Hermit Wizard

“Yes, I will.”

I thought the possibility of that happening was very low, and Mago looked around my chest and said, “I can’t see it with my eyes.”

“I hid it well.”

“Yeah. Anyway, let’s get to the point. In the meantime, we’ve thought about your proposal.”

“Yes.”

It was the expected procedure, but I felt nervous without realizing it.

“Child, it was the crack on your chest that made us worry until the end. Yusu saw it with his eyes, but you haven’t given us a clear explanation for a while.”

Last fall, when we fought against the demon in the hills. Yusu witnessed the scene of me swallowing the body possessed by a demon through the Channel on my chest.

“After hearing your explanation, it felt like we fell into a labyrinth. Why did the Dragon open a crack on your chest? What does it mean to be chosen by the Dragon? It’s not something to let go of. But you don’t even know the answer.”

“I already told you, but I don’t know why he chose me. I’m just guessing.”

Why did he choose me from among so many people in the world?

When it came to the specificity I was born with, there were two main things—the quality of the soul and talent as a wizard. However, Parvache was skeptical of the latter reason. No matter how excellent it was, it wasn’t enough to catch the eyes of a Truth-Seeker. In the end, the weight was bound to the first reason.

“With this mystery unsolved, we made a decision after a long collection of opinions.”

I swallowed my dry saliva.

“We accept your offer. For the capture of the group that seeks the resurrection of the Dragon, we will provide support according to your plan.”

Good.

Without knowing it, I breathed a sigh of relief. I felt like I was carrying a big load which was now lifted off my shoulders.

“Thank you.”

Mago continued, making a loud noise.

“Priest, the contract.”

“Yeah.”

Yusu stretched its nose to its back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, a magical processed paper. Only my signature and White Deer’s seal were left on the blank paper.

As Yusu blew Mana into the paper, the contract’s contents flew out as if the tape recorder was turned on.

The two voices that read the covenant resonated like a wire and a string that complemented each other, repetitively, as they went forward and backward. If the patterns and drawings engraved on artifacts were shape-based magic, this contract was a form of magic created using sound.

Mago glanced at the contract that Yusu put in the air and spoke.

“Looking back, what you proposed to sign this contract last year was a truly exquisite move.”

“Pardon?”

“In a way, we’re able to draw this conclusion because of this contract.”

The biggest point of the contract signed last fall was that it prohibited hostilities against both sides.

“If it wasn’t for this contract, we might have concluded that you are a follower of the Dragon because of the circumstances in which you return. Then things would have become more troublesome.”

I see.

“There was so much room for doubt. Actually, you have too much power for a human born in the age of Dragon. The soul that Yusu confirmed is also unusual. Moreover, it is said that only the Truth-Seeker, the Dragon himself, can make the crack in the space on your chest. We had no choice but to doubt what kind of relationship you might have with the Dragon. Based on these facts alone, there was a strong possibility that you were in the same group.”

“But you already know. I can’t be controlled by the Dragon or a follower of the Dragon.”

“Yes. I am well aware of the power of this contract. Even if the Dragon himself violates the contract, he is bound to be banned. You, who signed it, cannot be a follower of the Dragon.”

“That’s right.”

“Because signing itself while sharing a will or subordination with our enemy, ‘Dragon’, is a violation. Because of the prohibition, I mustn’t be able to stand here.”

I see. They had been thinking about it that far.

“It’s still unclear why the Dragon did that to your chest, but it was guaranteed that you couldn’t be our enemy and couldn’t stand on the side of the Dragon, at least as long as there’s a contract. Then there is one thing left. That’s why you should be enemy to the Dragon.”

I nodded.

“I also explained the reason.”

“Yes, the reason why you should prevent the resurrection of the Dragon, oddly enough, is because of the crack on your chest?”

Earlier this year, I told Yusu that what was on my chest was an incomplete Channel called ‘Seed’ and that the Truth-Seeker had planted it while I was asleep.

Through Yodmo, I absorbed the corpses’ memories and knew that the enemy’s power was greater than I thought. And after deciding that I need White Deer’s help to capture them using the Hun-neung, I thought it couldn’t be delayed anymore as it was the scene that Yusu witnessed.

There was another reason to reveal that fact. It would be nice to have a common purpose of preventing the Dragon’s resurrection, but I thought I would be more suspicious if I didn’t tell them why. That’s why we desperately needed to stop the dead Dragon from being pulled out of his grave.

When a suspicious corner-filled human wizard suddenly approached, I thought it would be unconvincing to say, “Let’s work together to prevent the resurrection of the Dragon!” without revealing any direct motive.

I nodded, making eye contact with Mago.

“That’s right. The act of planting this seed was done without regard to my intention. I wonder what he will do with this if the Dragon comes back to life. I’m wary of that.”

According to Parvache, the planted seeds would grow into adults. Assuming that the Channel’s purpose was to absorb souls from another dimension, am I supposed to be a portable soul collector?

After that, I wouldn’t be able to die on my own until the moment the Truth-Seeker became God.

Mago, listening to my answer, frowned for a moment. Along with the sound of murmur, there was a sound of rolling rocks in the distance.

“Do you mean that your intention to prevent the resurrection of the Dragon is only to protect yourself and your free will?”

“That’s right.”

When she heard my answer, Mago pondered for a moment. After keeping her silent for a while, she finally opened her mouth.

“I asked again what I had already heard of. I wanted to hear the answer directly from your mouth.”

“What is it?”

“This was the final verification process. I have neither the ability to read the human mind nor the ability to see the soul. But I have seen humans for a very long time. I can judge the degree of truth in what you say.”

“…”

Even though she knew I wasn’t one of the Dragon’s, did I need a final check?

“Your heartbeat, breathing, body temperature, and trembling of your muscles as you stepped on this ground, everything passed on to me. And all those reactions…”

I gulped and swallowed my saliva again.

“It’s pointing out that what you’re saying is true.”

Of course. While standing there, none of the words I said were mixed with lies.

Meanwhile, as soon as I listened to her, I had no choice but to glance under my feet. Was she saying that if there was any creature that was stepping on the earth of White Deer, she could grasp the details to that degree?

The power of the priests they had was indeed awe-inspiring…

“I understand. It became clear that you weren’t part of the Dragon. Nevertheless, I was worried that something else might be mixed with the intention to be with us. I wonder if you’re planning something that we don’t know without being hostile to us. We had been doing some research on this contract.”

“Ah…”

“But I don’t have to doubt anymore. You are trying to stop them only to survive. It is unlikely to have a heart that is purer than the will to survive. All right, I understood.”

Then, a strange light came into Mago’s eyes.

“Apart from my personal feelings, do you understand that it was an inevitable procedure as one of the people carrying this village?”

It wasn’t that bad. I did more when Garam and Mrs. Pearl stayed at my house.

“Yes, I understand.”

Looking at me, Mago spat out a powerful word.

“Good. Let’s renew the contract.”

It was done at that moment.

I nodded and took out the contract I had kept in my arms. Mago and I read out what each party wanted. The two contracts then began to be renewed simultaneously.

-Woooong!

“It’s done.”

Currently, the White Deer and I were in an alliance for a common purpose to stop the ‘Guardians of the Great Convention.’ Although we worked together in surveillance and other areas, the details had been officially put into the contract.

It also left a basis for taking more aggressive responses and specified the extent to which we could support each other under this alliance.

In fact, the most important thing to me was just one line of text among the updated contents. “It is impossible to cancel or delay the support promised to each other without good cause.” Once I have all the boards open, I would be in danger if the White Deer suddenly pulled out their feet.

As the light faded, I put the contract in my arms and spoke.

“I will contact you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll wait. By the way, have you discovered their tails since then?”

I shook my head, “Not since the first guy I caught.”

“When are you going to collect the traps? You said it was at that you needed full-fledged help.”

“Yes. I laid the ground bait a few times, but I still have no catch.”

Over the past year, there had been several incidents of terrorism of unknown origin worldwide. Rumors were spreading on the internet that it was a runaway event of wizards at the wizard training center. The Guardians of the Great Convention must have intervened.

Kim Kyung-hwan was also learning magic quickly, but there was no response to the Hun-neung side. Wasn’t that enough compared to the wizards who were secretly nurturing in Washington and elsewhere?

Moreover, even though I was filmed on CCTV intentionally in the form of the Fake God, there was no movement. I don’t think the footage I took didn’t leak to them.

At that moment, I had received the promise of support from White Deer. I thought I could give it more stimulation. I had thrown a few jabs so far… I thought I could expose a big chunk that they couldn’t help but rush from there.

“I’m going to throw a bigger bait this time.”

After hearing my explanation, Mago said goodbye to me after telling Yusu what he needed to do.

“Let’s call it a day. I should go to bed. I wish you could cross the wall on the day we meet again.”

“Yes, farewell.”

She acted as if she would fall asleep at any moment, but Mago stared at me again.

“… Is there anything wrong?”

“The Maek’s children all said the same thing. Like Hamun and Yusu next to you. About the high level of your soul.”

“… I heard so.”

Was she going to try scouting me as a priest once again?

However, her subsequent words were unexpected.

“Whatever you do, hurry up. It’s been a long time since I have a connection to a human child, so I keep thinking about it.”

I first learned that the faces created by trees, grass, stones, and soil could create a faint expression. But, the appreciation for this discovery was quickly erased from my mind because of her words that followed.

“I think it would be better to cross the wall as soon as possible before the end of your life. I can’t shake off my anxious mind. After death, it has become a world where there is no guarantee that you will be born again in this dimension as before.”

“… I have heard that the souls are being sucked into another world since the creation of the Channel.”

“After crossing the wall, you will have a long life, too. It seems that it makes sense just to avoid dying from old age in this changing world. Since the Maeks haven’t seen all the cracks in this world, isn’t it hard to see how many are being sucked into another world? It’s also unclear what happens to the sucked soul, but the more I think about it, the more I have an ominous feeling.”

As soon as I listened to her, the bronze tentacles that were catching the Heart Fish came to my mind. And Silver Forest’s Truth-Seeker, who seemed to ‘transmit’ something by contacting the tentacles that had germinated.

“I am worried about you that I have seen you twice. That’s why the connection itself is a scary thing. Be careful, Child.

“… Yes, thank you.”

-Krrrrrrhhhhg

Once again, a huge reverberation from the mountain was heard, and Mago closed her eyes.

As she fell asleep, Parvache whispered telepathically to me.

[Except for your mother and me, the first thing that worried about you and asked you to ‘be careful’… is a mountain. What a strange thing.]

‘Shut up.’