The Flood (2)
“What was a flood again?”
“...I already explained it to you before. Father, do you actually know anything at all?”
“Sister, isn’t that a bit too harsh? Dad is—”
“Stay out of this. You don’t even understand what’s going on.”
“I can tell you’re being pointlessly overbearing with Dad.”
“You—”
As Mari looked ready to snap at Eunha, I raised a hand to cut her off. She would explain anyway. I was long used to my daughter grumbling at me.
“I won’t repeat myself, so listen carefully. A flood is the phenomenon where monsters, for any number of reasons, leave their territories and swarm toward the regions we have claimed.”
We crossed the road, watching mercenaries move briskly among confused adventurers and ordinary citizens while still maintaining order.
“The causes differ each time, but the outcome is usually the same. A horde of monsters assaulting the city walls, and a massive outbreak of the local monsters at the origin point.”
“What’s causing it this time?”
“I don’t know. But… do you remember what I discussed with Bishara not long ago?”
I rolled my eyes, recalling the conversation.
It looks like a flood is coming. I heard the Adventurer Guild put in a request for a fairy subjugation in that area, and it isn’t limited to the Infi Bazaar.
It was the only other time I had heard the word “flood.” Probably… before we fought the Holy Knight.
When I nodded at the memory, Mari’s expression eased noticeably.
“This flood appears connected to that incident. Back then I thought the Church of Light had intervened, but…”
“The Church of Light?”
Tilia cut in abruptly. I glanced at Mari before answering.
“A Holy Knight came recently. We barely managed to bring it down.”
Tilia’s eyes widened. Her gaze flicked from me to Mari.
“I received no such report. If it entered the labyrinth, news should have reached us.”
I understood her meaning at once.
“The Church of Light cleric we took prisoner had been enchanted. It was an ultimate magic cast by the God of Magic, using an oath spell as its catalyst.”
The corner of Tilia’s eye twitched.
“Transfer that prisoner to us.”
“Gladly. We were at a loss over what to do with him.”
Though I knew nothing of magic, the archmage seemed to have deduced a great deal from those words alone.
“Then this incident could also be the work of the Church of Light.”
We still didn’t know the truth. The cause, the scale, even the enemy types remained unknown. We suspected fairies, yet lacked any real certainty.
“For now, let’s move.”
Tilia took the lead. Our destination was Namsan Seoul Tower in Yongsan District—the Adventurer Guild headquarters.
*
We took a car partway. Tilia drove us up to the tower herself. The people we passed were mostly panicked and uneasy, and the security force known as the “mercenaries” had already sharpened themselves to a razor’s edge.
They all knew. Something was seriously wrong, and this flood was fundamentally different from the ones they usually faced.
“It may be on the same scale as the flood from decades ago.”
Tilia spoke as she stepped out of the car. I recalled something I had once heard in passing—the reason the Adventurer Guild so frequently commissioned the elimination of any fairies spotted in the Infi Bazaar. One fairy corpse could spawn dozens more. Their bodies even served as both food and incubation chambers. They were essentially cockroaches. The difference was that these cockroaches could kill people and were extremely aggressive.
“Father, you are my guest and… technically entering as an aide, but please try not to draw attention.”
“Why?”
“...Because the guild headquarters also serves as the guild master’s residence.”
Only after Mari repeated the warning several times did she finally start walking again.
The master of the Adventurer Guild—President Jin. I had only heard the name and had no idea what kind of being she was, so both worry and anticipation stirred inside me. What would one of the only four Master-class adventurers feel like? I had met Lyshe and Tilia, but would the others be similar?
Carrying that expectation, I headed into the familiar yet alien Seoul Namsan Tower.
The area that had once been filled with restaurants, cafés, convenience stores, and experience centers now matched its title as headquarters. Guild staff hurried about. There were no shops selling adventurer equipment, no bars, no lodging, but counters had been set up for accepting commissions and distributing rewards. Where shop signs had once hung, bulletin boards now listed recruitment for commissions and party members.
It felt strange. The realization hit me—so this place has become part of the labyrinth too.
But this was not our final destination. Even amid the chaos, a group moved through the interior without hesitation. Tilia followed them, and we followed her.
Our destination was the seventh floor. The former restaurant had been converted into what looked more like a private residence. Inside, I saw many unfamiliar faces and a few familiar ones. The gathering was colorful.
A woman with ash-gray hair wearing sunglasses and a red coat. Something clearly inhuman, taller than me, with dark skin and a coat draped over its shoulders. A woman with flowing red hair standing at attention in what resembled a military uniform, though her posture leaned slightly forward. And a beautiful elf whose chest was so bountiful it drew even my eyes.
Not far from a petite dog beastkin girl with red ears and a red coat stood another with an elegant smile… a squirrel beastkin?
They were a varied bunch, but years of unwilling attendance at high-society banquets had taught me one thing: everyone here belonged to the upper echelons of the labyrinth.
Including the dark elf Bishara, who gave me a small wave. Why is she here?
“What, dragging your disciple around like a lost puppy? This isn’t a damn nursery.”
The woman in sunglasses wore a ferocious grin. Despite her cheerful demeanor, she somehow radiated a skin-crawling aura.
“And who’s that pretty boy? I don’t remember inviting him.”
The gaze that fixed on me was strangely chilling. A red, oppressive stare that seemed to peel back my skin and peer straight into my soul. My body instinctively stiffened.
When I unconsciously frowned, the giant moved.
“Enough. What we need to discuss right now is ‘countermeasures.’”
“I’ll do whatever the hell I want in my own house.”
“Even a host has a duty to treat guests properly.”
“Huh? Since when did you get to lecture me—”
She refused to back down, crossing her arms. Her forearms were thick as tree trunks, and I could sense the immense power hidden inside them.
It was instinctively obvious. The conversation itself provided the clue. The woman was President Jin. The giant was the Demon King. Then the others…
As my eyes swept the room, Vertea had already slipped to my side and whispered. Her voice was pleasant and gentle, pitched low enough for only me to hear.
“As far as this unit knows, the woman wearing sunglasses is President Jin. The giant is the Demon King.”
As expected. I nodded, and Vertea continued pointing them out one by one.
“That… ‘giant’ woman is the mercenary corps commander Livga, and the ‘giant’ elf is the Elf Queen Anahastrin Elandrael.”
I struggled not to roll my eyes at the repeated use of “giant,” but they were indeed beings worthy of the term upper class. Familiar faces were among them.
“That entity is the Poison Spider Bishara.”
“I know.”
“She possesses cruel habits, exceptional mobility, and outstanding combat ability.”
“I’m well aware.”
“She has black hair, black eyes, and tattoos beneath her eyes.”
“That’s what I see.”
“Father…?”
Right. Enough teasing. While watching President Jin and the Demon King bicker, I learned about the remaining two.
“The proxy Saintess and bishop of the Blood Church, Orphea, and the leader of the labyrinth’s foremost trading company, Linne.”
Proxy Saintess. Bishop. If gods existed, churches naturally followed. Still, it was lamentable. These blood-soaked figures had come to a place like this. Without responsible adults to shoulder the burden, they carried such heavy duties into this dangerous gathering.
I forced my gaze back up as the argument between the Demon King and President Jin wound down.
“So, Tilia? Who’s that handsome bastard?”
“He is with me.”
The one who stepped forward was not Tilia. It was my daughter, standing tall with a firm expression instead of the slightly softened face she reserved for me. A faint sense of triumph rose in my chest as Mari spoke.
“But that isn’t what matters right now, is it?”
As expected of the family head. My daughter declared confidently.
“What matters now is how we resolve this phase, how much we understand of the situation, and deciding on a policy before putting it into action.”
“I agree. I’m not just siding with them because they’re from the same district, but the posturing has gone on long enough, hasn’t it?”
When Bishara voiced her support, President Jin fell silent for a moment, scanning the room before breaking into a bright smile.
“Posturing? I was just testing the waters. Right?”
She looked at the Demon King, who offered no reply but showed no particular objection either. I watched their strange dynamic until President Jin’s gaze turned to me.
Vertical slits shimmered behind her sunglasses—an unusual, oppressive stare. The moment our eyes met, I understood. She was appraising me, calculating whether I held any value she could use. I knew the type well. Many military generals had been the same—ruthless individuals who combined business and political talent with power that didn’t match their station. In that case, it was better not to stand out. She might even be searching for the shotgun I carried.
“Fine. Let’s share information. What each of us knows, what we suspect, what resources we’re willing to commit—anything at all.”
She smiled again and added,
President Jin approached with a bright grin. Strangely, she headed toward Mari first. Her height felt similar to Mari’s—perhaps five centimeters shorter. Long limbs suited her stature, and the dense, complex musculature that my micro-current could barely detect left a deep impression. The density was on another level. This was clearly the body of a powerhouse who had received countless blessings within the labyrinth.
If Lyshe felt unfathomable and the Demon King felt visibly powerful, President Jin existed in the space between—unfathomable strength made clearly visible. I sensed no hostility. But what was she planning? Was she about to deliver important information to Mari?
As I watched, she walked straight past Mari. Past her, ignoring Tilia entirely, she stopped in front of me. At some point her hand had settled on my shoulder.
Huh?
Before I could voice my confusion, she turned with her hand still on my shoulder to face the group and declared,
My eyes flew wide. I saw every expression in the room. Everyone except the Demon King—whose face remained hidden behind a scale-like mask—either stiffened or turned to stare at me. Their gazes swept across Tilia, then Eunha and Mari, before returning to me. There was no sign they thought it was a bad joke.
The chance to call it a lie or a prank had already passed. In any case, I had no taste for such political games. This was fine.
I steeled myself and spoke.
“That’s right. I am the Incarnation of Darkness.”
I deliberately ignored Mari’s expression—mouth agape, breath caught in her throat—and finished.
“Please take care of me.”