Episode 21: Transaction (2)

Ding dong!

The remaining sentence of the Immortal Pseudo-Dragon clearly appeared in the message window.

Looking at the Pseudo-Dragon’s remaining sentence, my mouth naturally clamped shut.

Ah, this is too scary!

The Pseudo-Dragon beyond the iron bars began growling again.

Fulfill the contract, Warehouse Keeper!

Boiling rage dripped intensely from the Pseudo-Dragon’s voice.

It couldn’t be helped.

I looked at the Pseudo-Dragon and said.

“I’ll reduce your sentence as promised. But…… no matter how I think about it, 3 years is a bit much.”

What!? 

Warehouse Keeper, you bastard……! Are you going back on your word? 

The Sorcerer Emperor was at least strict and thorough when it came to ‘contracts’! 

Yet you only spout petty lies! 

Hypocritical humans! Contracts and all that are unnecessary! 

I’ll tear every last one to shreds!

The Pseudo-Dragon began rampaging furiously, letting out enraged roars.

The intense emotion of hatred seemed to transmit even beyond the iron bars.

I continued speaking.

“Listen to the end in Korean. 3 years is a bit much, so let’s go with 300 years.”

-What?

“I’ll reduce it by 300 years. Your sentence.”

-3, 300 years!?

The Pseudo-Dragon blinked its large eyes repeatedly.

An expression that showed it couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.

Regardless, I continued.

“Oh right, and from now on, every time you respond to a summon, I’ll deduct 100 years.”

-Whaaat!?

“If you show effort or are judged to have greatly helped me, a bonus of 100 years reduction. No, wait. That’s too stingy. Let’s just deduct 200 years every summon!”

-Whaaaaaat!?

The Pseudo-Dragon’s pupils began vibrating madly.

“If you don’t throw a tantrum and show an obedient attitude, 300 years! Wow, I’m in a good mood! Let’s generously go with 1000 years!”

-Wh, wh, wh, wh, what did you saaaay!?

Unable to accept the sudden change, an intense reaction burst out.

Despite the modifier ‘immortal,’ the Pseudo-Dragon seemed on the verge of dying from happiness.

But soon, the Pseudo-Dragon straightened its expression and continued.

-Anyone can speak pretty words. Prove it, Warehouse Keeper! That your words are true! Swear it before your master, the Sorcerer Emperor! Can you do it?

“Ah, I’ll swear. I’ll swear twice. I’ll really reduce it by 1000 years.”

You…… you’re serious……? 

A vow made in the name of the Sorcerer Emperor cannot be defied even by the king of the underworld! 

If defied, the soul will suffer the pain of being burned for eons! 

Yet you accept so readily, you foolish one! Kahahahahaha- I will believe your words, Warehouse Keeper!

Was there such a thing? 

Why do I always hear everything for the first time?

But it doesn’t really matter.

Because…….

Ding dong!

<‘MRG-682’ remaining sentence: 89 eons 3021 epochs 8921 trillion 9876 billion 1186 million 2828 years 321 days 11 hours 46 minutes 57 seconds>

In my eyes, the Immortal Pseudo-Dragon’s sentence was visible.

Even if I deducted a thousand years…… no, ten thousand years per summon, there was absolutely no need to worry—an astronomically vast period.

I could generously slash a million years depending on my mood, like a training camp recreation instructor.

Meanwhile, the Pseudo-Dragon was laughing boisterously.

Kahahahahaha! 

Good. Very good! 

Wait just a little, humans! 

I will dye the world in sorrow, screams, pain, and terror! 

I’ll make you beg to be killed instead! 

Exactly 89 eons 3021 epochs 8921 trillion 9876 billion 1186 million 2828 years 321 days 11 hours 46 minutes 15 seconds later! 

Kahahahahahahahahaha!

To be so cheerful while knowing its own sentence.

Either the Pseudo-Dragon can’t count numbers.

……Or by its standards, it doesn’t feel like that long.

Soon, the Pseudo-Dragon nodded satisfactorily.

-Warehouse Keeper! You’re far more reasonable than the previous one. Yes, I’ll specially spare your life on the day I’m freed. Kahahahahahahaha! Just you alone!

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”

Khakhakhakhakhakhakha!

I hope that plan comes to fruition safely.

89 eons 3021 epochs 8921 trillion 9876 billion 1186 million 2828 years 321 days 11 hours 46 minutes later, that is.

Leaving the exhilarated Pseudo-Dragon behind, I stepped deeper into the Safe zone.

Soon, a familiar landscape came into view.

To the left, a fiery altar with blazing red flames; to the right, an icy altar emitting chilling cold.

The place where the fire armor, ‘Yama Raja Armor,’ and the ice sword, ‘Tyrfing,’ were stored.

At the same time, memories from a few days ago flashed vividly through my mind.

[Hahahahahaha! Behold! My firepower! Far greater than that gas range or whatever it is!? Incomparable! Accept me now!]

[Did you say refrigerator? Bring it before me first! I’ll freeze it solid right now and preserve it forever in perpetual snow!]

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing, who had bickered over who should be used.

Back then, without Jeanne’s sacrifice(?), I wouldn’t have escaped.

If it’s the same this time, it’ll be a headache…….

Is there no sharp way to pass without being noticed?

At that moment.

[……Warehouse Keeper? H-Hey! You’re here?]

The Yama Raja Armor, covered in crimson flames, looked at me.

At the same time, Tyrfing’s blade also turned toward me.

[Warehouse Keeper-nim, you’ve come! I actually had something to tell you.]

Jeanne immediately assumed a combat stance.

But she had just returned from an intense battle at Bupyeong Station underground shopping center.

Her sword was broken, and her stamina was not intact.

Therefore, the method of spamming Seven Demon Strikes to escape like last time was unavailable.

What to do about this…….

While pondering a solution.

[Warehouse Keeper! Truly, truly, truly sorryyyyyy~!]

[Last time we were far too rude. We’re really sorryyyyy-!]

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing suddenly prostrated flat on the floor.

Soon, the Yama Raja Armor began banging its helmet part against the ground.

[Truly! Truly sorry, Warehouse Keeper! It had been so long since meeting a new conversation partner, I got too excited last time and made a mistake!]

[That’s right. We shouldn’t have been so rude. Really sorry. Could you please forgive us just this once?]

Ga.

For some reason, their attitude had completely flipped 180 degrees.

……What the heck?

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing.

Last time they acted arrogantly as if piercing the heavens, so why were they crawling like this now?

I couldn’t guess the situation at all.

At that moment, a new message appeared before my eyes.

Ding dong!

<For stored items that harm or attempt to harm the Warehouse Keeper, 【Appropriate Measures】 will be taken.>

I read aloud the particularly emphasized word in the message window.

“Appropriate…… measures?”

At the same time.

[Euaaaaaagh!?]

[Kyaaaaaaaagh!?]

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing began screaming and trembling.

[I said I’m sorry! Warehouse Keeper!]

[Please spare us from ‘Appropriate Measures’…….]

“?”

What exactly are Appropriate Measures to cause such a fuss?

The moment I thought that.

[Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh-!]

A pained roar erupted from behind.

It came from near the iron cage where the Immortal Pseudo-Dragon was imprisoned.

Kwaaaaaaaa~!

Acidic liquid poured down with a ferocity reminiscent of a waterfall.

Several times more than usual, the acidic liquid rained over the Pseudo-Dragon’s head.

Even the color of the acidic liquid was much darker.

Ding dong!

<【Appropriate Measures】 have been taken against ‘MRG-682’!>

“So that’s what Appropriate Measures are.”

Only then did the context make sense.

The reason the Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing suddenly became obedient was likely because they had suffered ‘Appropriate Measures.’

Ding dong!

<For stored items not corrected by 【Appropriate Measures】, 【Even More Appropriate Measures】 will be taken.>

“…Even More Appropriate Measures?”

Unintentionally, I muttered the message window’s text again.

Once more, an intense reaction burst out.

[Euaaaagh!? Warehouse Keeper, I said I’m truly sorry! I mean it!]

[You ignorant brute! It’s not ‘Warehouse Keeper,’ it’s ‘Warehouse Keeper-nim’! Apologize immediately!]

[O-Oh? Right! Look at my mind! Hey, Warehouse Keeper-nim! I’m truly sorry! Please show mercy……!]

[Warehouse Keeper-nim, I bow my head in apology once more! S-So please, Even More Appropriate Measures…… please show mercy……!]

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing lay flat on the ground, trembling.

It seems ‘Appropriate Measures’ is a kind of safeguard system for the Warehouse Keeper.

If so, that’s somewhat reassuring.

It means I now have a proper negotiation(?) tool to present to the stored items.

At that moment, a plausible idea came to mind.

I looked at Jeanne and said.

“These guys, want to use them?”

The Yama Raja Armor and Tyrfing.

Even to my ignorant eyes, they were undoubtedly top-tier A-rank artifacts.

But Jeanne slowly shook her head and said.

[I am deeply grateful and honored by Master’s warm consideration for me. However, these armaments have egos too strong and would likely hinder combat instead.]

“I see. That’s a shame.”

A Death Knight clad in fire armor wielding an ice sword.

Just imagining it seemed incredibly powerful.

At that moment, Tyrfing and the Yama Raja Armor began protesting.

[Oh my, listen to what she’s saying? Goodness! I’m speechless. Who said anything about letting just anyone use me? I’m not a sword anyone can wield carelessly!]

[Exactly! What an insolent little brat……! The only ones we lend our power to are the omniscient and omnipotent absolute being, the Sorcerer Emperor-nim, and his proxy, the Warehouse Keeper!]

A situation where they vehemently reject each other.

Since I can’t force them together, I have no choice but to give up.

I waved away the hazy steam and moved to the next zone.

There were still plenty of things I wanted to examine deeper inside the warehouse.

Soon, we passed the zone where Tyrfing and the Yama Raja Armor were isolated.

The deeper we went, the more numerous passages and staircases appeared in abundance.

A labyrinth where it was impossible to guess where it led or what lay at the end.

…If not for the guidebook, I might have just circled the same spot.

Thinking that, as I proceeded.

Kkadeuk kkadeuk kkadeuk kkadeuk kkadeuk~!

A strange sound began coming from the opposite passage.

I immediately opened the guidebook to check.

“What’s up ahead? Hmm, nothing specific in the guidebook……”

What kind of lunatics are up there this time.

I steeled myself and headed toward the sound.

Kkadeuk~! Kadeuk~! Kkadeuk kkadeuk~! Kadeudeuk~!

The closer I got, the clearer the sound of something gnawing became.

At that moment, something faintly appeared beyond the pitch-black darkness.

A white silhouette standing motionless, facing the wall.

……A person?

A person freely roaming inside Morgue’s Magical Warehouse.

Only one name comes to mind.

The previous Warehouse Keeper who managed this place before me.

“Mr. Featherback……?”

I slowly took a step.

Then the white silhouette slowly turned around.

At the same time.

I reflexively froze in place.

Long, skinny limbs and waist. 

A pure white, transparent shell covering the entire body.

Jet-black eyes like obsidian and a pair of jaws constantly clacking together.

One thing is certain. 

That is not human.

Ant? 

No? 

Something different? 

What is it?

A crudely molded human body with an insect head attached.

That was its first impression.

Soon, the two saw-like sharp jaws began moving.

Kkadeuk kkadeuk! Kkadeuk! Kadeudeudeuk!

It was relentlessly crunching what looked like iron bars.

Insect.

Undoubtedly an insect’s face.

At that moment, a new system window suddenly appeared.

Ding dong!

<‘Bug Worker’ discovered!>

<The Warehouse Keeper’s ‘Promotion Condition’ has been updated!>

“…Bug Worker? Promotion Condition?”

Quite meaningful words.