Wolfram was trying to figure out where she was while taking in her surroundings.
As a mage who had lived through countless experiences, she had never encountered such a kidnapping and confinement before.
Water dripped from the ceiling, and her arms and legs were tightly shackled. She couldn’t use magic without her staff.
‘I definitely… passed out after meeting that girl, Bing Seolhwa….’
With looks that could be convincing as Bing Yeon’s little sister, the distinct characteristics of the North Sea Ice Palace were striking enough for Wolfram to notice, even if she didn’t know much about the martial world.
‘…That was a near-death experience.’
Wolfram recalled the moment just before she lost consciousness.
Countless tentacles closing in to devour her and a cacophony of incomprehensible languages. A chilling sense as if her brain were being sliced by a knife.
Anyone could tell this was not something a human would do. It wasn’t magic or even a type of martial arts; it felt akin to something like a demon lord.
Something wearing human skin. Wolfram, feeling a murderous intent more brutal than that of any black mage on the continent, swallowed hard and looked around for a way to escape.
“…….”
Shouting for help wasn’t an option, so she held her breath in silence.
She was in what appeared to be the enemy’s stronghold, a basement. If someone came down to investigate the noise, things could turn for the worse.
─ Thud, thud, thud.
At that moment, she heard footsteps of someone approaching. The noise seemed to belong to two people. Instantly, Wolfram relaxed and pretended to faint.
“Hey, I think this girl is waking up.”
“……!!!”
Clearly, her act wasn’t fooling the two who had come down. They realized she was conscious and were drawing closer.
“W-wait…! Do you know who I am? I am….”
Wolfram attempted to utter a threatening statement toward the criminals narrowing in on her.
After all, she was the Master of the Gold Tower, referred to as a pillar supporting the world, and she thought revealing her identity would at least keep her from harm.
“…Ah, I know very well. The Master of the Gold Tower, Wolfram Alchemist. A magician and alchemist who researches turning stones into gold.”
The boy, tapping his white staff against the floor, smirked at her as if her threats didn’t faze him.
“If you know who I am, you should think twice before touching me, unless you want to make enemies of the entire Magic Tower!”
At this point, it felt like a losing game. She could only hope the other members of the Magic Tower would avenge her if she died here.
The being who had kidnapped her was no ordinary human. To overcome something like that, she needed to fight back, even if it was feebly.
“Don’t get the wrong idea; we came to help you escape.”
Seeing Wolfram frowning, Zikhart stretched his hands forward to show there was no malicious intent. He had come with Kim Hyul to rescue Wolfram, who was taken hostage.
“…What?”
“Yeah, we thought that would help us out.”
Kim Hyul crushed the shackles binding her with his bare hands, displaying raw strength that shattered the steel restraints like it was as easy as smashing an apple.
“We also have family held hostage, so we need to capture that Bing Seolhwa girl and teach her a lesson.”
Kim Hyul grit his teeth, thinking about Bing Seolhwa. Initially, he thought she was saving him out of goodwill, but when he was given orders to kill, he resorted to using his family as leverage.
Never had he felt such a deep betrayal over trusting someone for even a moment.
“Right, to catch the Outsider, we’ll definitely need your help, as well as that of the Gold Tower and… Bing Yeon.”
Zikhart felt the same way.
Bing Seolhwa, possessed by Shub Niggurath, had issued orders to kill Verdandi, Azazel, or Bi Wol. Since he disobeyed those orders, threats began pouring in, and eventually, his sister was kidnapped.
Zikhart, the protagonist of I Must Kill the Hero, quickly realized that the strange being was controlling Bing Seolhwa.
Even when pretending to kill Verdandi at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, he deliberately avoided lethal spots in order to keep her alive.
To test if there was still hope to protect his family.
“Now all the pieces are in place. The disciples of Bing Yeon turned out to be stronger than we thought, and as long as we have you as an ally, our families will be safe.”
“…How can you be so sure?”
Wolfram couldn’t comprehend her current situation. Although her remarkable sensing abilities as a magician allowed her to detect something strange had taken root in Bing Seolhwa,
“I could also betray you. I might not care about your family being held hostage.”
She couldn’t understand why Kim Hyul and Zikhart were trying to rescue her. Bing Seolhwa was clearly a frightening presence, too strong to be trifled with.
“…Looks like you’re mentally clear; lucky you.”
Seeing Wolfram’s demeanor, Kim Hyul nodded, relieved.
He had feared she might have been tainted by Shub Niggurath, becoming a puppet like Kang Si Woo.
“She must be someone of Gold Tower caliber; she probably used magic before losing consciousness.”
Zikhart speculated why Wolfram was sane compared to Kang Si Woo.
She was strong enough to be called the pillar of the Magic Tower; she likely had some resistance to the Outsider’s mental attacks.
“Right, just before those strange tentacles tried to engulf me, I used a vision spell from the Gold Tower. So, I’d appreciate it if you don’t approach me recklessly.”
Wolfram nodded, confirming Zikhart’s guess while threateningly aiming her imaginary wand at them, as if about to cast a spell without her staff.
She was bewildered, trying to understand how the strange foreign entity had taken root in Bing Seolhwa.
“Well, we’re just doing what we believe is right. Even if we regret it later.”
Kim Hyul smiled as he helped Wolfram to her feet. The sensation of solid muscles contacting her awakened new feelings.
“Hey, you…! What are you doing! You young punk…!”
Instantly, Wolfram’s face flushed as she screamed while being held by Kim Hyul. It was her first experience with physical contact with a man.
“You haven’t eaten for days; you probably don’t have the strength to walk. Just accept the help.”
She finally noticed the kindness that seeped through Kim Hyul’s stern words.
Based on the information she had, these boys, called Outsiders, had their families held hostage just like her.
“So, are you guys part of that Bing Seolhwa’s group?”
Wolfram asked with her face still flushed, covering it with her hands. She thought Kim Hyul and Zikhart likely weren’t enemies.
“…Unless, are you planning to betray her?”
She asked cautiously, wondering if they might deceive her and lead her back to Bing Seolhwa.
“To be more accurate, we’re the retaliators against that person. There’s no reason for us to be her disciples anymore.”
Zikhart raised his hand and grabbed at the air. A black blade formed from nothingness, blending the shadows with flickering light into a sword.
“…What?”
Wolfram gasped.
The phenomenon was so baffling, even a magician’s natural curiosity was triggered.
Just how could he create a sword out of nothing in that way?
What principle or materials were needed for such a phenomenon? What would happen if this was applied to magic?
“Simply put, we’re the betrayers. We’re on your side.”
As she blankly stared at Zikhart’s sword, she heard Kim Hyul’s voice as if he were whispering directly in her ear.
“Now let’s get out of here. Once that Bing Seolhwa finds out her hostage has escaped, she’s going to be furious.”
Zikhart swung his sword upward, creating an exit directly to the outside.
“Alright, hold tight. We’ll explain more while we move.”
Kim Hyul scooped Wolfram up and started charging upward through the collapsed debris. The fresh air and sunlight broke through, contrasting the musty underground air.
‘This boy… likes me…? He went out of his way to rescue me….’
Wolfram’s mind started spiraling into confusion as she nestled in his arms.
Having been so consumed by her studies and research as a mage, she had little experience with physical contact with men.
Unbeknownst to her, misunderstandings began to pile up, as Kim Hyul raced through the terrain using lightness kung fu toward the sect where Bing Yeon was.
*
At that moment, as Kim Hyul dashed away, three girls gathered, chatting away at Bing Yeon’s Bing Yeon Blossom Heart.
“So, you’re saying we need to reach Hwa Kyung as soon as possible to cure our brother?”
“…No matter what anyone says, I’m going first.”
“We won’t know until we try it! Just like I have a talent for martial arts!”
Though cloaked in the honorable guise of rescuing their master, the words were packed with more sinister ambition than anyone realized.
