Chapter 87

< Chapter 87: Field Trip (2) >

The broad framework of the plan remains the same.

They found a substitute for the world’s roots, and have acquired it.

However, since the substitute is not as strong as the world’s roots, there have been changes to the detailed action guidelines.

And lastly, Maestro possesses the video footage of the time when the Ghost and Sword Spirits fell, targeting Yu Hwa.

In summary, that was the content.

“That’s it.”

“I see.”

I admired Hermit, who had delivered his opinion accurately, within the boundaries of Unknown’s “Oath of Absolute Obedience.”

Of course, it was spoken in a lumped-together manner under the assumption that I knew some of the plans, so it was a method that couldn’t be used with someone else.

Anyway, it’s fortunate that the general framework of the plan hasn’t changed.

It’s fortunate, but…

“One thing is still bothering me.”

“A doubt, you say?”

“If what you say is true, then Maestro filmed the battle scenes of the Ghost and Sword Spirits with a special drone. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

I can’t tell how surprised I was to hear this. I never thought Maestro would have seen that battle scene.

“If it’s a drone that can penetrate the magic barrier of Yeoncheon Field, it would only be a tiny magic drone.”

“…”

Hermit looked a little surprised as if asking how I knew that much.

“That drone is greatly affected by magical influence, so it would have been paralyzed by the ‘Chaos Ear’ unleashed during the battle by the Ghost Spirit. It would naturally have lost the battle scene midway. Right?”

“…Exactly.”

Hermit nodded with a surprised look.

“Even so, it means that Maestro saw my battle scene at least until the Chaos Ear unfolded…”

Although it was to save Jia, showing Maestro how I fought can be considered the worst mistake.

Knowing Maestro, he would have harbored a 100% suspicion after watching my battle scene.

“Why isn’t he investigating me?”

Maestro’s way of handling things is to gradually eliminate the least likely scenarios.

That is, investigating me before targeting Yu Hwa is Maestro’s natural way of handling things.

“Given Maestro’s personality, it would be normal for him to first conduct a background check on me.”

And Maestro is the executive responsible for the human experiments at Sunlight Orphanage.

Inside the Savior of Truth, there will be data recording the Sunlight Orphanage experiments.

My name must be written in that database.

Eventually, he would have reached the hypothesis that I am likely a survivor of the Sunlight Orphanage’s human experiments.

Despite all this, there is no investigation on me?

Knowing Maestro’s meticulousness, I couldn’t understand it.

“He already finished the investigation. Afterward, Maestro obtained certainty that there was no issue with Kang Seo-yul.”

“No issue?”

What is he talking about?

There’s no way Maestro wouldn’t know about the Sunlight Orphanage.

Even if he forgot, the data would have been there.

“Yes.”

Hermit smiled.

“All the suspicious past has been erased by me.”

“What?”

It was the smile of an assassin, shrouded in inky darkness.

“Survivor of the Sunlight Orphanage experiment, Kang Seo-yul.”

Hermit looked straight into my eyes with dark eyes.

“I am telling you that I have perfectly eradicated the records of that past.”

My pupils expanded to their full extent.

“I suppose all your doubts are cleared now. This time, I’ll be the one to ask.”

Hermit’s smile vanished, and he became utterly expressionless.

“Elder, or rather…”

It was a cold stare that made one involuntarily shudder.

“Kang Seo-yul. What on earth are you?”

My heart dropped.

“…”

“…”

We stared at each other for a while.

How much time must have passed?

“I see.”

I was the first to speak, having sorted out my thoughts.

“Maestro trusts you, Hermit. It wouldn’t be strange if he had entrusted you with investigating me.”

I had returned to the ordinary tone of Kang Seo-yul from the arrogant tone of the Grand Spirit. Since I had already been exposed, there was no point in maintaining that tone.

“You must have obtained Maestro’s permission, too. You accessed the organization’s database to find my information. You got different information than when you investigated me in Korea.”

I sighed, gently stroking Goldie, who was still baring its teeth.

“You realized that I was from the Sunlight Orphanage and that the Sunlight Orphanage was a place where the Savior of Truth conducted human experiments.”

“…”

“You couldn’t have handed that information directly to Maestro due to the oath binding you.”

The oath that prohibits disclosing my information to others.

“So you manipulated the information, right?”

Hermit gave a slight nod.

“Tch. So this is how it turns out.”

I sighed again.

“My identity. My identity, huh.”

What should I say to convince Hermit?

After all, Hermit cannot betray me because of the oath of absolute obedience.

He might be able to feed me water, but there’s no reason for Hermit, who harbors hatred towards the Unknown, to antagonize me, an enemy of the Unknown.

In other words, no matter what I say, my relationship with Hermit won’t change, as long as I’m an enemy of the Unknown.

Okay. I’ve decided what to say.

“You’re probably right. I’m not a great spirit.”

I decided to cast a VER lie with Maiden and Yu Hwa.

“I’m just a survivor of the Sun Orphanage experiment.”

“…As expected.”

Hermit nodded his head.

“How did you use the spirit artifact?”

“I was implanted with factors of various species in that experiment. Thanks to that, I can use various ancient artifacts.”

“How did you know all the details about the Saver of Truth?”

“The researchers told me everything? In front of an experiment subject who’s going to die soon. They told me all kinds of stories. Based on that information, I conducted my personal investigation.”

“…So you hacked the organization’s information delivery route based on that information?”

…Is there such a thing?

I didn’t know.

“Yes.”

Let’s affirm it for now.

“Then how will you explain why your information doesn’t appear to my eyes?”

“Simple.”

I’m Kang Seo-Yul.

The Master of Lies.

“You must have seen what kind of experiment they did there. The researchers messed with my system during that experiment.”

I can lie this much even with a yawn.

“Maybe that’s why? Your eyes are precise. Even a tiny change might cause it not to work properly.”

“I see.”

Hermit nodded his head slightly.

“Then I’m just a pathetic guy caught by a nobody and stuck in an oath.”

“Hey. You’re not a nobody. I’m skilled too.”

I’m a ‘D’ rank.

…Ah, self-loathing.

“Are you claiming to be on par with the Unknown?”

“No, not that.”

I turned serious.

Comparing me to the Unknown.

There’s no one who can fight 1:1 with him and win.

Not at this point.

“…Sigh.”

Hermit sighed deeply.

He seemed to wear an expression of deep self-loathing, appearing to greatly regret hastily forming the oath.

“…What about the promise to release the oath of absolute obedience?”

“Oh, that?”

I flickered a translucent flame on my finger.

“I can release it. It’s true that I can use the flames of the spirit. With this, I can surely burn only your golden oaths.”

“…Indeed. Is that also the power of the forcibly implanted factor?”

“Yes.”

“Then right now, even….”

“I can’t do that. There are two problems.”

I shook my head.

“First, the problem is that if I release the oath of absolute obedience, the Unknown will notice.”

The oath of absolute obedience cannot be given in secret. The Unknown will notice as soon as it is released.

“I don’t know what the Unknown will do if he finds out about your betrayal. The entire plan might change. Then my plan to deal with the Unknown would go down the drain.”

“Ah.”

Hermit exclaimed.

“…I see.”

He seemed blinded by the golden oath and forgot something very simple.

“And this is an even more important problem.”

“?”

“The Unknown’s golden oath is so strong that to break it, you need a corresponding magical power.”

“You mean….”

“Yes. My magical power is still insufficient.”

I smiled faintly.

Hermit turned serious.

I glanced away.

“Sigh…”

I glanced back at Hermit’s sigh.

“Fine. You mean it’s a fact that we can solve this damned curse, right?”

“Yeah. Need proof? Try to create a magical barrier then.”

“…Fine.”

Hermit concentrated his magic with a questioning look, and a sturdy magical barrier about 50cm in diameter was formed above his palm.

Its solid appearance seemed to demonstrate his skill.

This is a lot harder than it looks, but he did it so easily, almost like pulling out a hidden ace.

“It’s done.”

“Ah, yes.”

I muttered in admiration and again lit a small flame on my finger. A collaboration of the flames of the engravings and the flames of the spirits.

“See? The magic contained in the flame is very small, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Hermit’s eyes narrowed.

It was a look as if to say, what can you do with just this?

“If you extend this and compress it, and take it to the barrier…”

Sizzle-

The sound of something burning was heard when the barrier and the white flame met. And the next moment…

Zing!

“Ta-da.”

“…What?”

The magical barrier couldn’t maintain its shape and shattered.

“See? That’s the power of the flame of the spirits. It burned a part of the magic, making it unable to maintain its shape.”

Hermit’s eyes widened in astonishment. A genuinely surprised expression.

“Do you believe it now?”

“…Yes. Indeed, it’s an incredible power. A flame that burns magic…”

Hermit seemed to be convinced.

“Anyway, that’s all I had to say.”

I spoke as I gently stroked the now calmer Goldie.

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“Conclusion, you say?”

I snorted.

Why are you acting like an amateur?

“Are you joining me, or are you joining Unknown?”

“Do I need to answer that?”

Hermit smiled as if asking why I would ask such a question.

“If I can escape from the boss’s bondage, I would even sell my soul to the devil.”

It was a good expression mixed with hate and anger.

“Personally, I find experimental subject A, who harbors a grudge against Unknown, more trustworthy than the unknown entity called a spirit.”

“Really?”

Hermit smirked.

“Since we are bound by the oath of the Great Spirit, we have to be in the same boat.”

“You know well.”

We looked at each other and smiled.

“By the way, was that archaic way of speaking all an act?”

“Yeah.”

It was a lot harder than I thought.

“I see.”

“Why? Want me to go back to that old way of speaking?”

“No. Your natural way of speaking is better.”

Hermit gave a faint smile.

“Ah. We should go back now. If we take too long, it’ll arouse suspicion.”

“Okay. Be careful. As you know, if Unknown suspects you, it’s over.”

Of course, Hermit is the only one who will be done for.

As long as there’s the oath of the Great Spirit, there’s no need to worry about my information leaking.

“I know. I’ve already overcome a major crisis, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Ah. Before that.”

Hermit handed me a small piece of jewelry, a ring?

“This ring has a built-in communication feature. It’s disposable, but it’s renowned for being untraceable. If something urgent comes up, I’ll contact you through this ring.”

“Sounds good.”

I took the ring.

“I’ll go now.”

“Alright. Take care.”

Hermit’s body gradually blurred and then completely disappeared.

The more I look at him, the more he seems like a real ghost.

Judging by Goldie’s calm expression, he really must have gone.

“Mew.”

I turned towards the lodgings, stroking Goldie’s head, which had returned to an angelic expression.

I was worried about what would happen when I heard Hermit’s story, but it all seemed to work out well in the end.

But I’ll need to gather magic quickly.

Having seen the ‘Oath of Absolute Obedience’ up close, it looks like I’ll need to be at least A-rank to break it.

Can I reach A-rank by the day of the national competition?

No, I have to.

I must, if I want to make Hermit a solid ally!

But first, I need to decide who to use the newly acquired ‘trait of the Mongma/Succubus Tribe’ on.

“Hmm.”

I didn’t ponder long.

…Indeed, it’s better to use it on Si-yeon rather than Jia.

No matter how I think about it, that’s the answer.

“Alright.”

Fortunately, tomorrow is a free travel day, so I might call her over and talk to her.

…Australia is famous for its Monster Park, right? I should suggest going there with Goldie tomorrow.

< Chapter 87: Field Trip (2) > End