NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
“Have you heard of 비영신투 (Secret Shadow Thief), 호환 (Tiger Illusion)?”
The reason I know the location of the Philosopher’s Stone is because I created the setting for a character in the novel King of Diamond Fist.
A legendary figure said to hide even shadows, a god of thievery who roams as a tiger in illusion.
“…I’m hearing this for the first time. Are they from the Eastern region?”
“Yeah, simply put, they’re the world’s greatest thief. There’s a cave called the 비동 (Secret Cave) where that guy has hidden the things he’s stolen.”
The god of thievery, 신투, is a staple in martial arts novels, so I decided to include this character in my story.
I asked 울프람 to pull out a map and then pointed at a mountain range to the east.
“This is the place. In the waist part of this mountain range… There’s a hidden cave behind a waterfall, and if you walk through the ceiling, another space opens up.”
“That sounds like a treasure trove!”
울프람 clapped her hands and beamed with joy. I nodded as I watched her.
The 비동 was a place where all sorts of elixirs and martial arts techniques were gathered, along with bizarre animals and treasures from the Western region.
‘I chewed on all the elixirs said to be good for the 구음절맥 (Nine Pulse Meridians) back there.’
I chuckled at the memory.
Even eating all those healing items that frequently pop up in martial arts novels didn’t show any signs of fixing my body.
No matter how much I consumed, only my condition improved a little, but it wasn’t a fundamental solution.
“You said earlier that my veins were blocked not by ice shards but by something else, right?”
“Um? Yeah. How should I put it? It’s like a material that doesn’t belong to this world? It sounds strange even when I say it!”
I rubbed my palm over my face while looking at 울프람. If she, an esteemed alchemist and mage, couldn’t identify the material blocking my body…
“…Is there a possibility it’s something from another world?”
That was the only possibility left.
I began to suspect it was related to the external gods mentioned in I Got Trapped in a Game.
The goddess of the external gods, 아자젤 블랙하트, much like my third daughter, had also contracted with them and ultimately fell into corruption.
“Come on, no way. You’re talking about those external gods that are just rumors? If that were the case, I would’ve been dead by now.”
“…….”
Actually, that part was true.
The reason I was seeking 베르단디 was that I judged I needed her to save 아자젤.
“So, what’s the source of this information? It’s reliable, right?”
“I can’t tell you, but I can guarantee the truth. I’ll stake my alias on it.”
The source of that information was in my head, so I couldn’t tell 울프람 who I heard it from.
Originally, this information would’ve been learned after the god of thievery’s death, when the original protagonist, 김휼, found out through the 하오문 (Hao Clan).
“Hmmm, to be honest, I can’t believe you. You’re saying you can get information about the Philosopher’s Stone so easily?”
“If you don’t want to believe, then don’t. I trust people who continuously question themselves more than someone who blindly believes the words of a stranger.”
I told 울프람 about my usual philosophy. I wrote I Must Kill the Hero because I couldn’t understand the cliché of usual hero summoning materials.
I just didn’t want to start with “Hello, I’m a god!” and then kill an innocent person after saying, “I’m the fairy of the tutorial!”
“So you don’t trust prophecies either? That’s what the most people on the continent believe, the words of the chief god?”
Seeing my favorable attitude towards 울프람, she seemed about to ask the reason for the blasphemy she mentioned earlier.
Had she used some kind of spell to sober up? The scent of wine had no longer lingered on her.
“Whether they’re chief gods or mere gods, I don’t trust the words of anyone who grants power. I believe strength comes with responsibility.”
To the seemingly serious 울프람, I recited a line that could be considered a fundamental statement for hero stories.
With great power comes great responsibility, the legendary line of the spider hero. I had long wanted to say it at least once.
“Nee, my master! Every night, I write down every word of your teachings with brush and ink!”
비월 said, clenching her fists beside me. Unlike 울프람, she seemed proud just to know this fact.
“I told you, you don’t have to do that.”
“Still, 논어 (The Analects) was compiled by the disciples of Confucius. I think it’s necessary to ensure your teachings are passed down to future generations.”
Even when I advised her not to, 비월’s loyalty towards me seemed to weigh heavily.
After all, my words were a mix of sayings from novels, books, dramas, or movies I had read in the past.
The creator’s input wasn’t limited to just writing.
“비월… I tend to mix in the words of ancient sages. Future generations will point fingers at me if they see this.”
I lowered my head in embarrassment. I might have a way with words, but I feared being evaluated by future generations based on what I wrote.
I was already a failed author. It was odd to think that I would receive love through writing.
“I can just break all those fingers! How can mere people’s fingers embarrass the sun above?”
비월 spread my palm and began to unwrap the bandages wrapped around my hand.
With eyes wide open, like a child unwrapping a gift, she grasped my index finger with both hands.
“If you’re fearing the pointing fingers, then let me wrap it up for you. I’ll ensure that those bad memories turn into good ones.”
As her pale pink lips inched closer to my finger, a soft, moist sensation was felt.
Lick, slurp, smooch.
비월 was sucking my index finger very gently, like a baby. The sound of her tongue and saliva mixing echoed through the carriage.
“B-Bi, what are you doing?!”
Phew, I exhaled a hot breath and watched her lick and suck again.
“Why are you so surprised?”
Her breath, tongue, and saliva, all intertwined with a strange sensation, crawled up my finger.
“I’m just treating your hurt finger, like a mother beast licking her child’s wound.”
I tried to pull away my hand, waving it, but 비월 firmly grasped it tightly.
She acted as if nothing was wrong, even saying my reaction was strange while making my finger glisten with her saliva.
“All done. This must be the scar from when you tried to protect that girl, right?”
Blee-eh, 비월 opened her mouth to reveal what she was talking about. Just as she said, my body and fists were adorned with scars from training and battles.
“Even though I’m in a position where you saved me, I remember well the sacrifices you made for me.”
비월 lowered her head and spoke. She had a setup of being sensitive to bloodshed due to a few lines I had written.
“You’ve suffered deep wounds on your shoulders, back, hands, arms, and even your neck, haven’t you?”
“…….”
“I wish to lick away all the wounds I caused, but now I fear that might disturb you, so I just took a small act of greed.”
I couldn’t say anything. 비월 seemed to remember all the injury sites I had from that time.
I thought she was just an innocent child, but it seemed she had been quietly feeling guilt towards me.
“Don’t mind what others say. I hope you think that’s just the petty jealousy of those who do not know your great character.”
비월 carefully put my hand down. Bowing her head looked like she was greeting me.
“But this seems too much. I didn’t save you for this.”
I couldn’t help but scold 비월, as the Gold Tower Master was covering her mouth in shock.
“My goodness, so openly… You really are a man full of sins. This is hilarious!”
She looked just like a viewer shocked by an affair scene in a morning drama, slapping her palms around.
I never expected 비월 would act this way. Although she showed her obsession towards me, she never acted so openly before.
‘Could it be that she’s jealous of 금탑주?’
That was the only guess I had. I rested my chin on my hand, contemplating. The damp sensation from my index finger still lingered.
With 비월 not being an adult yet, it seemed plausible she would be jealous of the more mature 금탑주 울프람.
“The wounds that fester in the heart are invisible, and only the person knows them. But someday, they must be treated with medicine,” I had said.
“I certainly did say that…”
That was something I had told her when she was feeling gloomy because her friends had died because of her.
“What I’m saying is that I saw the scars on your heart from what you just said. Although I have neither golden elixirs nor precious medicines…”
Gaining wisdom from being my disciple, she seemed to try to make her words carry weight now.
Even while speaking softly, her words held a sharpness. She didn’t give me a chance to retort.
“Still, when such things occur, you should express it in words rather than actions. If seen by others, I’d come off as a master teaching strange behaviors to a disciple, wouldn’t I?”
When I tried to argue with my reasoning against 비월’s words,
“The master said you prefer those who change through actions rather than words, so I merely acted accordingly.”
She counterattacked using my own words against me.
“You’re really trying to outsmart your teacher, huh?”
“Isn’t there a saying that a blue from the indigo is bluer than the plant itself? I hope to surpass you one day in all aspects.”
She counterattacked once again with a smiling face.
“Surpass me in all aspects? What does that mean?”
“I mean, quite literally, in every way. I want you to be unable to live without me, only looking towards me, wanting only me…”
Seeing 비월 gulping as she said it, I felt a chill creep down my spine. Even though she didn’t emit any killing intent, my body instinctively took a defensive posture.
“Ahem, ahem. Let’s save the student-teacher quarrels for when we’re home, okay? I’m here too, you know.”
At that moment, 울프람 cleared her throat, stopping 비월. It seemed her level of teasing had gone too far as she took out her staff.
“We’re getting closer to Wonderhill. You’d better prepare and not be playing around.”
As she mentioned, I began to see more houses in the scenery around us. Smoke was rising from chimneys, and human traces appeared.
“I’ve sobered up as you said, and I wrapped myself with defensive spells. At this level, I won’t die even if I meet the hero, right?”
“Well, if you’re not a villain, then yes.”
I spoke while watching the slightly trembling Gold Tower Master. I couldn’t know for sure if she’d die or survive according to the original story’s flow.
I just hoped the hero’s sense of justice hadn’t twisted yet.
*
However,
Contrary to 빙연’s expectations as she rode towards me,
“I heard the words of the defending Lord! He called me ‘hero of justice’!”
“…베, 베르단디?”
“Seeing that such a prophecy has come to me, it seems my mother is indeed a villain!”
At this moment, 베르단디 아스트라이아 was pointing a kitchen knife at her mother.