Chapter 265 - If It Exists (3)

“Will you tell me about being worthy?”

Meister gazed at his grandfather, eyes gleaming—eyes whose original color he could no longer even remember. They were filled with a little anticipation and excitement.

“No.”

But despite reading every bit of that emotion, Blue Coral cut him down without hesitation. Meister’s expectant expression instantly cooled, bringing a chill with it. Not even the warm brown and soft pink of his hair could soften that wintry look.

“Then why the hell are you telling me to go?”

Meister pushed up the bridge of his glasses with his middle finger. The gesture was quite blatant, with every other finger curled down.

“Where did you leave your respect for your elders?”

“Sold it off ages ago.”

“...”

But Blue Coral was well acquainted with his grandson’s temper. He let out a long breath through his nose, then poured himself some of the tea his old friend had brought and drank. His grandson cursed him with his eyes: ‘None for me?’

“I’ll say it again: I won’t tell you ‘that.’”

“Yes, of course... you won’t.”

Not that his grandson’s displeasure was any concern of his.

Whatever else he might be, the boy was exceptionally clever. Blue Coral judged that this much should be enough for him to understand.

“...”

Sure enough, his grandson stopped mid-sentence and shut his mouth as though something had dawned on him. Just what one would expect of someone who barely compensated for his fatal flaws with two virtues—his brains and the fact that he did, in his own way, work toward the greater good.

Tea trickled into the cup as Blue Coral refilled it and continued speaking.

“Still, this isn’t an offer that will hurt you.”

“... Why not?”

“There’s nothing you can do by staying here anyway, is there?”

Nice and hot. Pleased by the warmth spreading through his palm, Blue Coral took small sips of tea.

“Your workshop, materials, and money have all gone up in smoke. Knowing you, you won’t have saved anything, so you have no way of raising funds in a hurry, either.”

Naturally, compared to what he used to drink, both the aroma and flavor were dreadful. It was not a matter of taste; the leaves were simply of far too poor a quality.

“How will you conduct research under those circumstances? Before that, what will you do about your commissions? You’ll be lucky if your clients are considerate enough to extend the deadlines, but you won’t have the money to pay anyone who demands a full refund.”

Given their present circumstances and future prospects, however, even this was a luxury.

So rather than complain, Blue Coral waited for his tongue to adjust to the inferior tea. Though, judging by how things were going, he would probably lose the habit of drinking tea before his palate grew any less discerning.

“... Those are problems I’m facing, yes, but following them won’t solve them, will it?”

“Becoming an ally of the Hero makes a rather useful excuse when asking for understanding. Who would refuse when doing so might cast suspicion on them as a heretic?”

“That’s thuggery.”

“Why say that as if it’s anything new for you?”

“...”

Meister’s brow furrowed at Blue Coral’s remark. He could hardly deny it, but it still offended him. That sentiment showed in every crease between his brows. What an amusing fellow.

“I’ll handle whatever problems remain after you ask for their understanding. I can do that much as your grandfather.”

“When your losses are worse than mine?”

“Do you think I keep everything in one place, like you?”

That, at least, was sincere. Their Magic Tower might be on the verge of collapse, but surely it had more money than an independent business owner. Considering the wealth Blue Coral had accumulated over his lifetime, could one disaster really have left him utterly penniless?

“I have investments in other cities. Liquidating those and borrowing from the other Masters of the Magic Towers should cover the immediate crisis.”

“Oh...”

They said a rich family’s fortune lasted three generations even after its downfall. The same held true for Blue Coral. The main pillar of his wealth might be gone, but his diversified assets remained.

“So don’t worry about things here. Go with them.”

“Still...”

“Besides, you have no desire to work for the people here, do you?”

What surprised Meister most, however, was not the fact that his grandfather still had money, but that final remark.

His raised eyebrows betrayed a little surprise. As though that should come as news.

“You sound certain.”

“I know how much you hate the claim that something is ‘a sacrifice for everyone’s sake.’ You could hardly be happy with this situation. And I doubt you ever loved this city enough to overcome that dislike.”

From their first meeting to the present, Meister’s likes and dislikes had always been quite clear.

That was why, though he might not know everything, Blue Coral had a general grasp of his grandson’s preferences. This prediction was hardly anything to be surprised about.

“I wouldn’t call what I’m doing a sacrifice.”

“But they must be saddling you with responsibilities as they please, aren’t they? Because you’re capable. Because you can get things done fastest.”

He also had a fair idea of how the people outside would use Meister. His grandson truly had far too many talents for his own good.

“That’s why I’m telling you to go, rather than do work you hate. Whether you stay here or go with them, research will be difficult either way. In that case, you might as well choose the option that gives you plenty of free time.”

But did all those talents have to be devoted to this city alone?

Blue Coral raised his head and looked into his grandson’s violet eyes. Once mottled, they had become a single, uniform color after the effects of the experiments were removed.

He had brought that child to this city so he could live as he pleased, not to keep him bound to it.

His own love for the city did not oblige his grandson to love it too.

“People say that if you have ability, you should use it for everyone. Yet few who say such things remember that the person with that ability is also a human being.”

“Human stupidity.”

“... If you genuinely care about this city and want to stay, that’s fine. But if not, stop worrying about what others think and make the choice that’s better for your life. This place won’t collapse just because you leave. Stay out of some shallow goodwill, and all you’ll get is disappointment while they work you for a pittance.”

“I won’t be paid for my labor if I follow them, either.”

“But you’ll get to see the world, which you never had the chance to do. And considering their focus on hunting demons, you should be able to collect a fair number of remains.”

“... The townspeople will probably curse me.”

“And would that bother you enough to stop you from going?”

“Of course not.”

Yes. That was more like it.

Blue Coral looked fondly at his grandson, who would merely pick his ears no matter how much people criticized or slandered him. That this was objectively an unpleasant personality trait mattered little. As his grandfather, so long as his grandson could live comfortably, he cared nothing for the frustration of those who had to deal with him.

“But I don’t think there’s much I can actually do by following the Hero.”

“Well, now.”

Still... there was one person he hoped his ill-tempered grandson would help rather than drive to distraction. With the greatest reason for sending his grandson out of the city in mind, Blue Coral set down his teacup.

“You have a commission from them, don’t you?”

“... Wait, that’s...”

“You’ve already been paid. And that particular commission must be delivered, no matter what.”

The divine power filter the Archmage had commissioned had to be delivered.

“It absolutely must.”

That was the only right thing to do.

* * *

Perhaps because I had helped when I had no obligation to, the innkeeper was quite accommodating during my one-day stay.

Little things, like slightly larger portions of food or complimentary lemon water she normally charged for.

But would I be me if I simply accepted all that without doing anything? That would be my persona, wouldn’t it?

So every time I received something extra, I repaid her by helping clean or carrying heavy things... and ended up on the verge of being introduced to her daughter. If her daughter hadn’t gone to work at the barracks, I would never have escaped it.

“Why not stay just one more day...? I could let you stay for half price.”

“Haha...”

Another day at half price was certainly tempting, but if a matchmaking session was the price I had to pay, that was a bit...

“I’m not saying this just to introduce you. Young man, you said you’re going to Manhafelt, didn’t you? The road there is in quite a state right now. Haven’t you heard the rumors of a demon appearing along the route that way?”

“Ah, those rumors.”

Besides, Disguise’s debuffs were creeping toward dangerous levels. Setting aside the reduced defense and resistance and increased damage taken, the damage over time ticking away every second had risen to a level I could no longer ignore.

I really had to leave now.

“I have heard... but the city sent out a subjugation force, so shouldn’t it be all right?”

Fortunately, from what I had heard while walking around yesterday, twenty soldiers from this city and one knight sent from Manhafelt were going out to hunt the demon. Apparently, the knight had been sent here because the demon had appeared closer to this city than to Manhafelt.

Wouldn’t that make it all right? Even if the force included priests, and I would have to pass them along the way.

“True, but... wouldn’t it be better to wait until we hear they’ve killed it?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have the time.”

My tests in the Great Forest had shown that I could force myself to maintain Disguise for up to five days. And that meant barely staying alive, with my HP only just holding at half.

But could they kill the demon and return within those five days? I doubted it. Searching for the demon, killing it, and traveling to and from the city would all take time.

In that case, I was better off leaving early and passing them. It wasn’t as though a demon would get the better of me anyway.

“Stubborn thing...”

“Haha. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t smile. You’ll make me fond of you.”

“If I ever come to this city again, I’ll be sure to visit.”

“Yes, yes. Come back soon if you can. Before I marry my daughter off.”

I smiled gently at the innkeeper, who couldn’t hide her intentions even to the very end. I would probably never return here, but some things were better left unknown.

“Goodbye.”

“Stay healthy!”

“I will.”

I dipped my head to her and adjusted my glasses where they had slipped down.

It was time to head for Manhafelt, on the westernmost edge of the eastern region, unlike Bemurhen on its far eastern coast.

* * *

[“You’ve hidden yourself well.”]

Beneath a galaxy formed by dozens of chandeliers linked together, someone seated on a throne in a vast hall opened his eyes. Horns growing like a crown and colorless white skin proclaimed that he was no ordinary human.

[“If you have hidden, never emerge again. I will not meekly die to your wrath.”]

He exhaled a blue breath and lifted his body away from the backrest. Rising higher than his own height, the throne’s back was carved with the symbol of Venus, positioned to resemble a halo.

The armrests beneath his hands were no ordinary things, either. They were formed from the hands of statues jutting from the wall, joined to the chair. With every wrinkle and vein worked into the marble, the hands resembled corpses set out as decorations.

“Aaaah—”

Behind the throne, thousands of angel statues carved into the wall moved only their mouths, filling the hall with beautiful hymns.

[“Adam.”]

Savoring the reverberating song, he took the scepter he held against him in one hand. He lifted it slightly, then struck it down.

THUNK

The lake that served as the floor repelled the scepter. Small ripples spread slowly through the hall in concentric circles before fading.

Within the lake, so deep and dark that its depth could not be gauged, an enormous shadow stirred.

“You called?”

The lake’s surface began to bubble, and the foam formed the likeness of a creature. Fragile bubbles repeatedly collapsed and formed anew, shaping something between a wolf and a lion.

[“Prepare the ancient magic.”]

He slowly crossed his legs. His skirt, slit up one side, slipped down in layers of folds, and words in an inhuman language roamed across the exposed white leg.

Protection, dominion, master. With each layer of ancient language, the banners decorating the hall—and the magic inscribed upon them—emitted a faint light.

[“I shall cast the stone of change into a stagnant world.”]

Pride. The final spell burst into full bloom.

Is It a Problem If the Protagonist Is Obsessed with Staying in Character? (Serial)

Author │ Hae Inseol

Publisher │ Kim Juhyeong

Published by │ J-Ple Media Co., Ltd.

Marketing │ Han Jaehyeok

Address │ Suite 204, 288 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Daerung Post Tower 1)

Email │ [email protected]

Website │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1

ⓒ Hae Inseol 2022

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