“‘The Wizard King,’ you say?
That’s quite a statent.
Jang Hyundeok, the one who caused all this chaos, looked baffled and blurted out, “Why call him king?”
“I replicated the form by forced invocation, but at least one continuous identity must remain for it to be recognized as a transformation of the sa being. Yet among the presented keywords, there’s nothing you could link to the existing faith...”
Explaining it like this only confuses him further.
“They just like kings, that’s all.”
In other words, they perceive as the incarnation of the Yellow-Clad King. Since they can’t see yellow, they just slapped ‘king’ on .
I sighed to myself.
‘This isn’t so Bren Town Musicians performance.’
I never thought I’d use the boat from Insu Village like this.
Though I added special effects with all kinds of magic, in truth it looks like a children’s play.
A bridge made of legionary golems.
The dragon king’s ship as its body.
And to bulk it up, the awakened child of darkness.
By casting shadows over it all, I unified them into one mass, but in the end I’m just standing before a many-legged ship.
“Still, the effect is undeniable.”
“Incredible effect. I’ve never seen anything like this. Mr. Sang-hyun, have you been hiding this power since the Masquerade? Did you get it all from Tanhyeon?”
It’s Heein.
His voice is as unsettlingly smooth as ever, but there’s a tremor this ti. Surprise?
‘Or maybe excitent?’
His emotional state is clear, but the crackling headset audio makes it impossible to know exactly what he’s thinking.
‘But at least he’s not like those instant cultists.’
Indeed, this makeshift spectacle can’t shake the faith of the original cultists. Yet it has thoroughly rattled those indoctrinated on the spot.
“Aah! O Wizard King!”
“O Wizard King! Lead us!”
“Revelation! Show us the way to escape this dood world!”
“Send us an ark!”
“Deliver us your saving hand!”
Seeing the cultists beseech makes sigh. For a ti, they’ll obey my orders. They’d walk through hellfire for .
“Anyway, the charm offensive succeeded.”
But obstacles remain.
“Kyaaaaak!”
From afar, Viyaki are flying in. The child of darkness, waving its tentacles eagerly, grows excited at the sight.
“I’m hungry. I’m hungry. I’m hungry...”
“Wait, if you jump in too, it’ll be chaos. Hold on a bit.”
I soothe the child of darkness.
I have the Successor of the Corpse Pile to enslave eldritch beings.
‘I might be able to subdue the Viyaki if I overdo it...’
But now isn’t the ti for that.
I don’t know how Heein plans to intervene—oh, right, isn’t this guy supposed to be working?
“Hey, if you don’t clear them out soon, I’ll assu you can’t fulfill your promise—”
“—I’ll clear them out imdiately.”
“Hah, that bastard.”
I had dumped the Viyaki on him as the price for revealing Tanhyeon’s ruins. But Heein, feigning being overwheld by the Viyaki, had stealthily approached to spy on .
The power I summoned has nothing to do with Tanhyeon’s ruins, but he can’t know that.
To please , he’ll kill angels or whatever I ask.
“Kyaaaak!”
“Rrrrgggh!”
Viyaki shrieks and agonized groans.
KWAANG!
Several explosions in rapid succession.
In an instant, Heein and his thirteen disciples drag the Viyaki out of sight.
‘See? I knew it.’
Anyway, the botherso Viyaki are gone now—
“All right. Well done. Now finish this.”
“Could you restore everyone to their original state?”
Heein’s voice cuts in again. Ugh, stop pestering !
Wait, “original state”?
“By original state, you an before they were brainwashed by a heretical cult like you?”
“I’d like them to return to devout believers, as they were before loving Hyundeok.”
“You force-brainwash people who refuse, then talk about devout faith?”
“Well, it can’t be helped. I only pray you don’t kill them.”
Tch. I’d love to restore these people to normal, but I can’t.
That ability is extrely rare, and none of my magic or powers include it.
I infused my voice with magic and shouted:
“‘Hear ! I command you—’”
I glanced at the vacant expressions of the cultists awaiting orders. Their faces only annoyed more.
‘There’s nothing I can do except tweak the brainwashing a bit.’
I yelled sothing appropriate:
“‘Return ho! The god has not descended. Do your work at your own workplace. Do not fall for the deceit of antisocial heresy and cults claiming to be gods or saviors! If you have leftover zeal, volunteer or at least honor your parents at ho!’”
“We are not an antisocial cult.”
“All right, surely.”
I shouted casually, but the authority I borrowed was real.
The Mask of Carcosa granted my proclamation the authority of the Yellow-Clad King. It sounded far more convincing than the scraps of influence left in Jang Hyundeok’s body.
Thus the brainwashed cultists enthusiastically obeyed.
“Waaah! The Wizard King has commanded it!”
“Honor and service!”
“The Wizard King commanded honor and service!”
“Let us eradicate heresy and cults, and honor and serve!”
With fervor, they chanted “Honor and service!” or “Wizard King!” as they dispersed.
“Hmm, why that command...”
A disgruntled groan from Heein over the headset.
“Even if these people turn to religion again, they won’t join a heretical cult like yours.”
Heein could re-brainwash them if he wanted, but it’d be a lot of work.
“To proselytize them, I need a doctrine rejecting false gods and promoting service and filial piety.”
“If you’re making a new religion, I’d suggest naming it Confucianism.”
Heein fell silent for a while, then said:
“Now, I’d like you to guide to the Tanhyeon ruins you visited.”
“All right, I’ll tell you.”
There’s nothing more to loot from those ruins. Of course, Tanhyeon’s nature ans new things could appear, or old things change—but if sothing new surfaced, it’d bring even greater danger.
‘Eat the ruins and die screaming.’
With that in mind, I revealed the place we had visited together.
“Wow, how do you rember it all?”
Jang Hyundeok, eavesdropping, exclaid. Apparently he’d already forgotten the way.
“The path is very complex. Could you accompany ?”
“That wasn’t part of our deal.”
We’d ford a short-term alliance for mutual benefit: I’d reveal the ruins’ location; he’d handle the Viyaki.
He’s already trying to shift his assigned task.
“True. Then this will suffice.”
“All right. Our temporary alliance ends here. So—”
Heein, who had dragged the Viyaki out of sight, still isn’t visible.
But that only ans he’s invisible.
“If you co any closer, I’ll consider it hostile and attack.”
He was creeping closer while hidden. I channeled my magic and displayed hostility. The child of darkness sensed it and rose—chatter chatter—its hundreds of mouths grinding their teeth.
“...You probably can’t see , right?”
“Do you really think that? If you’re so sure, take one more step.”
“No, I won’t.”
“All right. Now get lost.”
“Heo Sang-hyun.”
“....”
His na caught off guard. Oh right, he still thinks I’m Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyun.
But Heein chose to interpret my silence differently and continued on his own.
“I like you very much. I want to be closer.”
“Creepy talk. If you’d watched since the Masquerade, you’d know what principles I act on. By those principles, you’d end up among the cultists who resent .”
“I don’t resent you yet. Thanks to what you did at the Masquerade, I gained much.”
“So?”
“What I want is a small power within my own circle. Mr. Sang-hyun, whatever you aim to achieve, wouldn’t it be advantageous to have an informant or insider?”
Ah, I get it.
‘This guy has no intention of being the backbone of the winning team.’
He’s a traitor by nature. As long as he could beco leader of his circle, he’d watch the whole team fall apart and happily agree.
Not soone to trust as a friend or comrade, but if soone like him joins the enemy—good.
‘The difficulty is about to spike anyway. This is perfect.’
I forced a friendly tone as I replied:
“Fine, you’re interesting.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“All right, I’ll extend our temporary alliance a bit. But—”
“Are there conditions?”
“Yes, two things I want to tell you.”
“What are they? I’m curious.”
“First, my na isn’t Heo Sang-hyun. Rember it well: my na is Kim Sinhwa.”
I revealed my na to prevent any risk to Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyun.
“So it was an alias. No ties to House Heo or the Starved Mansion, either?”
“No. Just like you holding soone else’s relic.”
“Understood. What’s the other thing?”
“My attack from last ti wasn’t resolved.”
“Pardon?”
A magic bolt—
Fwoooosh—
The bolt flew straight to where Heein stood—
KWAANG!
It struck him. His mask flew off into the sky. I imdiately extended my telekinesis to pull it back.
“...Your perception, magic tuning, even accuracy—you’re incredible.”
Heein, now unmasked, brushed his disheveled hair back with one hand.
He likely felt no pain; I tuned it to remove only the mask.
‘Honestly, I’d like to beat him properly, but I’m afraid he might break.’
Tall, broad-shouldered, fair skin, kind eyes with a hint of a smile.
He looks like the guy everyone would call “church boy.” With that voice, he’s a con artist’s dream.
I held up the mask and said:
“This is a fine mask. That near-death experience of yours is settled with this.”
“......”
“Go to Tanhyeon and pick up a new mask.”
Heein stood silently for a mont, then smiled and said:
“Are we allies now?”
“Temporary allies.”
“Very well. I hope our relationship grows into friendship.”
With that, Heein departed.
I removed my headset and threw it into the Gongneung Stream.
“That guy really is a total psycho.”
“Waaaah! Wizard, you did it! It’s all resolved!”
“Hyundeok.”
“Yes?”
“You too get hit once!”
Smack!
“Ooof—why did I get hit?”
“Just annoyed by your perfect health. Glad you’re alive.”
“Sob... I knew you’d co. Thank you so much.”
“You did well.”
“You should go ho now, Wizard. I need to get ho and wash up.”
“Where are you going?”
“Huh? Of course ho.”
“I heard from Tudor that you were tracked from your ho?”
“Oh, yes. It was terrible. I accidentally gave them my address...”
“Even if those brainwashed ones knew, that three-eyed guy also knows your address—are you going back there?”
“Huh?”
Jang Hyundeok looked dazed.
“Stay at my place for a while.”
“What? No way!”
“It’s just got empty rooms. Don’t worry.”
“No! How can I live in that haunted the park house!?”
“Then suit yourself. Do you really think I’ll solve it next ti for only ten million won?”
Hyundeok’s face drained of color.
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