𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓𝟖
Only then did I understand why Pyeong Won-myeong had refused to reveal the details of the request.
The direct descendant of the family was experiencing the phenomenon of youkai-transformation for an unknown reason, and if that were to spread to the outside world, it would not only damage the family’s reputation but also ruin her life.
“We can cooperate with each other, or if there’s anything that’s unclear, you can investigate it yourself.”
With those words, vassals who had appeared from one side of the corridor began handing each of us a well-groomed wooden box.
Jang-sam opened his and exclaimed in surprise.
“Oh, no way. This much?”
“It’s an advance payment. If you can find the cause and a way to resolve it, we’ll pay you twenty times that.”
“Is that for real?”
Excluding me, the exorcists all reacted with a mix of bewilderment and shock, as if it were an incredibly large sum of money.
“We would be grateful if you would consider it a matter of great importance. Of course, it also means that we would like you to take special care not to let rumors spread.”
“That’s enough to make me even more motivated. It’s been a while since I’ve had such an interesting request.”
“There are other Taoist priests we’ve invited directly to help, but they’ve only just started investigating, so there haven’t been any results yet. We don’t plan on hiring any more people for the time being, so please know that we’re counting on you.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll do everything we can.”
After a few more brief instructions, the Taoist priests left.
However, Shin Pyo-eul and I remained behind, and Pyeong Won-myeong turned to us and asked,
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Yes. There are a few things I’d like to confirm.”
“. . . Me too.”
As she stepped aside as if to yield, Shin Pyo-eul spoke up first.
“Would it be possible to examine the young lady’s body in more detail?”
That was certainly something I had been thinking as well.
I had checked her external condition, but that alone wasn’t enough information.
Pyeong Won-myeong seemed to understand my reaction and nodded.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll go and tell the young lady.”
With that consent, we were able to examine Pyeong-eun-ha’s condition in more detail.
「𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙩. . . . . . .」
『Do you have any idea what’s going on?』
「𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩.」
Unlike me, who had confirmed that my suspicions were correct, Shin Pyo-eul let out a sigh of frustration and stepped back.
Just then, Pyeong Won-myeong could be seen talking to someone outside the room.
“Why don’t you come out now? How long are you planning to stay in there?”
Oddly enough, Pyeong Won-myeong was talking to the empty air, and soon after, a faint trace of spiritual power could be felt coming from that direction.
And then, as if slipping through a gap in space, a young girl poked her head out and replied curtly.
“. . . Why are you bothering me? I told you I wasn’t coming out.”
“But we’re all working on the same request. Isn’t it better to at least show our faces?”
“Pyeong Won-myeong. . . . . . Are you an idiot? Do you not understand what it means that the Dream-Illusion Formation has been broken?”
The girl glanced at me and continued speaking.
“If he decides to go on a rampage, everyone here will die. I don’t particularly want to be face-to-face with him.”
As I stood there dumbstruck at her clearly hostile attitude, Pyeong Won-myeong chuckled softly and replied.
“He’s not that kind of person.”
“. . . What makes you so sure?”
“His skills with sorcery may be lacking, but I’m much better at reading people than you are.”
“Oh, really?”
In the end, the girl gave up and floated down from the air, landing on the floor.
More precisely, she had summoned a floating shikigami in the meantime and was sitting on top of it.
“. . . I guess I’ll say hello. I don’t particularly want to get close, though.”
“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
However, it wasn’t me but Shin Pyo-eul standing next to me who gave the girl a clear response.
“M-Master?”
“Hmm? Who’s your master. . . . . . Oh, Pyo-eul? I didn’t recognize you because you were all bundled up.”
It seemed that, quite unexpectedly, the two of them had once been master and disciple.
When asked about it, Shin Pyo-eul replied,
“This is none other than the greatest sorcerer of our time, Seo Cheon-ye.”
“. . . Don’t exaggerate. The one next to you isn’t exactly lacking either.”
Seo Cheon-ye seemed to be quite a famous figure in this era, and I couldn’t help but be surprised when I checked her information.
【Seo Cheon-ye】
▶Level 81
「. . . 𝘼 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧?」
I had thought she would be around the same level as me, considering she had been wary of me and treating me with respect, but that wasn’t the case at all.
At this level, the grand praise Shin Pyo-eul had uttered didn’t seem like an exaggeration at all.
If Ho-chung had begun his activities in earnest, that evaluation might have changed, but he was still training in the Jinyeon Mountains at this point.
In other words, the greatest exorcist of this era was standing right before my eyes.
“How old are you?”
“. . . Why are you asking me that out of the blue? I can’t be that much different from you.”
“I don’t look my age.”
“Liar. Tch. Aren’t you embarrassed in front of the kids?”
Seo Cheon-ye shook her head as if it wasn’t worth responding.
I could only tilt my head in confusion at her reaction.
『I think it’s probably because you broke that Dream-Illusion Formation.』
From what I’ve heard, that’s the reason for the strong barrier. But to be honest, it was strange that it hadn’t been that difficult to get out.
『Could it be because this place is a world within a spell?』
「𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩?」
『It’s a conceptual problem. After all, since they were just reincarnations, when they tried to trap you, an outsider, with a barrier technique, it was absurd from the start.』
I couldn’t fully understand, but I think I got the gist of it.
In other words, the Dream-Illusion Formation was originally a sorcery technique that was far beyond my level, but because this place was a world within a spell, I had been able to break it easily.
「𝘼𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜?」
At the very least, it seemed safe to say that I was protected from barrier techniques and similar tricks within this place.
The danger had decreased, so it could be seen as a good thing for me.
“Are you also working on the request? If so, would it be possible for us to work together. . . . . . . ?”
“That’s fine. I’m already working on it in a different way, so you do your own thing.”
“Yes. . . . . . .”
Shin Pyo-eul lowered her head, looking somewhat disappointed.
Since there was nothing else to discuss, we left the residence after a brief conversation and returned to the outside world.
“. . . W-What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to stay here for a few days to investigate.”
“Then, would you like to work with me?”
Shin Pyo-eul suddenly made an offer of alliance, and she continued speaking with a somewhat serious expression.
“It may sound like I’m bragging, but my master is truly amazing. So the fact that even she is struggling. . . . . ., it’s probably true that it will be difficult to resolve the request on my own, no matter how much I try.”
Her words were certainly valid.
Seo Cheon-ye was an exorcist with unparalleled skill.
If even she couldn’t resolve it, then it was inevitable that some unimaginable cause and effect were involved in this matter.
It wasn’t as if Shin Pyo-eul was the only one who couldn’t resolve it on her own.
“Very well. But in exchange, there’s something I need you to do.”
“Yes? What is it?”
Shin Pyo-eul nodded slightly, listening to my words.
And so, the night in Hobaek grew deeper.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
『Do you think that girl is hiding something?』
“Yes. I think so. Whether willingly or unwillingly.”
After examining Pyeong-eun-ha’s condition in detail at the residence, I was able to confirm one thing.
I had encountered similar situations while playing the Exorcism series, so I couldn’t have been mistaken.
“Youkai-transformation isn’t something that can be done as one pleases, but there’s something questionable about her condition.”
The problem wasn’t that there was something wrong, but rather that it was too clean.
She was steadily transforming into a youkai. Perfectly, at that.
Even if we only looked at the Elixir of Immortality that Myung-yul and Arietta had been involved in the past, it was clear that complete youkai-transformation wasn’t that simple.
In that case, one thing was for sure.
Her youkai-transformation definitely involved her own will in some form.
『So you’re thinking of sneaking in and asking her yourself.』
“Yes. I’m sure I’ll be able to have a more honest conversation that way.”
If Pyeong Won-myeong or someone from the family was present, there was no telling whether she would answer my questions properly.
And so, I was on my way to the Pyeong Clan residence that I had visited that morning, taking advantage of the early morning hours.
『Seo Cheon-ye is a problem, though. . . . . . .』
“Let’s hope Shin Pyo-eul can keep her occupied.”
Of course, Seo Cheon-ye would realize that I had snuck in, but that brief window of time would be enough.
As I used various spells, including a concealment spell, to enter the clan grounds, I could sense that someone had immediately detected my intrusion.
「𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙩. . . . . . .」
Seo Cheon-ye was an exorcist of incredible skill. If I hadn’t known about her abilities by now, I likely wouldn’t have even noticed that I had been detected.
Shin Pyo-eul must have called out to her by now, but it seemed like I wouldn’t have much time to hesitate.
“I’ll move quickly.”
As I passed by the clan members and vigilant guards and headed towards her room, I noticed a strong barrier and exorcists resting in the surrounding rooms.
Without hesitation, I cast a spell to put them all to sleep, then lifted the barrier and replaced it with my own.
With this, I wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered by anyone other than Seo Cheon-ye.
“You are. . . . . . .”
Pyeong-eun-ha, who seemed to not have been in a deep sleep, woke up in a panic and covered herself with her blanket, startled by the sound of my spell being lifted.
“I have no intention of harming you. I just had to ask you something in order to resolve the request.”
“Even so, this is. . . . . . How can I trust you, a Taoist priest?”
“If I truly had malicious intent, I wouldn’t be here like this.”
“. . . . . . .”
Since those words were certainly true, Pyeong-eun-ha calmed down and answered me.
“Yes. . . . . . I’ll forget about my rudeness just now. So, what is it that you want to ask me?”
Even as she said that, Pyeong-eun-ha seemed to have an idea of what I was going to ask.
Seeing that, I was once again convinced that my guess had been correct.
“Don’t tell me, young lady, you already know the cause of your youkai-transformation?”
At those words, Pyeong-eun-ha’s head dropped.
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