“Uhm… Ugh.”
“Tay.”
“Investor-nim…”
Tay wakes up, tossing and turning on my knee as if she were dead asleep.
She gives me a pleasant smile, hugging my thigh and rubbing her cheek against it for a moment.
Then suddenly, she stiffens.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Were you… dreaming…?”
Sasak.
Tay quickly gets up and kneels down respectfully.
Her face is red, as if she’s embarrassed.
“Did I… say something ridiculous while I was sleeping?!”
“You were mumbling that you like Investor-nim.”
“R-Really?!”
“Nope. Just kidding.”
“That’s a joke, right? Really? I didn’t say that, did I?”
“I told you, you didn’t.”
“Haaah…”
She must have been in such a deep sleep that she couldn’t have said something silly.
Though she did snore a little cutely.
If I mentioned it, she would probably get so embarrassed she’d want to die, so I decided against it.
“But how did I end up sleeping? I remember hearing that Investor-nim had arrived and taking the elevator down, but after that… I don’t remember much…”
“You ran out, jumped into my arms, and started grinning before falling asleep. You must have been really tired.”
“Yeah… I was super tired. I’ve been working so much lately that I couldn’t even sleep properly… Thinking back, I was working busily as if I was possessed or something. But how many hours did I sleep?”
“Ten hours.”
“Eeeeh?!”
Tay gasps in shock and starts patting herself down.
Looks like she just realized her work apron has been taken off.
It looked uncomfortable to sleep in, so I took it off.
A little apron should be fine, right…?
‘Thank goodness my memories are hazy.’
It seems she has forgotten everything she did under the influence of the demon energy.
She probably won’t even remember me headbutting her to knock her out.
“Um… Are you alright? You’ve been here for so long? You’re a busy person after all.”
“Your health is the most important thing. You seemed to have overdone it, but you look fine now. Are you feeling nauseous or have a headache?”
“No… Thanks to you, I finally got to sleep well. I feel so refreshed…”
I touched Tay’s head and checked her complexion again.
Her previous blush was just embarrassment, and seeing it fade back means she doesn’t have a fever.
Looks like Belphegor’s demon energy didn’t do anything to her.
“Sorry to talk about work right after you woke up, but I brought some high-grade mana stones.”
“Ah! No, please tell me! You were originally coming to commission something, right? Falling asleep was my fault.”
“Sorry, but this time there are no black mana stones.”
“Hehe, really? I should be super disappointed, but hearing there’s none makes me sigh in relief. Ugh! When I process those, I get so nervous it’s maddening! It’s exciting but scary at the same time, you know?”
“I can somewhat understand.”
Her strange obsession with black mana stones seems to have vanished.
She wants to get a chance to process them but also seems to be burdened by it, a weak-hearted child.
This is Tay.
This is the Tay I know.
“Ugh…!”
“I was worried. What if you didn’t wake up?”
“That couldn’t happen.”
“Right, it couldn’t be… But still, I was so worried I couldn’t leave. I’m really glad.”
I pulled Tay into a tight hug.
Though she’s grown a bit, she still hasn’t completely shed her girlhood.
The threat of something happening to this little child was stressful.
Moreover, this was my responsibility.
Given the situation, Belphegor must have approached Tay just as the perfect barrier was cast over Basel.
At that time, Belphegor must have followed me all the way to Basel, so I definitely share some accountability.
If something happened to Tay, I would have spent sleepless nights regretting it.
“I just fell asleep because I was tired. You’re worrying too much.”
“Is that so…?”
“Are you sure you’re the same person who would suddenly hand high-grade mana stones to a newbie apprentice? Why are you getting so jittery? Hehe. Don’t worry. I’m tougher than I look. In fact, dwarves as a race are far sturdier than humans. You might be worrying too much based on human standards.”
“Seems like it. I overreacted. But thanks to you, I got to rest well for the first time in a while. It’s been a long time since I sat idle for ten hours doing nothing.”
“Really? Then how about eating while you rest?”
“Sounds good. Can you cook too?”
“Nope. My staff cooks really well. Hehehe. I’ll order now. It’ll be ready soon.”
With a shy smile, Tay picks up the receiver.
Yeah. Since we’re spending time, let’s relax properly.
I also need time to recall Belphegor’s settings and think of weaknesses.
“Yoo Jin. Do you like delicious cooking?”
“Of course! Who wouldn’t dislike it?”
“Then… I want to learn cooking.”
Uhm Out of nowhere, Mi Jeong pipes up.
She wants to learn cooking.
She seems to find interest in the oddest things.
Though she doesn’t even eat the food she makes.
“I’ll teach you when I can. I can do a bit of cooking myself.”
“Um… Okay.”
I think I just saw a faint smile on Mi Jeong’s lips.
Is it just my imagination…?
After a bustling meal, Mi Jeong and I left Tay’s workshop.
We sold the high-grade mana stones and made them into the things Tay wanted to process, ready for sale.
I don’t need mana stones anymore.
“Our entire staff expresses their gratitude! Investor-nim!!!”
“Dang it! You scared me! I almost jumped!”
As we exited, the employees on the first floor crowded around and bowed in unity to express their gratitude, surprising me.
From what I heard, it seems Tay had pushed herself quite hard recently.
No one listened to her advice during that busy spell until I arrived.
Everyone was amazed as to why she fell asleep only in front of me, even after refusing to sleep.
If I told them it was because I knocked her out, no one would believe me.
So I didn’t bother saying it.
After that, I took the elevator back up and got Tay to sign a paper stating she wouldn’t work more than 16 hours a day.
This brought me some relief.
No matter how busy a person is, they need about 8 hours to recharge.
“First, let’s head to Cologne.”
That direction leads to where Belphegor’s main body is.
The closest city to the old capital of the Holy Kingdom, Cologne, is lined up to the west.
That’s why I plan to first stop by Cologne to see Cornelia and obtain an additional check, then head to Hameln and other cities.
“Please make me a sword handle. One that fits this sword but doesn’t get stuck tightly, so it comes out easily.”
“What kind of handle is that? You’re asking for quite a peculiar item.”
“And if the sword makes any voice, just ignore it.”
“Voice? What voice are you talking about?”
“…”
Before leaving, I had to stop by the woodworking shop to make a cover for the magic sword.
Holding the magic sword, the carpenter tilted his head in confusion.
Even when I asked multiple people in Basel, the reactions were all the same.
Everyone claimed they couldn’t hear the magic sword’s voice.
“Mi Jeong. I’m not going crazy, am I? I’m not a mentally ill person who talks to a sword, right?”
“…Yeah. I can, Yoo Jin. Sometimes, it does seem a bit weird. But you’re not mentally ill.”
What’s the difference between me and Mi Jeong, and everyone else?
Is it just whether or not you’re a curse caster?
Until now, it’s hard to say for certain.
“It’s done.”
“Thank you.”
I sheathed the magic sword.
Upon inserting the completed cover into the protruding handle, it appears like an ordinary sword handle.
I didn’t want to walk around just showing the blade since that would be too flashy, so that’s why I made this cover.
Even so, during a fight, I’ll fling the cover away, grab the blade, and strike.
And more importantly, with a cover, I won’t accidentally touch the blade and hear the magic sword’s voice.
Being cursed with hearing the sword’s annoying voice during a fight is ridiculous.
It feels weirdly like a cursed sword.
‘I need to be on guard. We can’t rule out the possibility of Belphegor appearing right away in Cologne.’
Who knows?
A fight could break out the moment we step off the train.
I simulate the scenario in my head.
First of all, Belphegor has a trait called “Jump,” which didn’t exist in the original story.
If I remember correctly, the description was something like this.
[Trait: Jump]
[Moves to a location 5 meters away from the hostile target. Can’t move if there’s an object in that location.]
It’s essentially teleporting.
I struggled a lot when I first encountered it.
But that only seems threatening until you figure it out; it’s not that scary knowing it.
The limit of 5 meters is quite substantial.
The moment he teleports, he can’t strike, making it effectively like a suicidal move.
But I can’t let my guard down.
Only someone like me could overwhelm Belphegor’s main body, while others wouldn’t stand a chance.
So if it’s not a one-on-one situation, but rather one with a crowd, I’d be at a huge disadvantage.
All those people would essentially be hostages.
‘The real concern, though, is Mi Jeong.’
Mi Jeong would definitely stay by my side wherever she goes.
When facing Belphegor, I must keep Mi Jeong close by at all times.
The moment there’s even a slight distance, a major disaster could occur where Belphegor could teleport behind Mi Jeong and slice her throat.
‘But why has Cornelia’s contact been so sparse lately?’
As we approach Cologne, I think of Cornelia.
Now that I recall, she used to send letters almost daily.
But at some point, that contact has become sparse.
No, it’s not sparse; it has completely ceased.
“Uh…?”
It dawns on me.
Cornelia wouldn’t just cut off contact without reason.
Something must have happened to her.
Damn it, I just realized this now!
“I’m losing my mind.”
When did this all begin?
When did she stop contacting me?
Since moving the base to the Clockwork City, I haven’t received any communication about Cornelia’s letters from Linda.
That must have been about ten days ago.
For crying out loud, it’s been ten days since Cornelia last wrote to me.
That’s a big deal, seriously.
Still, I’m glad I’m heading to Cologne now.
I really hope it’s nothing serious.
Please let it not be too late…
“It’s almost time to arrive. Let’s get off.”
“…Okay.”
The train moves past vast wheat fields and enters through the ancient stone walls.
Thus unfolds the dull urban scenery before us.
We have arrived in Cologne.
Right after getting off, I need to find Cornelia.
Isn’t it around the time of the Cologne mayoral election?
Should I head to the Cologne city hall, or to the Briam mansion?
“…Inspection.”
However, those thoughts seem trivial.
What was waiting for us on the platform were armed guards.
What’s going on? Has the security alert in Cologne been raised recently?
I grabbed the young man sitting next to me and questioned him.
“Is something going on in Cologne? Why is there an inspection?”
“No one knows. For the past few days, there’s been thorough inspections for everyone entering and exiting the city… they haven’t really explained why.”
“Huh.”
To say there’s no particular reason.
Could there be a secret investigation regarding some murder case?
However, we decided to go forward with confidence since we had nothing to hide.
Though it might take a bit longer due to Mi Jeong being a blood ghoul…
It doesn’t matter.
Even in the Clockwork City, blood ghouls who had their fangs pulled were considered slaves and recognized as legal property.
“Next person, please. Are you a foreigner?”
“I’m a stateless mercenary.”
“Oh dear. This is troublesome. And your companion?”
“This one is a blood ghoul with her fangs pulled.”
A stateless mercenary and a blood ghoul duo.
Naturally, the inspection would take longer.
In fact, people behind us began clicking their tongues and moved to another line.
“For blood ghouls, it’s not an issue.”
The guard looked inside Mi Jeong’s mouth and quickly gave the okay signal.
Unexpectedly, Mi Jeong passed through without trouble.
Seems the Clockwork City was quite strict.
Just as I thought I would pass through without issues, the guard suddenly remarked.
“But, sir… you said you’re stateless?”
“Yes.”
“And how old are you?”
“I’m 22 this year.”
“Do you have a particular sword style you practice? If so, what’s the name of the style?”
“Why do you think I use a sword?”
“Hahaha. Just in case. Just in case. If you don’t, we can skip this question…”
As he alternated between my face and a piece of paper with an awkward smile, I realized something was amiss.
The magic sword was disguised as an umbrella.
I only said I was a mercenary, not a swordsman, so why is this swordsmanship question popping up?
The ratio of swordsmen among mercenaries is probably less than 30 percent.
“Have you ever visited Petenburg?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“It’s part of the entry procedure.”
The absurd questions kept piling up.
Most were useless inquiries, but some felt eerily like they were targeting me specifically.
“Uhm. Please follow me.”
“Are you arresting me?”
“No. Not arresting, but it seems we need you to wait momentarily. It won’t take long. Please follow me.”
Suddenly, the guards started leading me underground.
Now I’m sure of it.
The paper the guard had been glancing at my face had to be a composite drawing.
A composite drawing that looks just like me.
And the only person who would commission a composite drawing of me is one person.
‘This is bad.’
I’ve fallen into Jill’s trap.
*
Thud thud thud thud.
In the underground stronghold of Elvenguard.
The sound of footsteps echoed on the cold floor.
“Is it true that a monster presumed to be from another world appeared?”
“Yes. It displayed remarkably high intelligence. Many elves lost their lives to its traps…”
“Oh my God! Why haven’t you requested support until now? You can’t be proud enough to avoid asking for help, right?”
“I feel ashamed. I’m glad to finally come clean and receive help from the Magic Tower.”
“Of course. The research capabilities of the Magic Tower are the best in the world. We will definitely uncover the secrets of this monster from another world.”
A month had passed since sending such a letter.
To confirm the authenticity of the letter, the Magic Tower finally dispatched an investigation team.
A dozen professors from the Magic Tower arrived.
The elders greeted them with great hospitality and guided them to the basement stronghold where the spider monster’s corpse was being stored in cryogenic preservation.
“Is this the place? What a thick door.”
“Of course. It’s a spot for top-secret materials.”
As they passed through the corridor, they encountered a massive iron door.
The door was reinforced with alarm and barrier functions.
If someone attempted to break in, the 2,000 soldiers stationed in the underground stronghold would surround them in an instant.
The elders of Elvenguard believed that it was absolutely impossible to open this door without destroying Elvenguard.
“Sentinel! Sentinel!”
“Ah, yes.”
“What are you daydreaming about?”
“Sorry. Uh, why was I dozing off…?”
“Open the door.”
“Understood, Elder.”
At the elder’s scolding, the soldier guarding the iron door suddenly jumped up in surprise.
He looked gaunt, at the brink of starvation.
The staff from the Magic Tower briefly raised their eyebrows at his excessively thin appearance.
As the massive iron door began to open, their gaze became fixed beyond it.
“Behold! This is the corpse we painstakingly secured from the collapsed dungeon. It resembles a combination of a spider and a human… huh?!”
As the elder stepped inside naturally, his eyes widened in shock.
The cold air lifted within.
His fingertip pointed, but there was nothing there.
There were signs that something had been placed there.
The freezer was undoubtedly empty.
At this, all the elders turned pale with shock.
“Seal the borders! The corpse of the spider monster has been stolen!!!”
That day, an emergency was declared in Elvenguard.
