I Became a Genius Mage in the Cthulhu Game Chapter 260: Last Day of Vacation

This isn’t a joke right now. Everyone’s in an uproar. If you see this chaos for yourself, you’ll be shocked.

"So you an it’s dangerously not a joke?"

It’s Park Gwangrim.

Park Gwangrim, who said he would escape Mokpo to avoid danger, for so reason called from Gongju in South Chungcheong Province.

"Why Gongju of all places?"

It’s near Gyeryongsan, isn’t it? I’m certain it’s here.

"Gyeryongsan... True, plenty of cultists are attached to that place."

Exactly. That’s it. What do you think? Are you really not coming? If we move well here, we can reap trendous profit.

"Hmm, Gongju..."

What a ridiculous event.

Manse Ilwon Church, which ran rampant in Mokpo, was finally crushed by the Foreigners Administration led by Yang Seoho.

And Yang Seoho, astonishingly, captured the monstrous leader of Manse Ilwon Church— Dokgo Gyeom.

It’s a truly historic event. This won’t happen again.

Park Gwangrim repeated in his characteristic intonation.

He isn’t excited because Yang Seoho caught Dokgo Gyeom.

Yang Seoho decided to transport Dokgo Gyeom to Sejong City. Hearing this, the remnants of Manse Ilwon Church rallied the sects connected to them, heteromorphs, and criminals and—

"They’re going to launch a full-scale rescue operation? Did I really understand that right?"

You understood correctly. That’s exactly it.

"Ha, what is this, a dieval fantasy?"

Just how far does this ga intend to go?

Haven’t the cultists been oddly quiet this past week? That’s the reason.

They were quiet because I got a vacation from this ga’s Administrator.

No, wait. Is the causal order reversed? Were they able to boast the quiet because they anticipated this situation?

Right, rather than having sealed off every last cultist, which are all independent anyway, it may be that they pretended to give rewards to keep from moving.

Or maybe it’s both.

If he really is this world’s Administrator, he can get multiple effects from a single move.

"Even so, if it’s widespread enough to be known, Yang Seoho would have prepared for it, right? He could just change the date or route. Isn’t this too preposterous a rumor?"

I knew you’d say that.

"Sigh— what is it?"

Yeah, plausibility isn’t the issue.

This is unofficial information, but it seems Yang Seoho chose a frontal breakthrough.

"That’s tough of him. A frontal breakthrough?"

He’s outright distributing the transport route. They’ll co up the West Coast Expressway, then turn toward Gongju and enter Sejong City.

"Planning to sweep up anything conspicuous along the way?"

Exactly.

So it’s, I’ll go like this, co at if you dare?

"A real hegemon, a hegemon."

The tag you’re-it I played with cultists in Paju feels laughable.

A tyrannical march flaunting overwhelming force.

At this point it’s a matter of pride for the cultists too, isn’t it? The atmosphere in Buyeo and Gongju is unusual lately. I hear a suspicious ruin was recently discovered in one of those two places.

"A ruin?"

Yes, not just any ruin— apparently one linked to a very powerful Abyssal entity. And the artifact excavated from that ruin is no ordinary thing either. That’s why the cultists are confident.

"Good grief, everyone’s being so bold."

In this small country, everything happens.

"So what’s your point?"

You know how the Foreigners Administration is short on manpower these days?

"They are."

The Foreigners Administration is currently shorthanded.

No major incidents occurred during my weeklong vacation, but right before that there were continuous big cases they couldn’t handle alone.

Even just in Paju, organized thugs fought in the city center with heavy weapons— practically a war; there was a huge accident where an apartnt construction site collapsed entirely; and the Great Barrier north of Paju still hasn’t been restored.

"..."

All because of .

Especially the hole in the Great Barrier is causing the most critical situation.

There, not only the Foreigners Administration but even the military has been mobilized, yet with the monsters pouring in from the north, restoring the barrier keeps stalling.

So they’re pulling in Foreigners Administration personnel nationwide, police forces, even private fixers. The opposing cultists are also drawing in extralegal personnel across religions. Well?

"What about it?"

Which side do you think would profit you most to join, Mr. Kim Sinhwa?

A aningful question. The answer is simple.

"Both."

Hahahaha! Correct. Either side can be made an enemy— or an ally.

He kept circling with words, but I see what he wants.

Park Gwangrim has a very unique gift called [Dowsing]. The ability to locate a desired person.

At a battlefield where even picking up trash yields great profit, Park Gwangrim’s ability becos a commodity he can sell to both sides.

"You’ll need soone to protect you."

Correct. And we’ll need mobility for high-speed movent. I’ll handle negotiations and miscellaneous details.

So I go as a set with Jang Hyundeok and escort Park Gwangrim around.

"Sorry, but I decided not to play strategist for a while—"

Eh? Is that a refusal? You won’t do it? If you step in, you can shape the outco and aftermath of this fight however you like, right? You can reach for the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) artifact excavated from the ruin— and the ruin itself.

That much is true.

Sounds like this will gather a headcount greater than Masquerade.

It seems absurd, but in [Cthulhu World] there is an event with a similar feel. Looks like it’s being implented here in a slightly altered form.

And lastly, that ruin.

Park Gwangrim thinks it’s Gyeryongsan, but if I’m right it’s on the Buyeo side. Seems the Baengma River heritage site was unearthed. And in that ruin...

"I’ll think about it. I’ve got a lot to do right now."

If you won’t move, I’ll go alone! Decide by tomorrow! Tomorrow! By tomorrow!

The call ended around there.

"Good grief, on the last day of vacation, everyone’s yanking my arms so I can’t even rest properly."

Saying that, I recalled another proposal that ca in.

Right after Go Gyeongsu left Vasiliisa.

"Well?"

"What do you an, well?"

"Our Gaegyeongsu. He always struts around saying he’s the boss, but every ti he’s in need he cos whining."

"It’s a dilemma."

Cure may be a competitor to Hellistic, but compared to Hellistic, which long ago built secret labs and bases nationwide, they’re a step below.

They also entered Korea late as a second mover.

But even so, there’s one reason they were able to wield influence at a pace comparable to Hellistic.

"Because there’s an Abyssal entity behind them."

Hellistic has a similar backer, but Cure’s side is closer to a cult. And the Abyssal being they serve is...

"Hmm, sounds like you’re leaning toward taking Gaegyeongsu’s request?"

"Wasn’t that why you introduced him?"

"Anyone else could take that request. Whoever goes, I get paid the sa. And—"

With that, Tudor winked at and pointed to her office. Then, playfully,

"Young lady, shall we go soplace quiet and talk in private?"

"...Who are you calling young lady."

Saying that, I moved to Tudor’s office.

"Honestly, did you have to pry into a lady’s private affairs in front of everyone like that?"

"Now are you in the mood to tell more?"

"You’re curious about Orb and Pani, right?"

"Yeah."

"Too bad, I can’t tell you anything grand. Huh? Don’t get up— sit. I’m not teasing you."

Only then did I sit back down.

"Did you make a secret oath?"

"No, it’s that I really don’t know. To , it’s just—"

Tudor raised one hand and covered her right eye. She looked at for a mont with only her left eye, then spoke again.

"I have a gift others don’t."

"A gift?"

"Yeah, I can sense the monts when this world’s continuity collapses. My grandmother called it the ‘evil eye’ (bascania)."

"What do you an, the continuity collapses?"

"It seems to happen when the world’s form gets drastically twisted— or when soone turns back ti. I’m not exact. I learned this by living a long ti, having many experiences, and researching old texts."

It’s not exact, but Tudor is a witch who has lived in this world for at least over two hundred years. “A long ti” here is that scale.

"But it isn’t so amazing power. I can only perceive it. I can’t exert any influence."

"Then what about Gong Isu?"

"Oh co on, I told you before, didn’t I? I don’t really know about Gong Isu. Maybe he’s an exception? But—"

"But?"

"Except for Gong Isu, when that kind of event happens, sothing similar mostly occurs."

"What is it?"

"A person appears in front of . Not every ti, but— soone who has lost the mories from before, and their own head."

"..."

"A few months ago I felt it again. I realized the world’s continuity had collapsed, and the world’s structure had been reconfigured. And—"

"I appeared?"

"Right. You were hard to recognize, different from Orb or the person who appeared before then, but it’s probably you."

"I have my head, and my mory is intact."

"But your influence on this world is trendous. Maybe there’s soone else who lost their head. But it doesn’t matter."

"It doesn’t?"

"I’m not collecting headless people. I’m just being kind to the ones I like."

"..."

"How about now? Satisfied?"

"You really know nothing else? Really?"

"Oh, co on. Really."

Plenty remains dubious, but I decided to trust her for now. Even if she’s hiding sothing, I can’t dig it out right this mont.

Tudor giggled, then spread her arms.

"All right, I told a secret. Now you owe ."

"Ugh, what? What do you want?"

"Are you serious about that ridiculous ‘break’? Not working?"

"I only exaggerated to Go Gyeongsu. I’ll start again two days from now."

"Ah— so that’s it?"

"Yeah."

Tudor tapped her nose tip with a finger, then said,

"Then, along with Go Gyeongsu’s proposal, consider one more for ."

"So it was a job request after all."

"Right. My love, Colly, seems to be in a bit of trouble."

"Curtain Call?"

"Yeah, I told you before. Sokcho."

"Ah, that thing Yeonam Construction is building on Seoraksan?"

It’s the building Moon Seunghee of Yeonam Construction is putting up on Seoraksan.

It should have been finished quickly, but local notables hired fixers to interfere with the work.

Gwak Daeyong asked to help, and I once formally received the request and refused it— looks like Curtain Call took it.

And there again?

"Right. But sothing troubleso ca up there. If you won’t go, Seotin will, but I still trust you the most."

"What’s the trouble?"

"During blasting they accidentally found a strange cave."

"Aha."

My reaction must have rubbed Tudor the wrong way. She frowned slightly and pointed it out.

"Aha? Well, well, you knew sothing again?"

"No, I only knew there was an undisclosed ruin there."

"Ugh, so it’s a ruin, not a cave?"

"Yeah. It’s a ruin. Those local notables and ‘fixers’ Yeonam thought they were dealing with— they’re cultists serving an Abyssal entity related to that ruin."

Strictly speaking, the fixers are fixers.

That cult’s numbers are so small they had no choice but to hire fixers.

"So, how about it? Want to take it? Yeonam says they’ll pay whatever it takes if it’s resolved quickly."

"Hmm, I was going to rest until tomorrow. I’ll think on it a bit more."

"Ugh— fine. Tell as soon as you decide. If you won’t, I have to send soone else, so say ‘no’ quickly if it’s a no."

"Got it."

After all that, yet another proposal ca in.

"What should I do. Sokcho, Gongju, Busan. Which of the three should I move on?"

The instant my mutter ended, a ssage window suddenly popped up before my eyes.

[Did you get sufficient rest for a week? In the anti you received a total of three requests. Because these require you to travel to places quite far apart, if you choose one you won’t be able to go to the others.]

Have you been watching this whole ti?

It’s a ssage like it was just waiting for to say that.

[Which of the following three quests will you accept?

Client : Cure dical Care

Ally : Go Gyeongsu

Location : Busan

Client : Park Gwangrim

Ally : Park Gwangrim

Location : Gongju or Buyeo

Client : Yeonam Construction

Ally : Curtain Call

Location : Sokcho or Seoraksan

Please select your destination.]