Episode 213.2
(EP-213.2) #3
213 – Prophet #3
Seureuk-.
Elga stood up from her seat. Then, at a speed I couldn’t react to, she grabbed the Guide by the collar and pulled him up.
“Listen, what kind of bullshit are you spouting? Just tell us what the method is and why it’s like that…! Don’t try to make us chase clouds…!”
But despite the grip on him, the Guide just chuckled.
“You are indeed as fiery as I’ve heard. But that’s really all I can tell you.”
Tsk— Elga clicked her tongue as she shook the man off.
Because of this, the hood covering his head got loose. The face thus revealed was that of a surprisingly ordinary-looking man.
He seemed to be in his mid to late twenties, with blue eyes and short brown hair—almost like a Bob cut. He somewhat looked like me.
However, there was something somber about his expression. His beard was patchy. Elga even took a step back from a strange aura he was giving off.
Seureureuk-.
“—Excuse me.”
The man put the hood back on. Then, he said with a dark expression.
“May I ask a question now? It’s a simple story. Although it happened two years ago, I still vividly remember that day.”
He walked to the window, his shadow looming large.
“Monarch City, on the eve of the Queen’s birthday. Noisy slave traders in the slave market, grim-faced slaves—”
While I tried to understand what this man was saying, he continued speaking in a tone that almost felt kind.
“I was a high-priced slave, 30 gold, back then. The only people who could afford to buy me would have been high nobility or royalty, such as the great Lioness Family—.”
At that moment, something clicked in my head.
“Are you saying you were there then? At the slave market in Monarch City?”
“That’s right. Didn’t I mention earlier? It’s been a while since we’ve gathered in one place like this. Theo Gospel, the day you were purchased by the Liones Family. I was there too.”
Was he? I didn’t know. At that time, I was only thinking of escaping the shackles of slavery, so I didn’t have the luxury to look around.
“Theo Gospel. No, it’s almost funny to say that. It’s impossible, and I know it very well. A slave who predicts the future—”
Seureuk-.
Turning back to face us, the man seemed agitated.
“That was originally mine. It should have been me. So let me ask you this.”
Pang, Papapapang-.
The fireworks went off again.
His voice, buried amidst the cheers of the grand festival, was so faint that even my sensitive Half-Fairy ears couldn’t hear it. But his lips uttered…
─Who the hell are you?
* * *
Elga and I stepped out of the cramped room and walked in the dark.
The balloons in my hand gracefully swayed with the breeze, but they only added to my annoyance right now.
The Guide asked.
‘Who am I?’
It was a question that pierces through my very essence, rendering me speechless. I didn’t know why he asked such a question, but it seemed like there was much to be said.
“30 gold….”
Perhaps the meeting with him left quite an impression. Even after Elga left the room, she kept murmuring about the 30 gold.
“A 30 gold slave…. Strange….”
“Elga-nim, is there something wrong?”
“No….”
It was not like Elga to slur her words.
This hesitation was uncharacteristic of her. She was not one to dwell, and would always sharply decide if things were right or not.
As the dormitory came into view, she asked.
“Hey, how much did I buy you? How much were you being sold for?”
“Me?”
Why suddenly ask about my slave price?
On the spot, I couldn’t remember how much I costed. The only thing that came to mind was the clinking of gold coins as they changed hands from Elga to the slave trader.
“I don’t know.”
“… Yeah, it’s been a while.”
“Anyway, we’ve figured out that it’s a curse. We don’t know what it is, but there seems to be a way to break it. Let’s go back to Mirna-nim for now.”
Some time had passed, and Mirna might have found a way to awaken Aira. So, Elga and I walked towards the Platinum Dormitory with relatively hopeful steps.
“Mirna-nim, is there any progress?”
“The mental protection is too strong. I could barely make a crack. And even that was only possible because she was asleep…”
She said it modestly, but even creating a crack in the mind of Aria, the boss of the first part of the episode, was quite remarkable in itself.
“Sir Theo, I’m going to draw the magic circle now. Please assist me.”
Seureuk. Seureuk-.
Mirna drew a circle pentagram around the bed where Aira lay, and placed candles at each point. But she let out a shallow sigh, as if this wasn’t enough.
“I need to ask Narmi for help. But Narmi is probably asleep right now… Can you fetch me a mirror? It has to be a large one.”
“If it’s a mirror….”
I brought the full-length mirror in Aira’s room in front of Mirna.
“This won’t do. We need a mirror infused with magic to see or awaken Narmi.”
Oh, there was another rule like that. I thought any mirror would reflect the twins, but apparently not.
“Still, we’ll have to make do with this for now.”
Kwak-.
Mirna pricked her thumb, drawing blood, then drew a star on the mirror.
As the eerie drops of blood dripped down, Mirna’s reflection in the mirror stretched out.
No, it was better to call her Narmi. The younger twin of the Draco Family. The Necromancer, Narmi.
━What is it, did you call me? Waking me up so urgently…
“Narmi, I need your help.”
━My help?
“The problem is….”
Sukduk Sukduk-.
Mirna briefly explained the situation we were facing. After hearing the story, Narmi solemnly nodded.
━If that’s the case, I think I can do it. Though, I’d need to rely on necromancy.
“Is it possible?”
━Huhu, of course. You did a good job waking me up. This is my specialty.
She said brightly, but Narmi’s reflection in the mirror was red thanks to Mirna’s blood.
A woman with red hair.
Could she be what was meant by ‘a red-haired woman will provide you the answer’?
Edited by: faker