Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Recruitment (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A chilling silence filled the dark room, illuminated by the bright moonlight.
Hermit's expression was a complex mixture of emotions. And for good reason.
Hermit's every action was predicated on his 'Search Eye'.
With that Search Eye now useless, he would be incapable of making a rational judgment.
Besides, there was only one other person his Search Eye had ever failed against.
The boss of the Seekers of Truth, Unknown.
He wouldn't dare make a reckless move against such an opponent.
Of course, the same was true for me.
I'd managed to get through the initial moment by bluffing with a bit of quick thinking.
But if a fight actually broke out, I wouldn't last a second.
Hermit was a villain who made his proper debut in the post-regional war scenarios, an entity capable of dispatching even S-rank superhumans with ease.
Even if I used the Whispers of the Fire Spirit, my chances of winning wouldn't exceed one percent.
Damn it.
Why would Hermit appear at this stage...?
No, more importantly, how did he find me and why was he targeting me?
Did I make some kind of mistake?
...Could it be that information about my involvement in the doppelgnger or Pyo Ilchan incidents reached the ears of the Seekers of Truth?
If so, this was going to be a huge headache.
The plans I'd laid out would be completely upended.
...In that case, my top priority right now had to be figuring out Hermit's objective.
I sharpened my mind, forcing myself to stay calm.
"That's the fourth time. There won't be another."
I channeled the most arrogant character I could remember.
Putting on a mask had always been my specialty.
"State your business for coming to me. Intruder."
Considering Hermit's personality, the probability of a fight breaking out right now was extremely low.
He was most likely planning his escape.
But I couldn't let him escape now. Absolutely not.
"Go on, run if you think you can."
And with that, I blocked his escape route.
"......!"
If Hermit escaped, he would surely report back to Unknown about me.
He'd tell him he'd met someone whose status window was unreadable, just like the boss's.
Then, there was a high probability the boss would make a move himself.
The strongest being in the world, in person.
If I caught his eye, my chances of survival would be practically zero.
I had to avoid that at all costs.
Fortunately, there was a way to overcome this crisis.
To do that, I first had to keep him from leaving.
"What's wrong? I thought you were about to scurry away like a little mouse. Are your feet glued to the floor?"
"..."
His expression hardened even more.
He was likely feeling uneasy at my confident words, contemplating his escape.
If so, I could consider the immediate fire put out.
Now for the next step.
"Well, alright. It's been a while since I've had a night visitor. It wouldn't be very sporting of me to treat you so roughly. Sit. I'll get you some coffee."
"......!"
I moved with a leisurely gait.
From his perspective, my movements must have been full of openings.
No, they were genuinely full of openings.
*Thud. Thud.*
But under the premise that his Search Eye was ineffective,
every single one of my actions would be a threat, a marvel to him.
No, he'd be even more wary precisely because my movements were incomprehensible.
"Are you going to make me say that twice, too?"
Hermit hesitantly moved and sat down in the chair.
"Good. Now we're getting somewhere."
I desperately suppressed my trembling as I prepared some instant coffee.
*Clink*
"Drink."
I placed the coffee cup on the table.
I brought the other cup to my own lips.
Hermit immediately followed suit and drank his coffee.
"Bold of you. What would you have done if I'd poisoned it?"
"I judged that a powerful being such as yourself wouldn't resort to a troublesome method like poison."
"Hmph. Bullshit."
I scoffed and took a sip of my coffee.
I was so immersed in my act that I almost burned my tongue.
But I managed to endure it somehow.
"You think this is the first time I've dealt with someone like you? You must have some kind of poison detection trait."
Hermit's eyes wavered slightly.
"Then I'll give you one last chance. What is your business with me, intruder?"
I lowered my coffee cup and glared at Hermit. At the same time, I used 'Predator's Killing Intent' to pressure him.
With my current skill level, the pressure would only last for a fleeting moment, but that didn't matter.
What was important was that this was a type of pressure he had never experienced before.
Even for someone like Hermit, he had likely never been in the position of prey.
"!"
Hermit's entire body stiffened as a cold sweat beaded on his forehead, trickled down his jawline, and fell to the floor.
*Gulp.*
The sound of Hermit swallowing dryly echoed loudly in the silence.
"The organization... ordered me to infiltrate the academy."
Hermit finally opened his tightly sealed lips. I celebrated inwardly.
"And?"
"Before infiltrating, while I was investigating the doppelgnger who was originally assigned to this mission, I obtained information that you had entered the gambling den at the time of the doppelgnger's capture."
"Hmm."
I tilted my chin up slightly, gesturing for him to continue.
"I investigated you further and learned of your connection to the Demon Advent incident and that you had met privately with Bihon Guild's leader, Yuhwa. Putting it all together, I came to the conclusion that there might be something about you."
I understood.
"An excellent approach. So, you came today to investigate?"
"Yes. If there was nothing special about you, I was going to take your life and then..."
Hermit glanced at me furtively.
He was probably nervous admitting he had intended to kill me.
I smiled with even more leisure.
"...I planned to disguise myself as you and infiltrate the academy."
Hermit swallowed hard again. His forehead was drenched in a cold sweat.
I could see just how much he feared me.
From his reaction, I could also tell how much he feared Unknown.
"The truth."
His story checks out.
Besides, Hermit doesn't lie in situations like this.
"You must really want to live."
Lies are sweet, but their price is death.
Those were Hermit's own words.
"But what to do."
I stroked my chin and gave a cold smile.
"I can't let someone who has learned my identity go free."
Hermit said urgently.
"...How could a lowly being like myself possibly have figured out your true identity, sir?"
"Hmm. That's also true. You don't know what I am."
"Yes. That's right."
How could he figure it out when I don't have a hidden identity to begin with?
"But you did learn that I have some kind of secret."
"...That is."
"Once you leave this place, you'll surely tell your boss..."
I glanced at Hermit.
"...report to Unknown."
"!"
Hermit gasped.
He was likely surprised that I knew his boss's code name.
"And that would be rather inconvenient for me."
I erased all emotion from my face and stared at Hermit.
I didn't forget to use 'Predator's Killing Intent' again.
Hermit's complexion turned even paler.
"I-I will never speak of this! I will keep this matter buried in my heart for the rest of my life!"
"Hmm."
What a strange sight.
An F-rank nobody like me, threatening Hermit, who toys with S-rank superhumans.
In the original story, too, Hermit's excessive caution was his downfall, leading to his death.
"A-And if you kill me now, the organization's eyes will surely turn to you, sir! If you just let me live, I will handle it myself! So please!"
Truth is, I have no way of killing him even if I wanted to.
If Hermit so much as twitched, thinking, 'I might as well fight back before I die!', I'd be instantly obliterated.
My body probably wouldn't even be left intact.
"You have a point. Fine. I'll let you live."
So, I have to let Hermit go.
There's no other choice.
"Th-Thank you..."
"However."
But I have no intention of just letting him go. I'm not an idiot; who knows what would happen if I sent him off just like that.
"I'm placing a geas on you."
I walked leisurely toward the carrier case by the entrance.
"...A geas?"
*Fwoosh*
When I opened the case, the Whispers of the Fire Spirit was revealed, glowing with a captivating red light.
"Is that... a relic of the spirit race?"
"You have good eyes, I see."
I smiled leisurely and took the ancient relic, the Whispers of the Fire Spirit, in my hand.
*FWOOSH!*
"...Hup!"
As Hermit gasped, the room filled with a gentle flame.
"A-A... a spirit!"
The Whispers of the Fire Spirit has three special effects.
[Ruler of Fire]
[Child of Flame]
[Great Spirit's Pact]
These three.
The one I'm going to use is [Great Spirit's Pact].
In truth, it's more of a contract than a geas.
It requires the consent of both parties, but if used correctly, it functions just like a geas.
"In the name of the Great Spirit, I enact this pact."
"A G-Great Spirit?"
The surroundings glowed brighter, and a ring of fire appeared above my head.
"One. You will not divulge any information about me."
The ring of fire multiplied into two.
"Two. You will not bring harm to me."
Finally, the rings multiplied to three and began to rotate.
"Three. You will obey my commands."
I pressed the Whispers of the Fire Spirit to Hermit's chest.
"Do you consent?"
"..."
Hermit's face was blank, as if his soul had left his body. He seemed to have completely abandoned any thought of resistance.
"I... I consent."
Hermit answered, his eyes trembling.
*FWOOSH!*
The three rings of fire spun and shot toward Hermit's heart. He wouldn't feel any heat. A spirit's flame only burns what it has decided to harm.
"If you break this pact, the rings of fire will burn your heart to ashes."
Hermit nodded, trembling uncontrollably.
Soon, all the flames vanished.
"In one month, return to this place."
"I... I understand."
The pact was successfully formed.
"Go."
In thirty seconds, the backlash from the Whispers of the Fire Spirit will begin. I have to send Hermit away before then.
Hermit hesitated before heading toward the window. Ah. There was one last thing I had to say.
"If you follow my orders well,"
At my words, Hermit's movements paused slightly.
"I might even be able to resolve the curse Unknown placed on you."
"......!"
Hermit's eyes widened.
"H-How do you know about that?"
I didn't answer.
I simply gestured with my chin for him to hurry up and leave.
The flustered Hermit opened and closed his mouth as if trying to say something.
"...I will see you in a month."
And then he was gone from my room.
***
After fleeing Kang Seoyul's house, Hermit sat on a bench in a quiet nearby park, panting for breath.
"...A spirit."
Hermit touched the spot over his heart, thinking.
He definitely called it a Great Spirit's pact.
That meant he was a leader among the spirit race.
It was surprising enough that spirits still existed, but to think he was something even greater.
'...In that case, it's only natural that my Search Eye doesn't work on him.'
His Search Eye failed against opponents of a vastly higher caliber.
Just as it had failed against the boss of the Seekers of Truth, Unknown.
"...Unknown."
The thought of Unknown made him grind his teeth unconsciously.
Hermit wasn't a member of the Seekers of Truth by choice.
He was only following orders because of Unknown's curse.
In his heart, he cursed Unknown and the Seekers of Truth more than anyone.
'...If that man, Kang Seoyul, can truly resolve my curse.'
Then Hermit himself would plunge a dagger into Unknown's heart.
***
I remained still for another ten seconds after Hermit disappeared.
Just in case he was watching me from nearby.
The moment I was certain Hermit was completely gone,
"Ugh."
all the tension left my body, and I collapsed onto the floor.
That was a close call.
If the intruder hadn't been Hermit, I would have been dead.
"Oof."
Keeping the Whispers of the Fire Spirit on hand was truly a godsend.
Without it, I would have been completely stuck.
My relief lasted for about five seconds.
*Crackle!*
"Argh!"
The staff I was holding.
Fierce sparks flew from the Whispers of the Fire Spirit.
[Error! Error!]
A familiar pain and message.
I immediately let go.
"Hoo."
The next moment, a strange sensation prickled the back of my hand.
A tattoo of flickering flames, symbolizing the fire spirit, was now etched there.
However, its green color made it look quite unbalanced.
Wait, the back of my hand?
No, anywhere but the back of my hand!
What am I supposed to do with a tattoo in such a visible spot!
"...Should I start wearing gloves?"
I let out a small sigh.
Ah, well. I'll figure out how to hide the tattoo somehow.
I could just say I'm a tattoo enthusiast.
Is that a bit much?
Ah, whatever.
First, I should check out the trait.
"Please be a good trait."
I gazed at the tattoo on the back of my hand, recalling what I knew about the traits of the spirit race.