I Became the Academy’s Genius Shikigami Summoner – Chapter 269

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟔𝟗

Echinacea Lianqi, who had been listening to me, looked slightly puzzled and asked again.

“Why have you, of all people, come to the land of ghosts?”

“We are looking for someone. Have you seen any humans who suddenly appeared or who are dressed unusually?”

“. . . . . . . .”

I couldn’t see it clearly because her face was hidden by a mask, but there was definitely a reaction for a moment.

Thinking that I had found a clue sooner than I thought, I continued speaking.

“You seem to know something.”

“. . . . . . . .The boss has instructed me to keep my mouth shut, so I don’t intend to say any more.”

The boss of the land of ghosts, Satou-pai.

I had only read about him in the setting book, so I didn’t really know who he was.

Thinking that the worst might have already happened, I raised my spiritual power and immediately put myself on alert.

However, at that moment.

“Well. The boss would like to meet you. . . . . . . .”

As if someone’s thoughts had been transmitted into her head, Echinacea Lianqi said, looking flustered, and told us to follow her.

And in the place we arrived at after following her, there was a beautiful woman with sharp horns protruding from both sides of her forehead.

“My, my, you are an unexpected guest. Come, sit down.”

“. . . . . . . .”

Her innocent and kind attitude made me feel a sense of incongruity, and I stopped in my tracks.

“I don’t trust you. Do you know anything about the people I mentioned?”

“You. . . . . . . .dare to speak to the boss like that!”

Uchi, who had been following us like a shadow, was furious, but the woman who was the boss stopped her.

“I know something. But do you expect me to give you the answer for free?”

“I don’t know what you want, but if you cooperate, I am willing to show my gratitude as much as possible.”

“Well, okay. Then follow me for now.”

The boss put down the drink she was drinking, got up from her seat, and walked to a room nearby.

And there, surprisingly, was Yoo Ha-on lying unconscious.

“What the. . . . . . . .”

Arietta and I raised our powers and became alert, but since there were no signs of Yoo Ha-on being harmed, we decided to observe the situation for now.

The boss, who saw our attitude, opened her mouth.

“There is no need to be so vigilant. I found this child and have been taking care of her.”

“When did she start. . . . . . . .sleeping like this?”

I could tell just by looking.

The state of Yoo Ha-on in front of me was strange.

At least I was sure that she was not sleeping normally.

The boss answered my question.

“She has been in this state ever since I first found her.”

“What is that. . . . . . . .”

“And in fact, I have a guess as to why.”

I don’t know what she’s talking about.

I had no choice but to admit that the initiative in this situation had passed to the other party.

However, it actually calmed my mind and allowed me to enter a state of complete concentration.

Sensing the change in my demeanor, the boss exclaimed softly and continued speaking.

“First of all, I have a few questions for you. I need to know the answers before I can give you a clear answer.”

“Then is it okay if we go back and forth with questions and answers?”

“Good. I will ask first.”

The boss smiled brightly and immediately asked me her first question.

“This world is a separate dimension observed by someone, and you must have come from outside it. Is that correct?”

“. . . . . . . .”

She asked a fundamental question from the very beginning.

I was shocked by the fact, but at the same time, I could guess that the worst possible scenario had come true.

“That is correct. Then, can a being of the yokai class be aware of that fact?”

“It’s a little different. Even among the yokai, only a limited number of beings are capable of that. To be exact, four. . . . . . . .no, maybe five at this point.”

A more specific answer than I thought, but it didn’t sound like a lie.

“It’s my turn again. What is your purpose?”

“To increase our power through training here and overcome the crisis that has befallen the outside world.”

I didn’t tell her the whole truth, but I didn’t lie either.

The boss looked slightly puzzled at my words, but soon nodded slightly.

“It’s my turn. I want to know the exact condition of my colleague now.”

“The answer to that is in the previous question. It is the work of one of the five yokai who noticed your true identity.”

“But didn’t you find her first?”

I asked, tilting my head, but her next words explained the whole story.

“There is a yokai called Baekryeo. And she can freely cross the boundaries of consciousness and unconsciousness and see all the lives in the world from her seat.”

“Is that even possible?”

“She is the most unique of the five yokai I mentioned. And I suspect that she noticed the anomaly as soon as you crossed over into this world and took action.”

In other words, the boss was saying that the yokai named Baekryeo had attacked Yoo Ha-on at the moment of transition.

“Does that mean that the five yokai you mentioned earlier had already noticed our existence six months ago?”

“It’s my turn to ask a question. . . . . . . .well, I understand the general situation, so it doesn’t matter. I don’t know that either.”

“Excuse me?”

“I think there are individual differences. If I hadn’t taken this girl in, I would have realized it much later. But Baekryeo, with the nature of her ability, would have recognized the anomaly faster than anyone else.”

In other words, the five yokai mentioned by the boss had the ability to realize our secret on their own, but if there was no direct contact, the timing would vary for each of them.

“But even if it was half a year ago, by now they must all be aware of your existence for sure. Do you understand what I mean?”

The possibility that we had been worried about was now becoming a clear reality.

“I don’t think we need to go back and forth with questions and answers anymore. I would like to hear about your journey so far.”

“. . . . . . . .Before that, I would like to ask one more thing.”

I could guess to some extent from the fact that she was taking care of Yoo Ha-on, but I still needed to make sure.

“You are also one of the five yokai, aren’t you? Don’t you intend to take our bodies and souls and go outside?”

“. . . . . . . .”

To my question, the boss really smiled lightly.

“Isn’t that funny? The moment they realized your existence, they all decided that they were fake and denied and degraded it.”

“. . . . . . . .”

“Only one’s self can determine one’s own value. I, Hong Lin, will live that way until the very end.”

It was a different way from Shin Pyo-eul, but I could definitely feel her strong will.

Perhaps because she had lived with such beings, Echinacea Lianqi was able to cooperate with Ho-chung and fulfill her duty until the distant future.

“Even so, you don’t have to help us. . . . . . . .”

“What? That’s my will. Is there a reason for me to act as I wish? I prefer humans like you who have a purpose rather than those capricious beings.”

I bowed my head slightly, impressed by her kindness and consideration.

And soon, I told her the story of what had happened to us so far.

“I expected it, but you are indeed very clever. It was a good thing that you quickly recognized the danger of this world and joined forces. As a result, you haven’t lost a single colleague yet.”

“But Yoo Ha-on’s condition. . . . . . . .isn’t it quite serious?”

According to the boss, Hong Lin, Yoo Ha-on had already fallen into the hands of the great yokai half a year ago.

I didn’t show it, but to be honest, I felt miserable.

However, Hong Lin shook her head and said this.

“You don’t have to think that way. Her purpose, as you guessed, is to take away the bodies and souls of those who come from outside and escape the observed world. But what is the current situation?”

After thinking for a while, I could easily understand what she was trying to say.

“Yoo Ha-on’s body has not awakened, so the other party has not yet achieved her purpose?”

“That’s right. It’s hard to believe, but your colleague seems to be successfully resisting her even in a state where her soul has been taken away. If you can rescue her quickly, you may be able to get her body back without difficulty.”

It was really good news.

As expected of the main character of the exorcism 1st installment original story, Yoo Ha-on was holding her own against a great yokai of that level.

“Then what should we do to save her?”

“You must either find Baekryeo’s true body or follow your colleague’s soul and enter the dream world outside the boundary. But neither is an easy task.”

Hong Lin also said this.

In the former case, it would be a very unpredictable journey, and in the latter case, it would be close to a suicide attempt, to put it bluntly.

“To follow the kidnapped soul into the dream world of the boundary ruled by Baekryeo. This method can be put into practice right away if the conditions are right.”

“. . . . . . . .”

“But as you might have guessed, that place is entirely Baekryeo’s territory. Even I can hardly be her opponent there.”

In short, it meant that there was no chance of winning if we fought in the other party’s territory anyway.

However, I saw a glimmer of possibility from Hong Lin, who had bothered to tell me that.

And as I expected, Hong Lin said this after a moment of thought.

“There is a one in a million chance. . . . . . . .but perhaps in the case of you who came from the outside world, you may be able to gain the upper hand in Baekryeo’s dream realm.”

“Is it a problem with the conceptual realm?”

“That’s right. Since you understand, it will be easier to talk.”

The merit that beings belonging to a higher dimension have in this world, which the witch Verdi had mentioned before.

“If so, it also explains why that girl has been able to hold out against Baekryeo and not give her her body yet.”

“It seems quite possible.”

“Of course, even if it’s an illusion, you will suffer irreparable damage.”

In the end, I had no choice but to make the decision.

Feeling that the moment of choice was approaching, I exchanged glances with Arietta, who was next to me.

“. . . . . . . .Don’t worry about me, junior. You decide.”

“I can’t give her up. Will you help me?”

At my words, Arietta nodded without hesitation, but Hong Lin, who was watching it, said something.

“I’m sorry to break the mood, but only one person can chase the soul. I’m not very good at that, so I can only create that much of an opening.”

“. . . . . . . .Then junior will have to go.”

To be honest, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t burdened with the thought of having to go into the home ground of such a great yokai alone.

However, I had faith in one thing. The aforementioned conceptual advantage, and another thing besides that.

「𝙒𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩?」

『Yes. If that dream realm is what I know it to be. . . . . . . .won’t the enormous karma value accumulated in the soul work as a kind of power?』

If Verdi had guessed so, there was nothing to be afraid of.

The great yokai Baekryeo, who crosses the boundaries of consciousness and unconsciousness.

I don’t know how strong she is, but I don’t think my karma value is inferior to hers.

“I will face her. Can you help me?”

“Yes. I will take responsibility for sending you to Baekryeo’s dream realm.”

Looking at Hong Lin, who nodded, I quietly made up my mind to fight the decisive battle.

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