Chapter 261: Starting with the Boss?
“Ugh… So we have to go back up again?”
Ansol muttered with a pout, clearly disheartened at the thought of retracing their steps. Go Yeonju, who had been nodding quietly, suddenly had a spark of inspiration. She began to ruffle Ansol’s hair, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she whispered in her ear.
“This time, make sure you win against that kid. Go get ‘em.”
“What…?”
“Think about it. If you lose, your beloved brother might get sucked into a world full of men… you know, Boys Love?”
”!”
‘Please, stop putting weird ideas in her head… And why are you so fired up about this?’
The moment Go Yeonju’s words hit, the question marks floating above Ansol’s head turned into exclamation points. Her eyes blazed with determination, fists clenched tightly, while the rest of us could only sigh. Despite the headache brewing, I managed to break up their plans with a simple, “We’ll each go up on our own.”
After taking a moment to survey our surroundings, we decided to regroup and reorganize. It was a simple check and formation adjustment, but it was surprisingly effective in refreshing our spirits.
“I don’t see any bodies around here…”
Kim Hanbyul spoke cautiously, clearly troubled by what we’d heard from the crystal ball.
“It’s too early to say this is the entrance. The real entrance might appear as we go further up. And…”
As I trailed off, the tension that had been easing returned to their faces.
“We don’t have to take that man’s word as gospel.”
“What? But…”
“Use it as a reference, but don’t blindly trust it. From now on, we only believe what we see and experience.”
”…”
With renewed resolve, I took the lead. My eyes scanned the path ahead, confirming the trail continued, albeit with signs of age.
‘Maybe the rumor about the vagrant still being alive is true.’
I pondered briefly, but knew we’d only find answers by pressing on. After all, we were ahead of schedule compared to our first attempt. With that thought, I signaled the start of our exploration.
“Let’s move out.”
Crossing the magical boundary into the ruins, we confirmed that the field effects were inactive inside. This meant we could conserve our resources here.
The ancient magical city of Magia. No one truly knows the full history of Hall Plain. Ancient records suggest it had its golden ages and times of near ruin.
To the residents, it might feel like the end is near. But Magia was once a thriving city of mages, essentially a city built around a wizard’s tower.
After about an hour of searching, we finally found the stairs leading up. Though worn with age, they were sturdy enough to climb without fear. The length of the stairs, however, seemed to be another challenge for the group.
“If you lived here, you’d never need to exercise, hyung.”
“We’re almost there. Just a bit more.”
An Hyun groaned under the weight of his gear. I encouraged him, turning my gaze to the breathtaking view of the canyon and city.
The city, built along the steep canyon, was a sight to behold. The buildings clinging to the cliffs made it feel like a natural fortress. The ancient magic of Hall Plain was impressive, and this city was a testament to that.
“Phew. We made it. I thought I was going to die.”
“Hey, look down.”
“Huh? Whoa.”
“This is what they mean by dizzying heights.”
We finally reached the top of the endless stairs. As the others massaged their sore legs, I looked ahead to see a wide entrance leading into the city. The closer we got, the more the initial sense of dissonance intensified.
Everything felt frozen. The city lacked any sign of life. This wasn’t just about living creatures; even the inanimate objects seemed devoid of their usual vitality.
As we approached the entrance, the feeling of lifelessness grew stronger. This left us with two possibilities: either someone had manipulated the space, or some event had shifted the balance from life to death.
‘In Magia’s case, the former seems more likely.’
We advanced cautiously, weapons drawn and spells at the ready.
‘The moment we set foot in the ruins, we were faced with piles of corpses. The sight of half-decayed bodies scattered everywhere made us realize something was terribly wrong.’
‘And as we entered the city, we were shocked to find dozens of people waiting for us.’
No bodies, no people. The canyon city was vast. The buildings were large and spaced apart, not densely packed. As we moved forward, observing the ancient murals on the walls, Go Yeonju’s quiet voice reached me.
“No bodies… So either that man was wrong or lying. We’ll know more as we go. So, where to next?”
“Oppa, how about over there? It looks like it might be full of treasures.”
As Go Yeonju murmured, Lee Yoojung pointed to a massive domed structure, reminiscent of a cathedral. It exuded an air of luxury, just as she suggested.
“Wow, it’s huge.”
“That building… It does look like the windows are made of crystal.”
Kim Hanbyul’s comment piqued the clan’s interest. The idea of crystal windows, a type of gemstone, was certainly alluring. While the end of exploration often brings rewards, Magia was not a place to be underestimated. Unable to reveal the full story, I decided to redirect their focus.
“Exploring that building is fine, but let’s concentrate on the city first.”
“Suhyeon, have you decided where to go?”
“Yes. Our first target is over there.”
Looking down the street we were on, another canyon came into view. Unlike the natural canyons, this one seemed artificially made, with a bridge spanning its 80-meter width.
“I didn’t expect a bridge. Is the city divided?”
“Something like that. This was once a city known as a paradise for mages. The buildings here seem to be for ordinary residents. The other side likely housed those dedicated to magic.”
The prospect of greater rewards on the other side was clear, and some clan members’ eyes lit up. An Hyun, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up with a realization.
“Oh, then the mage who kidnapped the hero and fairy queen might have been the leader here?”
“That’s one way to look at it.”
“Heh, I knew it. Ahem!”
”…”
‘Does he really enjoy my approval that much?’
I merely nodded, but An Hyun straightened up, glancing at Ansol and Lee Yoojung. Their pouting expressions were even more puzzling.
With a sigh, I scanned the area. Still nothing. It felt like we were the only ones wandering this deserted city. But knowing better, I continued forward cautiously.
The stairs, our first hurdle, had been conquered without incident. Two points remained, with the final goal being the tower. But first, we needed to cross the bridge.
The first sign of something amiss came about 30 minutes into our walk toward the bridge. Even at a slow pace, we should have reached it by then. Yet, the bridge remained elusive.
‘As expected. They’re not going to let us pass so easily now.’
There wasn’t any significant damage, but given who we were dealing with, I couldn’t take it lightly. I activated my third eye and let out a small, incredulous laugh at the sight before me. I had initially avoided using it, thinking the view might differ greatly from what the clan members saw, but to avoid high-level trickery, this was the only option.
Ignoring everything else, I focused on the area around the bridge. A wide, circular barrier was spread out, similar to the one I had encountered in the <Ancient Alchemist Vivian’s Dungeon>, but this one was far more advanced. A single misstep would send us back to the start.
With caution, I began to move forward, one step at a time. This forced us to change our formation, walking in a single file, as there was a narrow path that only allowed one person to cross at a time.
As we concentrated on stepping only where I had walked, the distance to the bridge gradually decreased, heightening our vigilance. Naturally, I kept my senses alert. But suddenly, I had to stop.
A cold, eerie sensation crept up my neck. I scanned the area with wide eyes, feeling an inexplicable chill.
‘Someone’s here.’
As I paused, I sensed the others behind me peering curiously. Though nothing appeared on my radar, I had stopped because of an unsettling feeling—a unique instinct honed through countless chaotic encounters. And then it happened.
Click, click.
There was a prelude to the footsteps, but it was a sound I had just heard. Though no one was visible, a person suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Pushing aside my surprise, I examined the newcomer—a woman with long hair and a teardrop mole under her eye, her features reminiscent of a cat. Her face suggested she might be an Earthling or a user, but her attire was that of a maid.
“Hello~.”
The woman approached us, stopping a short distance away. Her smile was so wide it nearly obscured her eyes. She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and bowed politely, causing a stir among the clan members behind me. I raised a hand to calm them and immediately checked her information.
Name: Kwon Sora (4th Year)
Class: Normal Mage Expert
Nation: -
Clan: -
True Name · Nationality: Enforced Puppet · South Korea
Sex: Female (25)
Height · Weight: 168.2cm · 52.8kg
Disposition: Marionette · Evil
[Strength 45] [Endurance 38] [Agility 51] [Stamina 39] [Magic 71] [Luck 63]
(No ability points remaining.)
(Currently brainwashed by powerful mental magic. It’s been a year, and her mind is as good as dead.)
(Her body is in a vegetative state. Without the magic sustaining her, she wouldn’t last a day.)
(An elixir could fully restore her physical state, but her mind cannot be recovered.)
“Welcome to the magical city of Magia! That’s what my master wanted me to convey! Not that I care, uninvited guests? Hoho.”
The woman straightened up, her smile fading slightly. Her eyes, visible through the narrow slits, were a deep, unfocused gray.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
It’s Thursday. I’m planning to visit Joara tomorrow! Just kidding. But I am scheduled to visit Joara! ㅇㅁㅇ/ I heard they’ve moved to a new place. We’ll talk about e-books, the story, and I might even meet the editor in charge of my work! (I remember meeting him last time. He’s quite a decent-looking guy.) He said he’s read all of Memorize, which is truly touching. (Last time, I asked him about the part where we got caught in the Unconscious Reveal in the Cave of Wailing, and he answered without hesitation, which surprised me…) Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing lots of interesting stories! :D
『 Reader Comments 』
TearsRiver: Congratulations~. Congratulations~. Congratulations on being first, TearsRiver~. (I wanted to try a different version.) Hahaha.
Nodens: Well, indeed. I was a bit taken aback myself.
LoveAfterParting: Thank you for the coupon. (__) Please enjoy this chapter too!
M.K: Everything was great. But the word “sister” at the end really cracked my mental state. Hehe.
GayeonLee: Please pay attention to this chapter’s subtitle. Hahaha. I think it’s going to be fun.
ThatGiraffeDrawing: Indeed. Now that you mention it, your comment about peeking into a dad’s bedroom was quite fresh. I still remember it. Hahaha.
BearLiz: Roar! How about Do Young-rok and Park Dong-gul?
HyunOh: Hahaha. Memorize literature, hahaha. I came across a curious word in the middle. Others keep saying “fujoshi, fujoshi.” What exactly does it mean? (I’m done with exams too!)
ShiraYa: Yes, I found the city! Um… And I’m sorry, but while browsing through works I used to like, I happened to see your comment, ShiraYa. It might be a memory you’d rather forget, but your supportive comments always touched me. I hope you find strength, even if this seems like meddling. Bow. (__)
Diableret: After the expedition, we’ll return to the city, settle the clan, and then proceed with the elixir.
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.