Chapter 1311. The Magic Tower (24)

‘Th-This crazy bastard. Damn it. This lunatic...’

“K-Keep walking,” Song Soo-Kyung ordered.

‘Wow... I’m honestly speechless. Is he being serious?’

I had somewhat expected it, but it was still so sudden. I knew Song Soo-Kyung’s goal wasn’t the defense of Heren, but seeing him cut ties so abruptly left me stunned.

Of course, as someone who understood the tide of battle better than anyone else, escaping was the right call to make here, but the fact that he already had an escape route prepared...

‘It seriously gives me the chills... At least this bastard had a shred of conscience in the second life.’

Back then, there was at least some bigger-picture reason behind his actions. His goal was to replace the Saint of Light. The scholarly take was that he went insane out of jealousy toward the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival and the fact that he worshipped Kim Hyun-Sung.

On the outside, however, he was a member of the Continental Protection Management Committee, which meant that he tried his best for the continent's sake.

Of course, it wasn't like I couldn't make assumptions about why his personality became so rotten. Just as Second Life Song Soo-Kyung was different from First Life Song Soo-Kyung, Second Life Kim Hyun-Sung wa also a different man compared to his first life counterpart.

The environment had changed Kim Hyun-Sung, and he was probably forced to grow cruel. If Song Soo-Kyung had seen that and embraced that version of Kim Hyun-Sung as a messiah, it was no wonder he was acting this way.

‘Messiah my ass... Damn it.’

Whether here or there, the bastard was influenced by Kim Hyun-Sung. It was so absurd that I felt like laughing.

‘I really can’t stand this asshole, and Kim Hyun-Sung is starting to make me mad, too.’

I became even more irritated when I recalled the rags and stabbing incident.

“

Heh...

”

Looking into Song Soo-Kyung's mirthful eyes only made my blood boil even more.

‘Whatever, maybe it’s for the best. Damn it.’

Either way, Song Soo-Kyung was not allowed to cross paths with Kim Hyun-Sung. Second Life Kim Hyun-Sung seemed unable to recognize him, and he never mentioned meeting him in Heren as well.

In other words, Song Soo-Kyung's journey to the basement was basically his journey to his own grave. The best I could do was let him do whatever he wanted and then...

“So you really were a retainer. Glad I wasn’t mistaken,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

“...”

“That brand... I’ve never seen one like it before, but I can assume what kind of retainer you are. The brand you got is fascinating and pretty. I don’t know how you ended up learning magic, but... you were just a toy, weren’t you?” Song Soo-Kyung questioned.

“...”

“Who would have thought I’d find a treasure like you in this heap of garbage? You don’t have to worry so much. As long as you do what you’re told, you won’t get hurt,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan, yet the blade pointed at my stomach was impossible to ignore. To make matters worse, this lunatic either had a sadistic hobby or was trying to send a warning because he kept digging into my stomach with the tip of the blade.

It felt like someone was scratching at my stomach with a needle.

‘I’m surprised, Soo-Kyung. Really surprised.’

Judging by his sly grin, the bastard was clearly enjoying himself.

Even amidst all the racket around us, he strolled leisurely forward, completely at ease. Just as I was about to mutter a spell under my breath, trying not to draw attention, I saw knights and mages following behind him, and the sight surprised me.

“...”

“...”

‘Damn it.’

If I transformed into the Plaguelord or Lust Ki-Young, the problem would be easily resolved, but thanks to First Ki-Young's presence, those transformations were out of the question.

To make it worse, the mages and knights of Heren looked like they were completely loyal to him.

‘He took over everything...’

The fat-bellied lord was just a puppet from the very beginning. This bastard had always been the one controlling the castle. It looked like they were escorting him, moving forward as his guards. They were making sure that I wouldn't be able to run away or cast a spell.

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Sure enough...

‘I knew it. He killed them.’

On one side of the underground passage, I spotted a pile of rotting corpses.

“...”

“...”

The fat-bellied lord, and what seemed to be his retainers or perhaps his family, were right there in front of me. Someone with a belly the size of a mountain was sprawled out there, and I saw other bodies as well.

I was so dumbfounded I could laugh; it felt like I’d wandered into some kind of mystery-thriller movie. Most of them didn’t look like they’d been dead for long.

The way these men, women, young, and old were all tangled together was grotesque.

They were discarded like trash dumped in a corner.

Honestly, the people Jung Jin-Ho had killed looked better by comparison. Jin-Ho killed for the sake of killing; for him, it was just a means to an end. This broken psychopath never attached any meaning to those hunks of meat.

He wasn’t like Jung Jin-Ho, so the corpses were just rotting away upon being neglected and ignored.

‘This asshole... He’s way too... sinister.’

I couldn't help but think that way.

I kept walking forward according to his orders until I finally saw it with my own eyes. I finally saw the reason he decided not to discard those corpses.

“...”

“...”

I saw a magic circle drawn with blood.

Anyone could see that it was a magic circle used to establish a master-retainer contract.

“Step up,” Song Soo-Kyung ordered.

“...”

“Step up,” Song Soo-Kyung repeated.

“I-I’m not a retainer. You must be mistaken... This is... Well, I mean...” I stuttered.

He said nothing. Instead, after slicing my shirt open completely with his dagger, he placed his hand on the brand. The instant I felt him channeling his mana into the brand, a sudden wave of heat spread throughout my lower abdomen.

“Not a retainer, you say? Go on, say it again,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

“...”

“The brand on your stomach doesn’t seem to agree with you... Looks like you weren’t taught properly,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

‘What the hell are you talking about?’

“How does it feel? Your new master is standing right before you. What were you taught to do in this situation?” Song Soo-Kyung asked.

‘How the hell would I know, you crazy fool?’

Obviously, I had to grit my teeth and endure it. My body was reacting, but I couldn't submit to him when I thought about the kind-hearted Big Boy and Kim Hyun-Sung.

“I’m... not a retainer!” I shouted.

“Say that again,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

“I... said I’m not a retainer...” I mumbled.

“Say it again,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

‘This sadistic bastard’s enjoying this.’

Like a pro at gaslighting, he figured the easiest way to make me submit was to crush my heart.

I could see him feeding tiny trickles of mana into the brand.

My stomach grew hotter and hotter; it felt like I was burning up with a fever, and it was getting hard to stay focused. I knew I had to stay strong and that I couldn’t give in, but my body was growing weaker and weaker as time went on.

“I’m... not a retainer!” I shouted.

‘Sheer willpower!’

“I’d love to see how long you can hold out, but unfortunately, we don’t have that much time,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

“

Eeek...

eek...

”

‘Ha-Yan’s ad-libs! Season Two!’

“Get on top of the magic circle,” Song Soo-Kyung ordered.

“...”

“If you don’t, I’ll stab you,” Song Soo-Kyung threatened.

“...”

“That’s better. Be obedient just like that, and can become a beloved tool,” Song Soo-Kyung said.

‘He’s acting like he already owns me.’

Of course, the source of his confidence was that makeshift magic circle. Normally, retainer contracts wouldn't really need a magic circle. He wasn’t going to get notarization from a professional retainer trader, and he also couldn't hire a high-level mage, so this was probably the only way for him to establish a contract between us.

It was primitive, but effective. Human sacrifice was always an effective method. It

did

have drawbacks. It took a lot of time, and the retainer had to step into the circle voluntarily. However, its binding power was stronger than normal contracts.

Right afterward, I saw him slice his own wrist, letting his blood drip onto the magic circle. The circle shone, and the brand on me glowed with the same intensity.

The magic circle, drawn with the victims’ blood, writhed and slowly took shape. Then, its pattern crept up on me.

‘What the hell? What is this? What is this?’

Blood slowly surrounded the brand.

‘What is this? I feel uneasy.’

Of course, I knew better than anyone that nothing catastrophic would actually happen. I had never agreed to this contract. It didn't matter whether it was a blood oath or a magic circle drawn from the bodies of human beings. Turning a god into a retainer? That was unheard of and impossible. Even sacrificing tens and thousands wouldn’t be enough.

Still, the sheer visual impact made me feel anxious. This wasn’t like creating an ordinary retainer contract. Somehow, in such a short period of time, they managed to prepare all this. The mages who came with Song Soo-Kyung were sweating profusely as they chanted the incantation.

They probably needed me for whatever escape plan they had in mind, so it felt like they were putting a leash on me.

“...”

“...”

‘Big Boy, damn it. You’re coming, right? Right? We have to make up.’

Sure enough, I peeked at the Telescope and saw Big Boy frantically looking for me.

"What the? Damn it... where did the kid go? Shit! Where did he go, Carlton?!"

"Why are you asking me that?! Big Boy, you idiot! You think I’m some kind of vending machine that spits out answers when you ask questions?! Damn it!"

"Damn it... damn it!"

"I told you, damn it! That bastard wasn't trustworthy at all?! He ran. The moment the barrier disappeared, he ran off with the kid. Heren never even mattered to him... Big Boy... do you realize what the hell you did? You... you’re the one who—"

"Damn it... kid."

"Maybe... maybe he knew the kid was a retainer and that’s why he approached him from the start."

"Kid... kid! Damn it... Carlton... Carlton... what should we do? Huh? Wh-What should we do? Our kid... What should we do? Can you... pick up on his trail? Carlton, you’re a ranger, right? You can do stuff like this."

"Shut up, Big Boy. I’m concentrating right now."

"Please... please, I’m begging you. Please..."

"That cunning brat."

"What is it?"

"Let’s move."

"Huh?"

"The kid left a trail."

The ritual was finally over, and it was proven by how Song Soo-Kyung looked down at me and said, “Now, you should recognize me. Do you know me?”

“M-Master,” I stuttered.

***

“Master, but... why... have you decided to visit Heren?” a guild member asked.

“The truth is...” Kim Hyun-Sung trailed off.

“Yes?”

“A small friend helped me there,” Kim Hyun-Sung revealed.

“

Ah

, do you want to offer a reward... as a guild?” the guild member asked.

“No, I think he'll find that burdensome. He’s strangely independent... and doesn’t like things like that. I don’t even know his name yet... or where he lives. The time we spent together wasn't that long as well, but... if possible, I’d like to bring him to Lindel."

“...”

“To me, he’s basically like a savior,” Kim Hyun-Sung added.

“...”

“No, he

is

my savior,” Kim Hyun-Sung emphasized.

“...”

“I just want to thank him personally. There’s no other meaning behind it. That’s all,” Kim Hyun-Sung added.

“Master,” the guild member said, hesitating.

“...”

“Heren...” they trailed off before saying, “It seems that Heren... is under attack.