#190
“Let’s find accommodation first.”
“yes.”
“I will take a quick look and come back, Lord.”
Since all materials needed for subjugation were provided by the imperial castle, there was not much for the mercenaries to prepare. Weapons or armor. Or just potions or personally needed items.
Before leaving, Sehyeon looked up at the imperial tower for the last time. Unlike before, the distance was so far away now that there was nothing to be seen. Only the castle, stained red by the setting sun, was visible.
Just as Sehyun saw it, Ruhak must have seen it too. Yet Ruhak did not say a word about this. As if he didn’t see ‘him’.
After a while, Sehyun shook off her regrets and turned around. However, before he could take a single step, he had to stop again.
It was because of an unfamiliar sound that echoed around me.
[Crackling-]
“!”
Sehyeon’s eyes instantly turned to the ring. The light was blinking on the ring with the magic stone embedded in it. Someone was connecting communication to Sehyeon. Sehyeon looked around and confirmed that no one was there and immediately whispered the starter word.
“Elix.”
[Chijik-Sehyeon… Chik- Sehyeon, can you hear me?!]
After a while, the sound that had been a mixture of mechanical sounds became crystal clear. The voice coming from the other end of the communicator was Kwak Jeong-han’s. Sehyun opened her mouth in surprise.
“Kwak… “Are you Jeonghan?”
[Yes, it is me. Mr. Sehyun, did you have a group that fell with you? No, where did you get hurt? Are you hurt anywhere? Where are you now?]
“Kwak Jeong-han, calm down first. Not all, but I am currently with some of my vassals. No one was hurt. And I just came to the imperial castle today.”
[sorry… . Everyone was very worried because we had not been able to contact them for a while. Ha, I’m glad you’re safe.]
“What about Jeonghan? Are you okay, Jeonghan? “Are you with other people?”
[yes. On our side, there are five of us: Jaeyoung, Aul, Rakwin, and Basil. Sehyun, I can’t talk for a long time right now. I will quickly tell you just a few urgent things.]
The nervousness buried in his calm voice felt urgent. Thanks to this, Sehyun also had to answer heavily after swallowing dry saliva.
[Sehyeon, have you seen that thing in the sky?]
“yes… “I saw it.”
[The story must be quick. We are currently in a place called the Anus Empire in the northern region. The prince and oracle of this place, ‘As’, said that this world had already received an oracle from the goddess about its destruction a long time ago.]
“How long ago was that?”
[It is said that it has been more than 10 years. And about two months ago, it is said that a giant monster’s hand suddenly appeared in the sky. Those who can see this are usually said to have oracle powers or are gifted with mana. And at that time, the oracle came down once more. What is different from before is that the oracle came down in a dream and the world was red.]
Red. Sehyeon looked at the setting sun without realizing it. The world under the sunset was red. But the nuance was different. Suddenly, I remembered the conversation we had before coming to the imperial castle. About the ominous superstition that is said to bring disaster.
“… Red Moon.”
[Yes, the oracle says that the red moon colored the world. and… He said that from then on, the world will be colored red in a different way.]
“You don’t know when the red moon will rise?”
[They said there was no trust received in that regard. However, it is said that there is an omen. It is said that the oracle saw something like red ash covering the world the day before the red moon rose.]
“How many people know this oracle?”
A short silence followed for a moment. However, after a while, Kwak Jeong-han revealed what he had been expecting.
[…] It is said that oracles were given to prophets, oracles, and those who serve God across the continent.]
It was said that those who were in the know already knew this fact. It was a moment when the intention of the empire, which was gathering mercenaries in the name of a ‘punitive force’, was clearly revealed.
[And Sehyun. It is said that the Goddess bestowed a part of herself into this world with her oracle. Assi calls it the ‘goddess’ weapon.’ Additionally, Assi believes that the weapon is the only means to prevent destruction. The weapon happens to be in stock here.]
Sehyun remembered hearing something like this. ‘armor’.
【On the 100th floor of the tower, a piece of armor enshrined by the goddess Luzebuia rests. That weapon is the final key to killing ‘Beusbrihel’.】
When all the players found the white space portal where Billwill was located, this was what Billwill said among the numerous guides. Bill Will had said something like this before. He said that when he reached the end of the tower, ‘what everyone wanted’ would be there.
As of now, there was only one thing that fit that statement. A weapon that can kill monsters. That’s what it means to be in this world now.
“… Did Mr. Kwak Jeong-han see that weapon in person? “Is it a weapon?”
[Yes, I am sure.]
It was a firm answer.
[It took quite a long time to get it out because it was stuck in the ice lake. First of all, from now on, we will take this and head to where Se-hyeon is. We will move as quickly as possible, but as of now, we do not know when the red moon will rise… We cannot guarantee whether you will be able to join at the right time.]
Sehyun doesn’t know how things will unfold in the future. The omen of a red moon might appear tomorrow. But that didn’t mean I could just stamp my feet.
“I’ll do my best to hold on, so be sure to come.”
[Yes, I will definitely go.]
“Do you know where to go?”
[The oracle said that destruction would come ‘to the place where resentment is deepest.’ And it is said that there is currently only one place on the entire continent that matches that statement.]
Perhaps, that is where Sehyeon will be headed in two days. I had heard that the mercenaries who had previously applied for the punitive force would sequentially move to the punitive area and be stationed there.
[This is a place called the ‘Ancient Battlefield’ where a lot of blood was shed in the continental war that broke out a thousand years ago. Presumably, the armies of the Western Empire as well as the Eastern Empire will gather there. According to rumors, the empire is currently recruiting a punitive force and sending them there.]
“Jeonghan, we have already applied for the punitive force. If Jeonghan is right, I think I will arrive there in four days. “By any chance, have you had any contact with other people?”
[Yes, not yet.]
“How did you contact Jeonghan?”
[It seems that you can contact me if you are close to the magic stone. It is a crystal imbued with magical power, and it is probably installed somewhere nearby.]
Sehyeon turned his gaze and looked around the village. Then, suddenly, I looked at the direction Euncheong was pointing and unconsciously opened my mouth slightly. I saw an amethyst the size of a house floating above the fountain installed in the village square.
“ah… “Yeah, I think I know what it is.”
[Magic stones are only installed in large villages, so if we leave today, contact will be limited. I will contact you as soon as circumstances allow, Mr. Sehyeon.]
It was a word that felt like parting. She felt like she was running out of time. From the beginning until now, Kwak Jeong-han’s conversation was filled with nervousness.
“… be careful. Jaeyoung and Aul, please tell that to our kids as well.”
[Sehyun.]
“yes.”
[A lot of people miss you.]
For some reason, one side of my chest felt tight when I heard those words. know. Because Sehyun was like that too.
[So please be safe.]
“… “And Kwak Jeong-han.”
[yes. It seems like it’s almost time to leave, so I guess I’ll have to call it a day. We will contact you again.]
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Sehyun closed her eyes at the words that seemed to contain a smile. As soon as I could give a short answer, communication was cut off. There was a short silence. When I opened my eyes again, the light that illuminated the ring was completely turned off.
Compared to the vast amount of information, the time felt short.
***
When Baek Do-hyeon opened his eyes, the first thing he saw and felt was the sound of wolves howling and the dull forest surrounding him. The forest without a single light was gloomy and dark.
There, Baek Do-hyun smelled the smell of an unfamiliar land with Roxy, Kyle, Renshis, and Gael. And only when the light of dawn began to seep into the forest did I gain visibility and move.
“Communication is down.”
Everyone looked annoyed at what someone said. Seeing as there was no sign of him around, there was a high probability that he was separated from the rest of the group. That’s pretty far too.
“I’m sure Rod is safe.”
“… Ha, if I had known this would happen, I would have held on to the hem of Rod’s clothes.”
If someone was with me, I would take good care of it and protect it, but there was no need to worry about situations that could not be seen. In the end, everyone had to sigh, shake off their thoughts, and control their burning insides.
Baek Do-hyeon was the only one who heard those words and moved. After that, the group moved on for a while. All I could see were long trees, so I had no sense of direction.
For a while, when Baek Do-hyun, who was moving at the front, stepped on a broken tree branch, Gael, who had been silently looking around, caught everyone’s steps.
“for a moment.”
Gael immediately lowered himself, picked up the dirt, and smelled it. He had a keen eye for examining the topography of the floor and the shape of the tree branches. And after a while, a hard voice rang around.
“It’s a labyrinth.”
