Chapter 82
Chapter 82 - A Ridiculous Hostage Situation(2)
Though such an incident occurred.
I had no particular desire to clear up Seolbaek's misunderstanding. I calculated that my intentions would be understood anyway as work progressed. Getting almost hit was a bit unexpected though.
Rather than doing such unnecessary things, I decided to spend time trying everything I could do right now.
So I stopped walking down the path and suddenly reached out my hand to Seolbaek.
"Seolbaek."
"What is it, aspiring kidnapper?"
"..."
My title seems a bit long.
Whatever, it doesn't matter. Today, if I can just escape, I could become anything - kidnapper or murderer.
Without withdrawing my outstretched hand, I said to her:
"First, that ring. I'll hold onto it. Since it's dangerous."
"Ring? Ah... this?"
Seolbaek glanced at the ring on her finger and let out an exclamation.
After contemplating for a while, Seolbaek finally obediently took off the ring and handed it to me. But regret was evident on her face.
I stared at her quietly before tilting my head quizzically.
"What's wrong? I told you that thing is dangerous. You'll go to hell if you keep it, hell."
"I-I know that but..."
"But what?"
"This... was the first gift Jeong-yong nim gave me..."
Seolbaek spoke in a voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzz before hanging her head low.
With her mouth tightly shut, she quietly held out the ring to me. Her fingertips were trembling.
"No, here you go."
"...?"
... First gift or whatever. What am I supposed to do about that? Why stop mid-sentence, making people curious.
I was just scratching my head at Seolbaek's incomprehensible reaction, then reached out to take the ring she was offering.
At that moment, bzzt! A black current surged as if it would burn my hand.
"What the f*ck!"
I quickly pulled my hand away and stared at the ring in shock. Seolbaek also stared at the ring and my hand alternately with rabbit-like eyes.
Doom. With an ominous sound, a panel appeared before me.
[Error - Transfer Not Possible]
[Protected by an unknown powerful force. This item cannot be transferred to others.]
While we were too shocked to say anything, beside us, the Demon King clicked her tongue deeply as if she had expected this.
"Tsk. I expected this... that woman has already completed her infiltration as a sacrifice."
"What?"
When I sent him a questioning look, the Demon King shrugged and pointed at me.
"Hey Hero. Take another look at that ring."
"Take another look? What do you mean?"
"You know, that thing you always do. That thing where you make weird panels appear."
"Ah. Eye of Mimir..."
"The explanation should be more detailed than before. Since that damn woman's lingering traces have grown stronger. That rotten woman is always like that."
"More detailed...?"
It was incomprehensible, but I nodded and immediately tried to activate the Eye of Mimir.
But my action stopped abruptly because of one fact I realized right after. I stared at Lucy with eyes that turned creakily. Then I asked dazedly.
"Wait, how do you know about the Eye of Mimir?"
"Huh? You're strange. You've been using it plenty in front of me until now, how could I not know?"
"No... you, you could see all this until now?"
"Though there seems to be perception interference magic... isn't it the same with the corpse from the previous life? If I can see that, how could I not see the panels?"
Lucy stared at me as if I was the one saying strange things.
I see. So the Demon King could see the panels that appear with the Eye of Mimir all this time. Is that why she was particularly quiet whenever I checked panels?
Anyway, I soon came to my senses and focused my gaze on the ring. Then as always, the panel's information blocked my view.
[Item Information]
[Name: Forewarning of Isgard]
[Stats: All abilities of wearer strengthened approximately 3 times (Item effects not applied)]
[Details: Ring containing the Fragment of Astarte, the Blue Flame Demon King who slew the ancient dragon Isgard. The wearer is marked as Astarte's sacrifice. Until sacrificed, the marked sacrifice temporarily gains enormous power as Astarte's avatar.]
[Number of possible enhancements: 0]
[Special Status Applied - Cannot be transferred or destroyed while equipped]
[Current Status: Equipped / Mark Activated]
It wasn't question marks. Tremendous information poured out all at once.
I read through that information, forgetting even to breathe.
"...What is this?"
I can see it.
The ring that previously revealed nothing but question marks was now confessing all its information.
'Could this be...'
Was it a system where, as explained, once the mark activates, the status window starts displaying? What they call a condition-branching item?
Despite being a hardcore gamer in my life on Earth, I hadn't checked such basic things. I wonder if I've drank too much of this other world's water.
While sighing at my carelessness, I literally shuddered at the revealed true nature of the ring.
"What does it say?"
Lucy asked. Seolbaek also seemed curious about what was happening beside me.
But rather, I'm the one who wants to ask. Lucy seemed to know about the identity of this ring. I instead questioned Lucy.
"Hey Lucy. Do you know anything about this ring?"
"I don't know the details. I only vaguely sensed it is from my previous life."
"Sensed? What did you sense?"
"Astarte... I sensed that damn woman's terrible stench of rot wafting strongly."
Lucy's demeanor as she spat those words was full of displeasure. She kept clicking her tongue and her mouth was twisted in disgust, with deep furrows between his brows.
I carefully asked, trying not to disturb Lucy's mood.
"Yes. Astarte. That name appeared on this ring too. Who exactly is Astarte?"
"You mean the Blue Flame Demon King? She’s one of the so-called ‘Four Demon Kings’ that humans who like to give nicknames call her.”
"Four, four Demon Kings...?!"
"Yes.... An annoyingly long-lived old hag."
Even though I hadn't told her about the contents revealed on the ring, the title 'Blue Flame Demon King' came from Lucy's mouth. From that, it's certain that the Astarte she's talking about is the same person mentioned in the ring's description.
And that Demon King's identity... is apparently one of the four Demon Kings, on par with the Immortal Demon King.
"Huh. This is insane...."
What should I do? What can I do?
I've gotten caught up in an absurdly large-scale incident. Lucy's words made me realize that anew.
I clutched my head and let out heavy sighs.
"No, this is crazy, how does this make sense... How could such an insane item come from a random box gacha? And of all people, to Seolbaek...."
And at that moment. I unconsciously shut my mouth tight.
Come to think of it, that really doesn't make sense. That's what I realized.
'If that white explosion was intentionally caused to kill us....'
There's no way the ring, which was a crucial medium for causing that explosion, came into Seolbaek's possession by chance.
It was intentional. The one who sold this ring to Seolbaek is likely an Immortal Cult member.
'Like those Casas guys, were the Immortal Cult watching us?'
So... did they pass such a dangerous object to us when they saw an opportunity?
To kill us... me and Lucy?
And Seolbaek... kept being sacrificed because of us?
'This is messed up...!'
It's becoming more and more complicated, one problem after another.
I grumbled inwardly while dusting off my knees. Then I headed back toward Kern's back alleys.
Walking through the winding alleys, avoiding vagrants scattered here and there like bundles, after a while. I soon stopped our group in front of a familiar shack.
"Yes. This is it."
"Ah. This is that...."
"Hmm. Hero. This doesn't look like the home of a master capable of handling you."
Of course, this house is the shack where Jena and Zenon live.
This makes it my third visit. Jokingly, I feel so familiar with it now that I could probably find it even while doing a handstand with my eyes closed.
I held back a bitter smile. And looked up at the sky for a moment.
'... The timing is perfect.'
The sun is tilted slightly to the west. It seems to be around 1 or 2 o'clock, past noon.
When I visited this house in my previous life. It was right around noon.
'At that time, Zenon was getting ready to go out.'
And I ran into Zenon right at the front door.
So if there haven't been any major changes to Zenon's outing time... Zenon isn't home right now.
Right now, only Jena should be keeping watch over the shack.
"Shall we begin."
After muttering boldly, I immediately put it into action.
"Is anyone home? We've come to deliver good news."
Knock knock knock. While knocking on the door, I picked up a line that would probably destroy any credibility. Of course, the loss of credibility only applies on Earth, so it doesn't matter here in Paraiso.
Though that doesn't mean this line works well.
"......"
"......"
I stood in line with the others waiting for a response.
After about 3 minutes passed like that. Lucy tugged at my clothes from beside me.
"Is someone really there? There's no response at all."
"... Yeah."
By that point, I also felt something was strange and tilted my head.
Why is there no response? I thought of several possibilities on the spot.
'Pretending not to be home. Stepped out briefly. Et cetera....'
There are several possibilities, but. The most likely one is probably that they're pretending not to be home from inside.
Since I remember Zenon's appearance earnestly pleading with her to never go outside, that must be certain.
'... Should I just force her out?'
It was a thought that briefly crossed my mind, but. It soon disappeared with a hollow laugh.
Honestly, breaking down a shack like this and taking one girl would be easy, but. I really don't want to become a real kidnapper.
By legitimate means only. I plan to make Jena become a hostage of her own accord.
After all, I'm expecting her to be more than just a hostage for threats.
'Though honestly, I don't know what kind of traps there might be.'
Actually, this is the bigger reason. Because of the possibility that the cunning 'Supreme Mage★Zenon' might have set up tricks in the shack. There must be defense systems in place for the house where his precious sister lives.
If possible, unnecessary friction should be avoided. I need to conserve strength for the 'necessary' friction that's to come.
'Hmm. No choice then.'
I finally decided to use the last resort.
I stepped forward boldly. I pressed my ear closely against the door.
"......"
A faint sound of stifled breathing can be heard from inside.
"... Brother...."
A thin voice leaked out. I can clearly picture Jena holding her breath and listening intently to the sounds from the other side. I swallowed a bitter smile.
Sorry, but you siblings. Your weakness for each other shows too obviously.
"Please open the door. Your brother... Zenon is in danger."
"...!!"
"It's urgent. Hurry up."
Look at that.
From the single lie I uttered, I can hear the sound of dying breath from inside.
I raised the corners of my mouth in front of the door. At the same time, the firmly closed wooden door of the house creaked open slowly.
"What do you mean... brother is... in danger..."
Through the slightly opened door, I can see Jena's red eyes scanning me.
And after examining my face for a while, Jena's eyes suddenly widened.
"Oh. Y-You are...!"
This is our third first meeting. Who would have thought first meetings could get tiresome. My life is legendary. Fuck.
I recycled the first greeting that I had repeated until I was sick of it.
"You. You know me, right?"