Peris opened his eyes, gasping for breath.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, his back already soaked through.
The scene before him was all too familiar.
A quiet, dark space. Various weapons were displayed around him, and countless marks remained on the walls.
“W-what is this?”
It felt as if he had dreamed something. But he couldn’t recall the content of the dream. It seemed to have been a nightmare, something terribly twisted.
“Haa, I must be too tired lately.”
There had been so much to do recently. With the disaster in the Sail Kingdom, things had been chaotic. As an information broker, Peris had a lot of work.
‘Come to think of it, I need to find out what happened to Malcolm.’
Malcolm’s disappearance had created many things to worry about. With so much work, his body must have been under considerable strain.
‘Once this job is done, I need to rest.’
Peris fiddled with his dagger, for no particular reason. This was his own space. It was where all information was reported, and thanks to barrier magic, it was a place of absolute security. A truly safe space. Like his own secret kingdom, it was an impregnable fortress that no one could enter without permission. If someone had dragged him out and harmed him, it would be different, but Peris wasn’t fooled by such tricks.
“…….”
Peris closed his eyes. And took a deep breath. He felt the unpleasant feeling from the dream disappear. After a moment, Peris opened his eyes.
“Enter.”
Peris’s voice echoed through the space. At his reply, a subordinate cautiously revealed himself. The subordinate, with a blank expression, knelt before Peris and bowed his head. Peris turned his head towards the subordinate.
“Yes, have you found out anything about Malcolm?”
The first question was about Malcolm. Peris had taken action after Malcolm disappeared following the last Black Hand meeting. Or rather, rumors had circulated that Malcolm was dead, but he needed to confirm it himself. However, for some reason, he strongly felt that Malcolm was indeed dead, as rumored.
“Yes, Peris-nim. After checking, it seems the rumor of Malcolm-nim’s death is true.”
The subordinate continued bluntly. The story that Malcolm died after directly challenging the Monster Coliseum, and that a new figure had appeared in Malcolm’s sector. Simultaneously, the news that this new figure was also operating the Monster Coliseum. Reports related to Malcolm continued.
‘That idiot Malcolm.’
Peris wore a serious expression at the subordinate’s report. A new figure appearing in Malcolm’s sector. The Black Hand was an alliance of various organizations. It was structured such that six representatives led their respective sectors, so the appearance of a new figure in Malcolm’s sector was a bad sign for Peris. As someone who intended to eventually take over the Black Hand, it was like an unwanted guest had intruded.
“The Monster Coliseum…”
Peris was well aware of the Monster Coliseum, as it had recently been the center of attention. He had heard so much about it that he even felt like he had personally visited the Monster Coliseum.
“Yes, you would have gathered information about this new guy, right?”
Malcolm’s death was no longer important. What mattered was who had replaced him.
“Yes, I will report. Peris-nim. The one who took over Malcolm-nim’s sector is operating under the name Necros. However, he always wears a white mask, so his true appearance could not be confirmed. It is likely that the name Necros is also an alias.”
At the subordinate’s report, Peris closed his eyes. Monster Coliseum. Necros. White mask.
‘Mask…’
Wearing a mask.
‘A white mask.’
A being wearing a white mask. Why would he hide his appearance? It was a contradictory situation, incomprehensible yet understandable.
‘Thinking about it, I never saw Master’s true form either.’
Master always attended meetings wearing a black mask. No, even when he sent informants to secretly gather information, they reported that Master was always wearing a black mask. Looking at it this way, Master and this Necros, who took over Malcolm’s sector, had the commonality of wearing masks.
‘Interesting.’
But Peris’s expression became grim. Taking over Malcolm’s sector meant that this Necros was by no means an easy opponent. At the same time, what kind of place was the Monster Coliseum? It was a place where people risked their lives against actual monsters in duels.
‘He’s skilled enough to capture monsters.’
Thinking about it, Master’s skill was not insignificant either. The other five representatives had attacked Master simultaneously, yet none had inflicted any damage on him.
‘This has become a headache.’
He hadn’t even figured out Master’s identity, and now another unknown figure had been added, making it a real headache.
‘I should bring this up at the emergency meeting later.’
An emergency meeting summoned by Master was scheduled for today anyway. He could present the information he had found then. Peris put aside his thoughts about Necros and moved on to the next topic.
“Yes, then what is the situation with the other representatives?”
For him, who aimed for dominance, grasping the movements of his colleagues was essential.
“Yes, Lyra is currently facing difficulties with human trafficking. With the kingdom strengthening its crackdowns, the situation does not look good. Because of this, she is planning to expand her operations beyond the Sail Kingdom.”
The subordinate’s report continued. Lyra, who did business through human trafficking, was currently facing difficulties due to the Sail Kingdom’s increased crackdowns. She was planning to look to other regions besides the Sail Kingdom, but it remained to be seen if it would succeed.
‘Speaking of which, this is unexpected. To find out such information.’
Peris’s informants had always been capable. However, monitoring fellow representatives was a difficult task. Since the other representatives knew Peris was an information broker, they would likely be prepared. If he investigated too deeply, he would undoubtedly be caught.
‘Then everything would be in vain.’
Now was not the time to make enemies. In that sense, monitoring allies required extreme caution. In such a situation, finding out Lyra’s plan was quite a gain. From a different perspective, Lyra could be seen as secretly forming her own private force.
‘This could be a rebellion.’
Depending on how this information was used, Lyra could be called a pioneer expanding her own distribution network, or she could be made into a woman who was secretly building forces to overthrow the Black Hand and plotting rebellion. Of course, he had no intention of releasing this information immediately. Information wields the greatest power when it is held in hand.
“Very good. Then what about Annabelle?”
Peris, feeling good, moved on to the next question. Annabelle, who was in charge of cultivating and distributing drugs, was the wealthiest individual.
“Annabelle-nim is also in the same predicament. Most of her drug cultivation sites have been discovered, causing significant damage. It seems a large-scale investigation is underway under Queen Irena’s protection. And… I have obtained information about Annabelle-nim’s secret cultivation site.”
“Hmm?”
Following Lyra, there was also a significant gain of information about Annabelle. If things went well, it was information enough to cut off Annabelle’s financial lifeline.
‘I’m so lucky today.’
Everything was going too well. Normally, when things went this well, it was natural to be suspicious, but Peris just nodded. Perhaps the kingdom was in chaos, so the representatives had many things to worry about. In the process, there must have been gaps in their respective activities. Believing this, he moved on to the next agenda item. That was the agenda concerning Queen Irena.
“Yes, Peris-nim. This agenda is also related to Master.”
“Master?”
Why was Master involved in the report about Queen Irena? As Peris wore a puzzled expression, the subordinate quickly spoke.
“That’s right. Evidence has been found that Queen Irena met with Master, who wears a black mask.”
“……?”
Peris was momentarily stunned, unable to speak. Could it be? No way. No matter how many informants he had placed on Master, they had always failed. Master was a thorough individual, making it impossible to obtain deep information. And now Master’s whereabouts had been revealed?
‘And he met Queen Irena?’
It didn’t make sense. Two possibilities surfaced in Peris’s mind.
‘Either it’s not Master, or it’s a trap.’
Just because someone wore a black mask didn’t mean it was definitely Master. The possibility that the information was incorrect was more credible. But what if it really was Master?
‘If it’s true, why did he act so openly?’
His head was a mess.
‘Could it be that he knew I was monitoring him and set a trap?’
The possibility was quite high. The fact that he suddenly moved after being quiet until now was unnatural.
‘If I just take the bait and mention it at the meeting…’
Peris felt burdened by the idea of bringing this information to the meeting. Before explaining why Master met Queen Irena, he would have to reveal why he himself was monitoring Master. If that happened, others would become suspicious. They would wonder if he had also been monitoring them while monitoring Master. Conversely, Master had too many loopholes to escape. He could deny it from the beginning, or claim he contacted Queen Irena to monitor her. Of course, they might ask why he wore a mask to meet the Queen, but Master would smoothly get out of it.
‘It’s better to just cover this up.’
Information becomes even more valuable when one can handle it. If he engaged in such a vague confrontation now, he would be the one to suffer. So, Peris dismissed the information about Master.
“Indeed, it is a wise choice. It won’t be good if you bring it up at the emergency meeting later, Peris-nim.”
Peris nodded at his subordinate’s words. He was sure his subordinate was right. If he attacked vaguely and gained nothing, it couldn’t be called information.
“Yes, that’s all for the report-”
Peris paused for a moment. He was about to say, “That’s all for the report. I have to attend a meeting soon, so you may go,” because he needed to get ready to attend the emergency meeting organized by Master. Just then, something strange made him uneasy.
‘How did that guy know about the meeting later?’
A strange sense of unease swept through his entire body. Clearly, the subordinate knew about the emergency meeting. The meeting was for the representatives only, and they were notified directly. This was Master’s policy. But a variable had appeared.
“…….”
He felt a chilling sensation creep up his spine. The first thought was the possibility of information leakage. No, if that had happened, the subordinate before him should have reported it to him. But he naturally mentioned the meeting to him? Could he be a spy? But it also didn’t make sense if he was bribed by another representative. The current situation itself was somehow wrong.
‘Where did it go wrong?’
He suddenly remembered the dream he had earlier. When he had just woken up, he couldn’t remember the dream’s content, but now he remembered it vividly.
‘Annabelle appeared in my dream.’
Annabelle said something, and her head twisted strangely. Thinking about it now, it really was a nightmare. But a thought suddenly flashed through Peris’s mind. For some reason, Peris said to his subordinate.
“Is there… a letter for me?”
A tremor was in his voice.
“Ah, actually, a letter has arrived for you, Peris-nim.”
Peris took the letter from the subordinate. With its familiar texture, he furrowed his brow.
‘Was it an invitation?’
Without even opening the letter, he had a guess as to its contents. When he finally read the letter, he was chilled to the bone. It was exactly as he had thought. The letter was an invitation from Necros, the one who had taken over Malcolm’s sector. As he stared at the invitation, his head felt like it would shatter.
“Kgh!”
Simultaneously, numerous scenes flashed through his mind like a procession of memories. – Ah, did I make a mistake? Annabelle’s words. But the voice that came from her lips was not Annabelle’s. The scene, which he believed was a dream, felt vivid. Not only that. – Master, why are you wearing a white mask? In the scene, Peris himself was speaking. He had never said such a thing. The scene continued to unfold. – Ah, I forgot. It wasn’t Master’s voice. Another scene appeared, flowing like mountain stream water. – I forgot about someone named Darkmore? This time it was Lyra speaking. Naturally, it wasn’t Lyra’s voice. In another scene, Annabelle and Lyra spoke to each other. – Isn’t Master trying to sell us out? – Right, right. How about we strike Master before that? But Peris knew. Even if they all attacked him, they were subdued by Master, so how could they attack him? At Peris’s words, Annabelle and Lyra just looked at each other and smiled. But their eyes weren’t smiling. – Failed? The mouths of both moved simultaneously. Creepy laughter echoed from all directions. In the scene, Peris backed away in terror. But sharp claws stretched out from the darkness and grasped his arm. The scene kept changing. – Now, this is the Monster Coliseum. The Monster Coliseum in Malcolm’s sector. And before Peris’s eyes was a figure wearing a white mask. – I am Necros. The scene changed once more. Now the scenes were mixing chaotically. Master, whom he saw at the meeting, took off his black mask, and a white mask popped out. – I am Necros. Why? Why was Master introducing himself as Necros? – Now, this is the Monster Coliseum. Thank you for responding to my invitation. And before Peris’s eyes was Master wearing a black mask. – I am Necros. Master took off his mask, revealing a skull-like face. What is this? What is happening? His mind was in utter chaos. Bizarre scenes, indistinguishable from reality or dreams, unfolded like a panorama. Annabelle, Lyra, Master, and Necros… Their faces blurred together like a kaleidoscope. Thinking any further would make his head explode. The skull opened its mouth. “I am Necros. I am Master. I am Necros. I am Master. I am Necros. I am Master. I am Necros. I am Master.” “Hah!” Peris snapped back to reality. Before his eyes, the subordinate was still kneeling with his head bowed. ‘A dream?’ But something felt off. Peris slowly opened his mouth. “What’s your name?” “…….” The subordinate said nothing. “Lift your head.” Peris cautiously picked up the dagger beside him. And he watched the subordinate lift his head. “……!” Peris’s heart felt like it stopped at the subordinate’s eerie sight. There was nothing on his face. Only skin remained where his eyes, nose, and mouth should have been. A scream of surprise rose to his throat, but he couldn’t even make a sound. The hand holding the dagger trembled. “What a shame. I thought I had succeeded this time, but I approached too hastily.” “W-what is this!” A chilling voice struck Peris’s ears. “Peris, your willpower is quite strong? Annabelle and Lyra have already succumbed, you know.” He was spouting incomprehensible things. “This is the 26th surreal exploration, so let’s meet again at the 27th.” He felt red eyes gleaming from the darkness in the distance. Peris gritted his teeth at the sight. His vision swam. Terrifying fear engulfed his entire body. “P-please…” Finally, he remembered. He had definitely taken Necros’s invitation and headed to Malcolm’s sector. Reviewing the memories that surfaced, Annabelle and Lyra were beside him. Master and Darkmore were not there. Indeed, from where to where was the truth? Could he even believe the memories that were surfacing now? “Please… stop.” Nausea surged due to the headache. Even as he struggled to escape this place, he only sank deeper into the mire. Black mist obscured his vision. His consciousness began to fade. Cold hands emerged from the darkness and grasped his neck. He was suffocating. “I don’t want to die…” Darkness was slowly consuming everything. Then, a voice was heard from the darkness. “Now, from now on, you will explore within the illusion.” ……… …… … “……!” Peris opened his eyes, gasping for breath. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, his back already soaked through. The scene before him was all too familiar. A quiet, dark space. It was indeed his own location. “…What was that?” It felt as if he had dreamed a nightmare. But a single dream couldn’t ruin his business. Peris steadied himself and was about to get to work. “Enter.” * * * “Necros-nim, I apologize. Unlike Lyra and Annabelle, this one’s willpower is considerable.” Kaleido bowed his head towards Necros. Necros gazed at Peris, who had fallen into a deep sleep. The first to begin was Lyra. Upon hearing information from Celia that women in the kingdom were being kidnapped, Necros acted. And he discovered Lyra was behind it. He kidnapped Lyra and used Kaleido’s illusion magic to extract information. Through Lyra, he learned about Annabelle. After Annabelle came the current Peris. “Tap tap tap.” Necros said something. Kaleido relayed Necros’s words exactly to Annabelle and Lyra, who were beside him. “You two, return to your duties. I will contact you later.” “Understood. Master.” Annabelle and Lyra bowed their heads towards Necros and replied. Although Necros was wearing a white mask now, they called him Master. They had awakened from the illusion, but the nightmare was not yet over.
