“Anyway, no matter how much I try to die, I just can’t.”
Eugene thought that even as he spoke to Sylvia. If this body can’t die no matter what happens, then shouldn’t I at least save one young life full of potential?
“Since she’s a descendant of Ian, after all.”
That was why Emilia had been assigned to the same team from the start, anticipating this kind of situation. He wasn’t thinking of holding back, but what use was it if he didn’t step in now? Sylvia, of course, had no way of knowing these circumstances and hurriedly protested.
“That’s reckless! No one can survive out there for more than a few hours, not even with a gas mask!”
She pointed toward the scene outside the barrier. Beyond the boundary line drawn with sacred magic, nothing could be seen. That meant the cloud of pollen spread by Isanghwa was thickly blanketing the area.
“The poison must be strong, too.”
Gas masks work on the principle of filters absorbing toxins. But if the pollen cloud outside is as dense as it looked, the mask’s effectiveness would wear off in a few hours—maybe less than an hour.
“One hour is enough.”
He had been through worse environments before. Besides, just because it’s dangerous outside doesn’t mean they should abandon Emilia. By now, she was probably hallucinating from the magic and could be anywhere in a bad state.
“…Really?”
Sylvia asked cautiously. Her mind knew it was dangerous to send someone outside, but her heart wanted to rescue her friend trapped out there because of her.
“What choice do we have?”
Eugene replied, extending his hand. He meant for her to give him the gas mask she held. Sylvia stared at his hand for a moment, swallowed hard, and then said,
“…Here.”
As if showing trust, she handed over the mask. He took the gas mask she gave him and put it on his face. As he sealed the breathing holes to check airtightness,
“Don’t you need one more gas mask?”
Sylvia tilted her head. She looked like she was asking if another mask wasn’t needed to bring Emilia in from outside.
“Ah.”
“I have this.”
He didn’t know if it was just luck, but he had received something good from Old Man Volund. Since Sylvia would see it during the adventure anyway, he pulled it out.
“This is…”
Seeing the Shinruseok, Sylvia’s eyes sparkled with admiration. Deus Lapillus, also known as the Tear of God—the king of stones. This gem shone with a radiant blue light and was extraordinary even as a jewel.
“It’s the Tear of God. Just carrying it grants immunity to all poisons.”
That included curses from magic. Hallucination magic like Isanghwa’s couldn’t overcome the power of the Shinruseok. Their plan was to go to where Emilia was and then—
“Give the Shinruseok to her.”
Then it would cure all her status ailments. By then, Emilia would be immune to Isanghwa’s hallucination magic. That’s why they didn’t need more than one gas mask.
“You already had a plan…”
Sylvia nodded in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to have made plans in such a desperate situation. When you get time, you instinctively think about how to act in cases like this.
“Go get Needle.”
“Needle, sir?”
“Yeah.”
“I need to send him on a mission.”
“Needle, sir!”
The nun ran toward the meeting hall. A moment later, Needle followed her over. At their level, one could understand the reason for the summon just from a look.
“Understood?”
One word was enough. Needle frowned as if dissatisfied, but then noticed nothing was beside Eugene and sighed.
“Ha… I’ll handle things properly, so just bring the girl.”
“Good.”
Since the ranger they’d met on the train had disappeared days ago, Needle was the only one they could trust with defense here. If monsters broke in, someone had to command.
‘He must know that, too.’
That was why he understood the order just from the look. With that kind of intuition, even the worst situations would be handled well. Leaving Needle in charge, Eugene prepared to head outside the barrier.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
He turned at the voice from behind, and at that moment, two sheaths flew toward him. Needle had thrown them.
Clack!
Eugene raised his hand and caught the sheaths. Inside were Needle’s daggers—his twin relics he always carried.
“What’s this?”
For a free knight to hand over his relics was unusual. Relics were like an extension of a knight’s identity—not just rare weapons powered by mysterious principles.
‘They were icons revealing their true self on the battlefield.’
Why would he offer such precious weapons? If he wanted to put Eugene in debt, that was a silly plan. He could handle this situation even without the relics.
“You don’t have to give those.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Needle scoffed when Eugene declined.
“If you die, I can’t get paid.”
That made Eugene chuckle. Was that really the best excuse he could come up with? Of course, he played along with the lame excuse.
“Well, you know how it is.”
What a dishonest guy.
‘He really is thoughtful.’
Because outside was dangerous, he gave his weapon as a sign to come back safely as a comrade. Of course, people like us who live by the sword don’t expect that kind of cheesy honesty. As Eugene strapped the twin daggers to his waist, Needle spoke.
“Do you need me to explain how to use them?”
Relics all had strong personalities, so their uses varied. Normally, one should learn how to use a relic before wielding it. But now there wasn’t time for that.
“I have a rough idea.”
Needle’s eyebrows twitched at the refusal.
“Hm? How do you know?”
“I figured it out by mixing it up in combat.”
Despite appearances, Eugene was a man who had traveled the world for a hundred years. He had seen and used countless relics. Based on the information accumulated over those years, he deduced the daggers’ purpose.
“One of the twins absorbs shock, and the other releases it as a blade, right?”
“Ha!”
Needle’s expression was one of disbelief as he clarified.
“The one with the hammer drawn on the crossguard absorbs, and the one with the sword drawing releases.”
“Thanks for the detailed explanation.”
It was really time to go now. They didn’t know what Emilia was going through in the meantime. Since Isanghwa had been confirmed as a Transcendent Variant, other threats were possible.
“Sylvia, gather the clergy and prepare to open a gap.”
“Yes!”
People gathered near the boundary of the barrier. They were the clergy who had cast the barrier and those preparing to go outside. Before opening the gap in the barrier, the clergy split into two groups. The front group put on gas masks and prepared at the edge of the boundary to open the gap.
“You block the toxic air that will flow in when the barrier opens.”
The rear group’s role was to block the incoming air during the gap’s opening. The air outside was thick with poisonous pollen containing strong hallucination magic. If it entered even slightly into the area where people gathered, it would cause chaos.
“Then, let’s go.”
Eugene tied his gas mask straps tightly and looked beyond the barrier. A world covered in yellow dust so dense he couldn’t see a foot ahead. It felt like a freshwater riverbed had been overturned, the particles blocking his sight.
‘How is Emilia holding up in this? Even if she’s not hallucinating, it’s hard to endure a space with absolutely no visibility.’
The unknown breeds human fear.
‘I’m going.’
Hold on just a little longer.
“Open!”
At his command, vertical lines appeared on the light barrier.
Buuuuk… Whiiiiing…
The lines parted into a gap as the toxic air outside rushed in. The longer the barrier’s gap remained open, the more poison flowed in. Without hesitation, Eugene pushed off the ground and slipped through the gap to the outside.
‘Bleak.’
Outside the barrier was a world where all sound had died. Isanghwa’s hallucination magic silenced all living creatures. Not a single ant’s movement or noise could be heard.
Shhh… Huuu…
The only sound was his own breathing. How long the gas mask’s filter would hold was unknown.
Click!
He pulled out a shuriken and threw it where he had just stood.
Pak!
Designating this as the starting point, he planned to plant a shuriken marker every three steps. With the pollen cloud in the air and vision blocked, this was the best way.
‘Let’s go.’
He took his first steps.
Crunch… Crunch…
The sound of stepping on snow. The pollen that covered the village had settled on the ground. When this was all over, the cleanup would be a huge task.
Crunch… Pak!
Planting a shuriken every three steps, he pressed forward through the mist. Though it was like wading through mud with the world shrouded in yellow, there were techniques that showed more than just what the eyes could see.
‘Fifteen paces ahead…’
All air in the world flows. And just like water turns around when meeting an obstacle, air does the same—slowing its flow.
‘A three-story building with a swaying signboard. Probably an inn or tavern.’
Following the spots where the airflow slowed, the terrain was revealed. Even without seeing with his eyes, he could find the path ahead. In a way, the skin replaced the eyes, feeling out the way.
‘Those who use this technique call it Pianeop .’
It was a word from the Eastern Continent’s language, not this continent’s. Originally, it was used by those with keen night vision and rarely needed. But Eugene hadn’t expected to use it in a situation like this.
‘We’ve arrived.’
Tracing the path, he reached in front of the inn.
‘Could she be here?’
Thinking from Emilia’s perspective: trapped in this pollen mist, what would she do first? She’d look for a place with a floor, walls, and roof to shelter her body.
‘So there’s a good chance she’s here.’
Because going straight from the barrier would lead right here. Of course, being inside the building didn’t guarantee safety from the pollen. But humans simplify judgment in emergencies.
Creak…
He turned the doorknob and opened the inn’s door. The pollen inside was less dense, so visibility improved. He scanned to see if anyone remained inside.
‘No one.’
He checked the floor, fearing she might be collapsed there. No sign. He wondered if she had gone up to the third floor. Heading toward the inn’s stairs. Could she climb upstairs while covered in pollen?
‘Just in case.’
So he climbed.
Creak… Creak…
Perhaps due to the pollen, all the lights were out. And since the stairs were wooden, it felt quite eerie. He thought, “The dungeons ahead will probably feel like this, too.”
‘We’ll need to train the kids to have strong hearts.’
Just then,
“Mom…”
A voice came from beyond the stairs.
‘That voice…?’
It was Emilia’s. As expected, she had wandered forward and found this inn to hide.
‘She’s definitely under hallucination magic.’
But her voice was dull, as if drugged. Probably her brain was reacting to the visions created by Isanghwa’s pollen.
‘Mom.’
She must have lost her own mother. Isanghwa’s illusions showed the person she missed most. Usually, the person one misses most is someone dead who can never be seen again.
‘No need to get involved in complicated family matters.’
Turning his attention back to the rescue, Eugene climbed the stairs. At the top, on the second floor, he saw a girl curled up in a corner. Despite the situation, her golden hair shone—it was definitely Emilia.
“Let’s see how you’re doing…”
He approached and gently turned her over.
Hah… Hah…
She was breathing out with a pale face. Pale skin meant a large amount of mana had been drained. Isanghwa first sucked up the mana to absorb her prey, then took the flesh and blood.
“You were in danger.”
He took out the Shinruseok from his pocket and gripped Emilia’s hand. Though her muscles stiffened, he forced her fingers open. Slowly, he slipped the Shinruseok between her small fingers.
Jjing…!
As the stone entered Emilia’s hand, it reacted. It caught the dark energy that had been corroding whoever touched her. The Shinruseok’s blue light shone, illuminating the dark inn.
“Ugh…!”
The girl frowned at the stone’s reaction. It was a rejection of outside interference while under Isanghwa’s control. Fearing she might drop the Shinruseok, Eugene covered Emilia’s hand with both his own.
“You sure make me work for it, don’t you.”
Not surprising for a great-granddaughter of hers. Watching the purification process, Emilia shifted and turned her head.
“Mom, don’t go… I’ll be better… Please don’t go…!”
The illusion was breaking. As the monster’s hallucination faded, so did the image of her mother. She had met the one she missed most, and now that person was disappearing into a mere illusion again.
‘That must feel terrible.’
Only those who have experienced it understand. Emilia hadn’t even entered the demon realm, but she was already going through that. As Eugene watched Emilia’s purification process,
Ka-deu-deuk…
“Hm?”
A sinister sound. It was metal being crushed. And there was only one thing nearby that could be crushed.
‘No way…!’
He quickly raised his left hand to feel the gas mask’s filter. The normally wide cylindrical filter was slightly dented.
‘Damn it!’
The filter was nearing the end of its life. He tried to hold his breath, but at that moment, a familiar voice came from behind.
“Eugene?”
It was the Saintess’s voice.