Chapter 166 : Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Just Go for It, I Guess (2)

I had hoped Noser would run his mouth more in his drunken state, but that was as far as it went.

He generously pissed on Bolero's back and then passed out cold.

First, I headed for Marcus's house.

Looking at the completely knocked-out Noser, Bolero muttered.

“Hmm, the urge to kill is surging.”

I glanced at Bolero's soaking wet leg.

I subtly pinched my nose.

“...Well, at least it's certain this man isn't one of Zisair's lackeys.”

“Indeed. If it weren't for Orlen and Cecil, I would've crushed this man's head right now.”

Orlen and Cecil.

The loyal subjects of the Imperial Household Agency who were assassinated after delivering the news that Chancellor Zisair was manipulating the king and disturbing the order of the Imperial Capital.

Bolero seemed to feel a great deal of responsibility for their deaths.

‘Just as I thought, he's more affectionate than he looks.’

To be honest, I wasn't like Bolero.

It was less about my connection to them, and more about how their message had become entangled with my path.

After all, if I chased the Eight Demons, the end would be the Imperial Capital.

‘Is this what the ties of fate are like?’

Well, that's enough sentimentality.

I just remembered something I needed to check.

“I should get some rest, too.”

“You should. I'll go pick up our immature priests.”

Bolero headed back to the hall.

I avoided Noser's thunderous snores and went to a quiet room.

‘Benkou Vision.’

Still, it would be proper to at least say thanks.

I was also curious how she had intervened.

·

·

·

The corridor leading to the Altar of the Abyss.

I stopped walking.

Kiyaaaaaaah—!

I looked around anew.

The walls on both sides were packed with distorted faces, as if fused with flesh.

The protruding eyes and mouths, seemingly about to pop out, were hideously twisted as if taxidermied at the last moment of agony.

Screams poured endlessly from the gaps.

[…….]

It was there this time, too.

No, I wasn't even sure if 'seeing' it was the right word.

[Excellent.]

My eyes widened.

It was the first time I heard its voice.

“You can talk?”

[Of course. Why did you think I couldn't?]

I was a bit flustered by the obvious question.

I answered belatedly.

“This is the world of my subconscious. The spirits should be bound here, having lost their reason.”

I wasn't sure why I was even explaining this.

Anyway, I pointed straight at the thing.

“Meaning, you are a being that I have not permitted.”

I heard a snickering laugh.

It was clear, not drowned out by the loud Wraith Cries.

‘And it doesn't even have facial features.’

As expected, I couldn't just let it go this time.

[Interesting.]

“What are you?”

The figure of the thing, which had been squatting somewhere on the distorted wall, seemed to stand up.

It felt less like a physical entity and more like something happening only in my perception.

[You might find out when the time is right, but not now.]

“...You're only saying things I hate to hear.”

[Don't hate me too much. You know, don't you? That I can't be your enemy. I'm practically a subordinate to you.]

Having read The Way of Medicine, if I were to use a medical analogy....

That thing right now is like a lump parasitizing my body.

I don't know why it appeared, nor when or what kind of mutation it might undergo.

It just sticks there, eating away at a person.

Karim called such things this.

“You tumor-like bastard. Just get lost, please.”

...He added that human medicine would ultimately be a history of struggle against tumors, and only when they are conquered will humanity take another step forward.

Ssssss.

Leaving the tumor bastard, which had vanished at some point, behind, I entered the Altar of the Abyss.

Thinking it was quiet, unlike her usual greetings, I looked and saw Kuhn hanging onto some kind of brazier.

Her upper body was halfway shoved inside, and her two legs were flailing in the air.

I walked over, grabbed the back of her clothes, and pulled her out.

“What are you doing?”

“...You've arrived?”

She got down and feigned ignorance.

I peeked inside the brazier.

It was dark inside with nothing there.

The moment I turned my head, the darkness moved slightly.

Looking again, it was a black flame.

It was small inside.

“It is still too early to be impressed.”

Kuhn let out a small cough.

I hadn't even thought of being impressed.

“What is this?”

“As you can see, I have artificially sprouted the Young Master's achievement. There were results, but whether this is a temporary reaction or if it will establish itself as a definite power will require more real combat experience to know.”

My eyes widened.

I really feel like a test subject.

“Was this also how you were able to pull me out when I was trapped in the Phantom Demon's sorcery?”

Kuhn nodded.

“When consciousness is completely suppressed by sorcery, reason rebels to awaken. Human instinct is designed to work that way. Just as the body produces a fever to protect itself the more severe an illness becomes.”

Kuhn was a sorceress and had said she was previously a physician.

Her voice was cold, without a single shred of emotion.

“I was able to intervene by targeting that moment of rebellion. A crevice formed where the Phantom Demon's sorcery and the Young Master's instinct collided. The black flame became a passage for me to widen that crevice, tear through the sorcery's domain, and enter.”

To be honest, I didn't fully understand what she was saying.

All that came through clearly was the fact that Kuhn had acted boldly based on some clear grounds and conviction.

“Essentially, this flame can be called an antibody against mind-control sorcery. At the same time, it is also a path for me, a spirit, to connect with reality.”

“A path to connect with reality?”

“Literally. Someday, I may be able to manifest directly and assist the Young Master. It's too early to discuss that stage yet, but we must consistently explore the possibility.”

Summoning Kuhn. I flinched slightly.

It felt like I would be unleashing something tremendous upon the world.

“I hope to be of assistance in the Young Master's great cause.”

With her saying that much, there was no need to say otherwise.

Above all, Kuhn had saved me when I was about to be trapped and die in the sorcery forever.

With this, I had to consider our past grudges somewhat resolved.

Just as I was about to talk about the detailed instructions, I suddenly remembered.

The tumor bastard outside.

“Have there been any intruders in the Altar of the Abyss?”

“Are you referring to the souls the Young Master has gathered? I have already sorted them into the brazier.”

“Ah, no. Not those. I mean, a spirit coming from out there, a somewhat foreign one.”

I pointed toward the passage.

Kuhn shook her head.

“No. There have been none.”

“If you see any strange signs, annihilate it immediately.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

It was reminiscent of a conversation between a supreme commander defending a fortress and his competent subordinate.

This is quite reassuring.

***

I slept sitting up, operating my spiritual techniques at the same time.

The sunlight seeping through the window tickled my eyelids.

Before I knew it, it was morning.

Chirp— Chirp— Chirp—

I think this is the first time I've heard birds chirping since coming here.

Did the birds also know Deiron was dead and came back?

Hmm.

Seeing as I'm spouting nonsense, I must not be fully rested.

—For now, it's at a stage where you have some resistance to sorcery. It is similar to the Young Master's ‘Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons.’ It would be best to learn how to operate it through intuition in actual combat.

From what I heard, it wasn't complete immunity yet.

Still, after magic and poison, it was now sorcery.

If I also achieved Immunity to Swords and Blades, it would be fair to call me a living Indestructible Diamond Body.

‘I should wash up and get a good sleep.’

The house was quiet.

Bolero's snores and the children's even breathing created a strange harmony.

I couldn't wake them, so I moved carefully.

“Yo, Bihen. Good morning.”

I almost made a sound as soon as I opened the door.

Noser was sitting on the steps below the entrance.

The problem was that his lower half was still bare.

It was exactly as I had taken it off yesterday.

“They're not dry yet.”

Is he insane?

“...Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

“Despite how I look, I'm a rather strict person. Even if my lower half betrays me, I tend to remember the crime until the very end.”

So does he remember, or not?

It felt like some kind of advanced wordplay.

‘Is he deliberately pretending to be drunk to test my reaction?’

If that was true, this man was a genuine madman, sitting on the steps in front of someone else's house with his lower half exposed just to deceive his opponent to the end.

If it was a calculated act, it was even more horrifying.

“So, where are you headed?”

“To wash up.”

“Aha, let's go together.”

He immediately stood up to follow, so I got startled and made him sit back down.

“Don't tell me you're going to walk around like that?”

“Why, what's wrong with it? I am dignified.”

He is definitely a madman who exceeds expectations.

We were bickering.

“Oh, you two happen to be out here.”

It was Oliver.

He was holding a tray with both hands, on which a water bottle and a few containers of dried medicinal herbs were placed.

“What's that, Lord?”

Noser called Oliver by a strange title.

It seemed they had already agreed on it.

“It's a tea that's good for hangovers. Sir Noser seemed to be drinking heavily yesterday, so I brought it thinking it might help.”

“Oh, I won't refuse.”

Oliver put the tray down and immediately brewed the tea.

He pinched some herbs into a wooden cup and poured water, and hot steam billowed up.

Slurp.

Noser took a sip and rolled his eyes back as if in ecstasy.

“Keuheueum..., I feel like I'm getting more drunk, but it must be my imagination, right?”

Oliver laughed awkwardly.

I only had a small taste myself, and since I didn't have a hangover to begin with, I couldn't tell, but I did feel my stomach settle a bit.

“You'll be busy from now on, my Lord.”

“To be honest, it just feels overwhelming.”

Oliver let out a sigh.

Now that I looked, the area under his eyes was dark.

It seemed he had been worrying about something all night.

“I had vaguely imagined that a day like this might come. But now that it's really happened, I don't know where to begin.”

“What is there to think about?”

Noser said, as if spitting out the words.

He didn't even glance at Oliver and was just staring intently at his teacup.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that....”

“First, I will file a report on your behalf. That you and the people of Tarnholt played a big part in driving out Deiron.”

Oliver furrowed his brow.

He looked back and forth between Noser and me with a bewildered expression, and since I didn't know anything, I just shrugged.

“What do you mean, that the people and I played a part.... We did nothing but sneer, far from helping you three.”

“Ahem, what do you take me for? It's not as if I can't comprehend the circumstances that forced you all to try not to provoke Deiron.”

“S-Sir Noser....”

“Don't group me with those two barbarian bastards who only know how to fight.”

As soon as Noser's eyes met mine, he coughed and turned his head away.

“Anyway, if that happens, His Majesty will personally grant you a title. Only then will you become a proper lord and a true noble of this Kingdom. That's when it starts. This is no time to be whining.”

Oliver couldn't form any words, his lips just trembled.

Soon, as if his legs had given out, he knelt and bowed his head to Noser.

“H-How dare I... h-how.... N-no, Sir Noser....”

“What are you doing? Get up. It's not because I like you, it's just that right now, that is the wisest and fastest way to stabilize Tarnholt.”

“Of course. I am well aware....”

“If you know, then do it well. Become a great asset to the Kingdom, that's what I'm saying. His Majesty will be pleased as well. It's as if we've reclaimed the territory stolen by Deiron.”

I felt it anew.

That the end of a swordsman powerful enough to threaten the king of a nation could be so futile.

“Surprisingly, it’s not good to think too much.”

I helped Oliver up.

The sight of a man who would soon be in charge of a territory kneeling before a bare-bottomed brute was not good.

“Just gotta go for it, I guess.”

I said a word to encourage him.

As Noser said, what advice could an ignorant person like me give?

“Sob....”

When I patted his shoulder, the corners of Oliver's eyes immediately reddened.

As if he had been waiting, tears burst out.

He opened his mouth, sniffling.

“In that case, since it has come to this... would it be possible for you to grant us one more favor?”

Noser blinked blankly.

It was as if something had happened to him.

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