𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐𝟐
His appearance was so natural that I was too focused on finding clues to notice it.
At the very beginning, Robert clearly introduced himself as a librarian and aide to the witch Verdi.
But is that really true?
「𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙙.」
As I mentioned when we cleared the Black Forest, a witch’s knowledge can only be passed on to another woman.
Of course, in their long history, only women have succeeded the clan.
The village they secretly maintained was also a forbidden area for men, and men were strictly prohibited from even entering.
Originally, the word “witch” in modern times did not have a gender restriction, but at least the witches of this exorcism worldview were such a clan.
And as far as I know, Verdi has never left her village in her entire life.
「𝙊𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬. . . . . . .」
Either way, it’s true that it’s suspicious.
And starting from such doubts, I was able to gradually grasp the intentions hidden here one by one.
「𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙞’𝙨 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙.」
The reason why she left only her picture frame empty, even though he was Verdi’s aide. Thinking about it, it was a kind of hint.
「𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤, 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧.」
I remember the room relatively well because it was also the place where we rested.
There were huge ladders placed everywhere so that you could see them at a glance, and that part is still questionable.
「𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙.」
I glanced at Robert and began to recall his actions in my head.
「𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩-𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙍𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩-𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨.」
As a result, it means that Robert was not the one who managed the library of the mansion.
Some may just let it pass, but all of it was designed to catch the eye so naturally.
Considering my experience so far, it is right to think that someone’s intention is contained in it.
Reorganizing my thoughts, I stared at Robert, who was standing with no change in expression.
“Am I wrong?”
“. . . It’s a little different from what I thought, but it’s great.”
There were probably many other hints given. However, I only answered using the knowledge I had.
And whether it was the right answer, Robert soon began to recite a kind of ritual with a slight smile.
“. . . Kang-yoon.”
“I guess it’s okay.”
Woong.
Peeeeeeeeng!
When the ritual was completed, what stood there was not a middle-aged man, but a beautiful cat.
“Hmm?”
“Well, is that how it is.”
Now I seemed to know the whole story.
Robert, a man who was Verdi’s aide and a librarian, never existed in the first place.
It was just her messenger who was acting as such a character.
『It’s been a long time since I’ve had a guest, but it’s really clever in its own way.』
Verdi’s messenger said, her tone of voice different from before, but her atmosphere itself not much changed.
Perhaps, in my opinion, her current form was not her true form either.
「𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 70.」
Either way, the messenger continued to speak only what he had to say.
『In the long history of the noble witch, she shone brightly and raised her status day by day. . . . . . .』
The messenger, who had been uttering such proud words for a long time, soon nodded her head and finally began to move.
『My real name is Meln. Follow me. I will guide you.』
Thud.
Thud.
As we walked through the passageway at the end of the room for a long time, we reached a magnificent iron gate, feeling as if space and time were distorted.
『If you open this, you can go to the next place. However, it is not possible just like that.』
As Meln said, I examined the door in detail and found two keyholes.
『If you can’t find all the keys, this door cannot be opened. Of course, the keys are hidden somewhere in this mansion.』
“I’ll be fine with that part.”
The remaining party members went to the banquet hall and reception room, and the two keys were likely to be hidden there.
Then Meln looked at me with a strange look, and as expected, a little later, a presence began to be felt from the other side of the passage we had just passed.
Those who appeared were Xiao Chen and Shin No-eul, along with the rest of the group.
“Looks like everyone has done their part.”
Jalang.
Xiao Chen, who glanced at the door, threw me a key, and Seo-ah also handed me a key.
Seeing that, Meln, her eyes shining, spoke again.
『You seem to have already experienced other labyrinths.』
When the party focused their gaze, Meln simply added this one word.
『I hope you find what you are looking for at the end.』
I nodded and opened the magnificent iron gate with the key I had received.
That way, we were finally able to leave the mansion of ghosts and move on to the next place.
And.
『. . . Is this it?』
In the place where everyone had left, Meln, left alone, muttered softly, staring at the ceiling of the mansion.
In fact, Meln’s real role was not to give out trivial quizzes.
It was just a preparation process before the real battle took place.
It was Meln’s job to ruthlessly kill the intruder who had won the right to challenge her and to drop those trying to reach their master’s room to the bottom of the labyrinth.
「𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧. . . . . . .」
Meln saw Kang-yoon Han the moment he met her. The rich scent of Verdi lingering behind him.
That echo was a kind of marker and a sign. That’s why Meln had no choice but to ponder over countless thoughts in that short moment.
If they had fought as it was, Kang-yoon Han and Sophia would have definitely been killed by Meln.
「𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙚. . . . . . .」
I knew instinctively. Even if they were injured, the two would definitely die to him.
That was not his pride or anything, but a clear reality.
「𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙩.」
Meln was literally the gatekeeper in charge of the last gate of this Blinding Mountain.
And its power was too great for a single human being to handle.
The potential of the two people Meln saw was enough to surpass her someday, but that was not right now.
That’s why Meln had no choice but to let Kang-yoon Han go.
It might have been what her master wanted.
『Please, meet her expectations.』
So, Meln returned to the form of a skeleton and lay down on the chair provided next to the bookshelf.
Considering the interval between the creation of the labyrinth and the arrival of Kang-yoon Han and his party, the first visitors, Meln would probably have to fall asleep for a very long time.
「𝙄𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧.」
Despite such a situation, Meln only follows the orders given by her master.
There is no objection to that.
「. . . 𝙄’𝙢 𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙.」
Meln decided to wait for a new visitor to the labyrinth.
Just as I’ve always done.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
While walking, Shin No-eul sighed deeply as she watched me send Geusdae back into the shadows.
“He was a really tough guy, so he helped. . . . . . .”
“Did you have any problems?”
“He didn’t listen to me at all. He even got angry.”
Hearing that, I realized that I had made a contract with Geusdae in a special way, not in the usual way.
It was a way of creating a natural cooperative relationship, recognizing me as a member of the same race or a friend, not a coercive master-servant relationship.
「𝙎𝙤 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨.」
As I thought about it, I remembered sending Geusdae to Ban So-ye in the last fight with Yahwak.
「. . . 𝙄’𝙢 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨.」
Of course it would have helped, but if he had acted as he always did there, it would have been quite an awkward situation.
I also understood why he missed Gayle that Ban So-ye was keeping in check.
“It would be better to be a little careful.”
“Well, it would have been a tougher fight without him.”
The opponent that Shin No-eul and Han Seo-ah fought against was in the form of a huge ghost, but from the explanation, it seemed that it was not an enemy that had broken through level 70.
「𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙮.」
Immersed in such thoughts, we soon passed the long and long passageway and opened the door in front of us again to enter the next gate.
And it was a space that looked surprisingly familiar.
「𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨. . . . . .?」
As if agreeing with my thoughts, Seo-ah, who was looking around, opened her mouth.
“Oppa, this is. . . . . . .”
“Yes. It’s the witch’s room.”
The clear room we were able to encounter when we reached the end of the Black Forest in the past.
I checked it again and again, but it was definitely the witch’s room.
“So, does that mean you’ve cleared the entire labyrinth?”
“I think so.”
It’s a little strange. But there was a clear room in front of me, so I couldn’t deny the truth.
We all moved together and started searching the surroundings, and soon we found the place where the magic stone of Blinding Mountain was placed.
“Then, I’ll be back.”
“You’ll be fine.”
Seo-ah once again left for a kind of spiritual world through the magic stone to receive the witch’s knowledge.
And soon after, a small space appeared in one corner of the room, and Seo-ah, who had been frozen, also came to her senses.
“. . . Yes. I received it all.”
Soon, we looked at each other as we looked at the various items provided in the exposed space.
「𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡?」
Some of them were things I had seen before, but since it was a dungeon that was not cleared in the original, there were also items that I did not know.
「𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩.」
Tiring!
【Formless Box】
▶An ancient magic box with a vast interior space. The owner can store or retrieve desired items through the box.
Current load capacity: 0%
【Seal of the Witch Verdi】
▶A seal that the ancient witch Verdi personally imbued with power. If used in a designated space, it can open a dimensional rift leading outside Blinding Mountain.
【Rift Stone】
▶A stone personally crafted by the ancient witch Verdi. If a specified condition is met, it can open a dimensional rift leading to a specific area of the labyrinth.
Xiao Chen, who found the Rift Stone, gasped as if her previous memories came to mind, but I tried to ignore it.
And now, it was time for me, who had studied the exorcism series, to examine the other items that I had never encountered in my entire life.
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