn!"
"Missha?"
When I turned in the direction of the sound, I saw Missha running toward me in a hurry. Right, this was happening near my house. She probably came as soon as she heard the commotion just in case. However, this wasn't good.
"Oh, your girlfriend?" Upon spotting Missha, the man grinned like he'd just caught sight of a useful weakness. The pressure temporarily constricting my body disappeared and I could move freely.
Dash.
I immediately threw my body in front of Missha and blocked her path to protect her from a possible surprise attack.
"The Red Cat Tribe is definitely cute." The man nodded sagely. Then for some reason, he once again asked his earlier question, but to Missha this time and not me. "Answer with yes or no. Red Cat, are you a player?"
"Hmm? F-Frayer?"
"An evil spirit."
"N-N-No, I'm not!" Missha answered, startled by the sudden question. The guy nodded.
"That's the truth."
"You don't have to answer to him. Missha, get behind me." I quickly hid Missha from his field of vision.
The guy laughed at the sight. "Ha, a player wouldn't take care of an NPC... It's so strange, though. Why won't you answer me?"
Cold sweat had been pouring down my back since earlier. If I answered, he'd find out I was lying. If I didn't, that would look suspicious too.
So I decided to offer up a barbarian-like explanation, completely avoiding the question. "Why should I do what my enemy says?"
"Oh, that's true." The guy nodded, apparently accepting my logic. When he spoke again, his tone was amused. "But you, are you really going to be my enemy?"
Ha, look at that glare. Is this what people mean when they say someone is smiling with their mouth but not with their eyes?
"If you don't answer, I'll kill that Red Cat." Before long, he had me in checkmate. I knew it wasn't an empty threat as soon as I heard it.
God damn it. What should I do?
My gears were turning frantically but I couldn't come up with a good answer. That was the moment...
"...Mr. Baekho Lee."
"Huh?"
"See you later."
Even though Hans I had been held up by the neck this whole time, only able to move his eyeballs, a light burst out of his body.
***
"Ha, that son of a..." Baekho cursed and got up. He was in the middle of a vast farm with a refreshing fruity scent. It didn't take long for him to figure out where he had fallen. There was only one place in the city that could have a farmhouse like this—Rafdonia's District Six, Gnometree. "Ugh, so annoying. Now that bastard will never come out of the Magic Tower..."
Baekho readily admitted to himself that he had lost the guy. Even if he ran straight there right now, there would be nothing left for him to find. He'd misjudged the situation. He had been wary of the wizard escaping using Teleport, which was why he'd gripped him by the neck so that he couldn't cast a spell. But a wordless Teleport, and on him at that?
"So, you're not a nobody either, huh?"
He regretted underestimating his opponent, but he quickly brushed it off. It had already happened. Dwelling on the past didn't suit him. Plus, it wasn't like it had been a total loss. He'd confirmed that that bastard was in fact the GM.
All I have is time, so I just have to run around a bit more.
Baekho scratched his head and soon turned his attention elsewhere.
"Oh, your girlfriend?" Upon spotting Missha, the man grinned like he'd just caught sight of a useful weakness. The pressure temporarily constricting my body disappeared and I could move freely.
Dash.
I immediately threw my body in front of Missha and blocked her path to protect her from a possible surprise attack.
"The Red Cat Tribe is definitely cute." The man nodded sagely. Then for some reason, he once again asked his earlier question, but to Missha this time and not me. "Answer with yes or no. Red Cat, are you a player?"
"Hmm? F-Frayer?"
"An evil spirit."
"N-N-No, I'm not!" Missha answered, startled by the sudden question. The guy nodded.
"That's the truth."
"You don't have to answer to him. Missha, get behind me." I quickly hid Missha from his field of vision.
The guy laughed at the sight. "Ha, a player wouldn't take care of an NPC... It's so strange, though. Why won't you answer me?"
Cold sweat had been pouring down my back since earlier. If I answered, he'd find out I was lying. If I didn't, that would look suspicious too.
So I decided to offer up a barbarian-like explanation, completely avoiding the question. "Why should I do what my enemy says?"
"Oh, that's true." The guy nodded, apparently accepting my logic. When he spoke again, his tone was amused. "But you, are you really going to be my enemy?"
Ha, look at that glare. Is this what people mean when they say someone is smiling with their mouth but not with their eyes?
"If you don't answer, I'll kill that Red Cat." Before long, he had me in checkmate. I knew it wasn't an empty threat as soon as I heard it.
God damn it. What should I do?
My gears were turning frantically but I couldn't come up with a good answer. That was the moment...
"...Mr. Baekho Lee."
"Huh?"
"See you later."
Even though Hans I had been held up by the neck this whole time, only able to move his eyeballs, a light burst out of his body.
***
"Ha, that son of a..." Baekho cursed and got up. He was in the middle of a vast farm with a refreshing fruity scent. It didn't take long for him to figure out where he had fallen. There was only one place in the city that could have a farmhouse like this—Rafdonia's District Six, Gnometree. "Ugh, so annoying. Now that bastard will never come out of the Magic Tower..."
Baekho readily admitted to himself that he had lost the guy. Even if he ran straight there right now, there would be nothing left for him to find. He'd misjudged the situation. He had been wary of the wizard escaping using Teleport, which was why he'd gripped him by the neck so that he couldn't cast a spell. But a wordless Teleport, and on him at that?
"So, you're not a nobody either, huh?"
He regretted underestimating his opponent, but he quickly brushed it off. It had already happened. Dwelling on the past didn't suit him. Plus, it wasn't like it had been a total loss. He'd confirmed that that bastard was in fact the GM.
All I have is time, so I just have to run around a bit more.
Baekho scratched his head and soon turned his attention elsewhere.
"I didn't get an answer in the end."
Bjorn Yandel, the barbarian he'd met by chance while chasing the GM...
"...Well, whatever."
Baekho decided to stop worrying about whether that barbarian was a player or not. Not only was he likely not a player, but Baekho's interest in the barbarian had already completely cooled. Even if he was a player, he wasn't particularly interested anymore. Bastards who were satisfied living in this world and sucking up to NPCs were of no use to his plans.
Slump.
Baekho flopped back on the ground carelessly. Using the skill of Spatial Interference, he picked the grapes hanging from a nearby tree and floated them into his mouth.
"Natural grapes are the best."
Good air, delicious food, and the GM wouldn't be coming out of the Magic Tower for a while now...
I'm too lazy to go all the way to Bifron.
It might not be bad to stay here for a while.
***
Two days had passed since that incident. The title conferment ceremony, the assassins, the GM, and even Baekho Lee... A lot had happened in just one day, and the past two days had been spent sorting it all out. First of all, the assassins.
"We will take them in for interrogation."
The captured assassins were escorted to Mozlan. According to the report I got from the knight today, they had been hired by an anonymous client. Apparently, the bomb that killed three knights had also been supplied by that mystery person.
"Their orders appear to have been to kill you and steal the essence you were given."
Many things about this explanation were suspicious. The essence? Fine. The box containing the Magic Vial was more than sturdy enough to survive an explosion. It was also more than possible to kill me and take me by surprise.
"But what was their plan if I absorbed it before then?"
"We didn't understand that part, either."
That, not to mention the large bounty the contractor had placed on my head, meant that the essence was just an excuse. Otherwise, there was no reason to put a price on my head, which was why Mozlan surmised that the contractor was from Noark—at least until yesterday.
"...So it's likely one of the large clans?"
Mozlan concluded that the culprit behind this incident was one of the large clans. Apparently, Noark would have sent more reliable fighters. This sort of shoddy execution wasn't like them. More importantly, the large clans had more than enough motive.
"That's right. After harming you, they probably planned to blame on the palace. In fact, several such traps were uncovered in various taverns that same night."
It was a reasonable explanation, but I had questions. Why did Clown say all that during the meeting, then? Was it because he'd heard about this plot in advance?
Well, he did only say there would be an assassin. He didn't say they would be from Noark...
He might've judged that since they hadn't sent the assassins anyway, there was no harm in giving us a heads-up.
...Or it could be that there are really none coming after me.
A sense of resentment washed over me. Ha... why did I have to live in fear even in the city? Anyway, enough about the assassin.
To get straight to the point, the GM was not Hans I.
"The Hans Ifreia you met that day had to have been someone in disguise."
When they stormed his house, the real Hans Ifreia was unconscious. Just in case, they investigated for traces of mana as well, but the real Hans had not an iota of magical talent. Simply put, someone had borrowed his identity.
That was the disappointing part. I had hoped this investigation might help reveal the GM's identity.
Still, it wasn't a total loss.
There were a few consolations. First, I learned that the GM suspected me of being a player. That meant I at least had some time to prepare.
Since he saw that I didn't answer, he'll be even more suspicious of me now. He'll probably make a move the next time the community opens.
Fortunately, I had a guess as to what would happen, so I came up with a way to deal with it. Anyway, on to the next positive.
Baekho Lee.
To start, that guy had been Baekho for sure. The GM had even called him that at the end.
"...Mr. Baekho Lee. See you later."
This had been said through magic, not his voice, as his windpipe had been in the process of being crushed at the time. Well, not that the information meant much.
"He... I'm sorry. I am not authorized to tell you."
When I asked the knight from back then who Baekho was, that was the answer I got in return. I guessed this was why life was all about timing. If Baekho hadn't cut the knight off back then, I was sure he would've told me.
He sure is a dangerous one...
Even if I got to see Baekho again someday, it'd be difficult to be as friendly as we used to be, not after learning he had two completely different personalities. I had thought the sincerity he had shown me in the forum was his true self, but the disparity was far too stark.
He was a real thug...
Anyway, I moved on from Baekho to Missha. In truth, this was the most troublesome and suffocating part of this whole situation.
"Bjorn, don't take this the wrrrong way and just hear me out, okay? Y-You're not going to disappear out of nowhere, r-right...?"
Missha started anxiously watching my every move.
"I didn't get an answer in the end."
Bjorn Yandel, the barbarian he'd met by chance while chasing the GM...
"...Well, whatever."
Baekho decided to stop worrying about whether that barbarian was a player or not. Not only was he likely not a player, but Baekho's interest in the barbarian had already completely cooled. Even if he was a player, he wasn't particularly interested anymore. Bastards who were satisfied living in this world and sucking up to NPCs were of no use to his plans.
Slump.
Baekho flopped back on the ground carelessly. Using the skill of Spatial Interference, he picked the grapes hanging from a nearby tree and floated them into his mouth.
"Natural grapes are the best."
Good air, delicious food, and the GM wouldn't be coming out of the Magic Tower for a while now...
I'm too lazy to go all the way to Bifron.
It might not be bad to stay here for a while.
***
Two days had passed since that incident. The title conferment ceremony, the assassins, the GM, and even Baekho Lee... A lot had happened in just one day, and the past two days had been spent sorting it all out. First of all, the assassins.
"We will take them in for interrogation."
The captured assassins were escorted to Mozlan. According to the report I got from the knight today, they had been hired by an anonymous client. Apparently, the bomb that killed three knights had also been supplied by that mystery person.
"Their orders appear to have been to kill you and steal the essence you were given."
Many things about this explanation were suspicious. The essence? Fine. The box containing the Magic Vial was more than sturdy enough to survive an explosion. It was also more than possible to kill me and take me by surprise.
"But what was their plan if I absorbed it before then?"
"We didn't understand that part, either."
That, not to mention the large bounty the contractor had placed on my head, meant that the essence was just an excuse. Otherwise, there was no reason to put a price on my head, which was why Mozlan surmised that the contractor was from Noark—at least until yesterday.
"...So it's likely one of the large clans?"
Mozlan concluded that the culprit behind this incident was one of the large clans. Apparently, Noark would have sent more reliable fighters. This sort of shoddy execution wasn't like them. More importantly, the large clans had more than enough motive.
"That's right. After harming you, they probably planned to blame on the palace. In fact, several such traps were uncovered in various taverns that same night."
It was a reasonable explanation, but I had questions. Why did Clown say all that during the meeting, then? Was it because he'd heard about this plot in advance?
Well, he did only say there would be an assassin. He didn't say they would be from Noark...
He might've judged that since they hadn't sent the assassins anyway, there was no harm in giving us a heads-up.
...Or it could be that there are really none coming after me.
A sense of resentment washed over me. Ha... why did I have to live in fear even in the city? Anyway, enough about the assassin.
To get straight to the point, the GM was not Hans I.
"The Hans Ifreia you met that day had to have been someone in disguise."
When they stormed his house, the real Hans Ifreia was unconscious. Just in case, they investigated for traces of mana as well, but the real Hans had not an iota of magical talent. Simply put, someone had borrowed his identity.
That was the disappointing part. I had hoped this investigation might help reveal the GM's identity.
Still, it wasn't a total loss.
There were a few consolations. First, I learned that the GM suspected me of being a player. That meant I at least had some time to prepare.
Since he saw that I didn't answer, he'll be even more suspicious of me now. He'll probably make a move the next time the community opens.
Fortunately, I had a guess as to what would happen, so I came up with a way to deal with it. Anyway, on to the next positive.
Baekho Lee.
To start, that guy had been Baekho for sure. The GM had even called him that at the end.
"...Mr. Baekho Lee. See you later."
This had been said through magic, not his voice, as his windpipe had been in the process of being crushed at the time. Well, not that the information meant much.
"He... I'm sorry. I am not authorized to tell you."
When I asked the knight from back then who Baekho was, that was the answer I got in return. I guessed this was why life was all about timing. If Baekho hadn't cut the knight off back then, I was sure he would've told me.
He sure is a dangerous one...
Even if I got to see Baekho again someday, it'd be difficult to be as friendly as we used to be, not after learning he had two completely different personalities. I had thought the sincerity he had shown me in the forum was his true self, but the disparity was far too stark.
He was a real thug...
Anyway, I moved on from Baekho to Missha. In truth, this was the most troublesome and suffocating part of this whole situation.
"Bjorn, don't take this the wrrrong way and just hear me out, okay? Y-You're not going to disappear out of nowhere, r-right...?"
Missha started anxiously watching my every move.