NOVEL NEXT Chapter 181
Baek So-yul descended to the ground with the Wolf. It was more dawn than morning. She raised an eyebrow in confusion as they followed the Wolf to encounter a massive dragon, leaving her wide-eyed.
“……”
In awe. The overwhelming size of the dragon opened its bleary eyes and began to converse with the Wolf in the language of fairies. It seemed the conversation was brief. The Wolf nodded and urged Baek So-yul to head back.
“What did it say?”
“You’ll find out soon.”
“I’ll find out soon…?” Baek So-yul tilted her head. The two returned to the mansion. Someone would soon come to greet them at the Purple Square. Baek So-yul couldn’t help but savor the last moments.
“So this is it…”
The Wolf shook its head in response.
“It’s not the end. You’ll meet again anyway.”
“……”
“By then, promises will be kept.”
The Wolf gestured to Baek So-yul. In her confusion, what he offered was a small, unhatched egg.
“You, that…?!”
It was Hong Yu-ri who was startled instead of Baek So-yul, as she immediately understood what the egg was.
“Yes. It’s a Fairy-type Monster’s egg.”
“Fairy-type Monster’s…?”
At that, Baek So-yul’s gaze turned to Fairy.
“If anything dangerous happens, wake the Fairy-type Monster and ask it to take you to the Fantasy World.”
“…Is it okay for me to have this?”
“You don’t have it.”
The Wolf shook its head, and Fairy sat elegantly in front of the Wolf, folding her four pairs of wings. The sight of her licking the Wolf’s cheek seemed incredibly enviable to Baek So-yul.
“It’s a companion that will stay with you. …Good luck.”
At those words, Baek So-yul couldn’t hold back and embraced the Wolf. Not resisting, the way it naturally returned the hug made Hong Yu-ri crack a bemused smile, and Fairy, flailing her tail, got caught and snuggled with the Wolf.
“I’ll definitely cherish this. I promise…”
With determination in her eyes, the Wolf silently nodded.
Now it was time to say goodbye to Baek So-yul. Until then, she could keep the promises made under the moonlight. And that goodbye might be shorter than expected. After all, the reason the Square was established on the Floating Island was…
As they continued the conversation, someone knocked on the mansion’s door, causing Baek So-yul to exhale a sigh of disappointment. As her arms released the embrace, Fairy soared into the air, presumably feeling cramped, while Hong Yu-ri facepalmed and shook her head.
“…Thank you.”
“……Yeah.”
“Ha, seriously. What a melodrama.”
Ignoring the sardonic remark from Hong Yu-ri, Baek So-yul opened the door to reveal Anela, who had come to greet them. Briefly scanning the inside of the mansion, Anela looked at her watch and gestured.
“We can depart right away, right?”
“…Yes.”
It was a bright and sunny morning, but Baek So-yul’s steps toward the Purple Square felt heavy. She truly wouldn’t be able to meet Alpha for a while. At least she felt reassured seeing her teacher was awake before leaving…
“Oh? Do you not want to go? Did I come too soon without a hint of subtlety?”
Baek So-yul shook her head at Anela’s teasing, blinking innocently. No one was forcing her, and she was the one who said she would go after all.
“No, I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean ‘no’? You were just being reluctant. I guess Hong Yu-ri is more caring than I thought~?”
Baek So-yul smiled wryly at that. She might not be bothered these days with busy things, but back when dawn broke, those moments seemed to exist, she felt like she had worked hard during that time. It felt almost deflating to think before that she was giving it her all.
“……Well, okay. I don’t know who will take charge, but they’ll definitely teach you the basics! Our Purple Square is known for its strict discipline.”
Despite the playful smile, Baek So-yul responded nonchalantly. She was already prepared for that. In fact, she was counting on it.
“Yes. It’s different from other magics…”
While there were many from the Purple Square who used magic from other factions, it was rare in reverse. Anela wore a knowing smile.
“You still haven’t changed your mind about becoming the successor, right?”
“I have changed my mind.”
“Hmm~ A bit disappointing…”
“I’m going to be the Square Master.”
At that, Anela blinked at Baek So-yul, her eyes wide, but seeing the steady gaze, she realized it was sincere.
“…Are you serious? Your teacher, Hong Yu-ri, isn’t even a successor…”
“It’s not that my teacher couldn’t; she simply chose not to.”
Baek So-yul’s steady voice and unwavering gaze reminded Anela of a certain Wolf, making her blink.
“And I will. That’s all there is to it.”
Though she spoke like that, Baek So-yul didn’t envision merely becoming a Square Master. She intended to become stronger than she was in her dreams, more powerful than the witch who had been a nightmare, strong enough not to fear it, strong enough to stand beside Alpha.
“……You’re bolder than I thought, Baek So-yul? Well, I guess it’ll be interesting to see how far that determination takes you. I sincerely hope it remains unchanged.”
In the waiting room, following Anela’s guidance, Baek So-yul would soon meet her new teacher.
***
“You’re gone.”
Despite the words sounding liberating, disappointment was clear on her face. The Wolf, who was smiling, felt a sharp glance and turned away.
“Have you gotten more slick with your words…?”
“Just a misunderstanding. Were you worrying about it all night?”
Though pretending not to care, it was obvious that wasn’t the case. Such worries couldn’t be resolved in just a day or two. It was about life and death, and even if they survived, their kind would change. No matter how relaxed others said to feel, it wouldn’t be easy.
As the days passed with seeking the Square’s aid and figuring out what to do while feeding Fairy negation, the disease still hadn’t shown itself when it seemed it wouldn’t take long to move again, allowing peaceful time to flow.
***
The Wolf walked west of Tehran with Fairy, accompanied by Hong Yu-ri because they never knew when the change would start.
“…I’ve walked through here before.”
Thanks to the activities of Fairy-type Monsters, most of the pollution hanging over Tehran had been cleared away. At this rate, they would eventually fully erase the traces of the plague.
Honestly, if the Wolf acted directly, it wouldn’t take even a month to eradicate the pollution as long as there was Void and Fear. But as it was, they would just vanish. Keeping them as Fairy-type Monster’s meals would be better.
Unable to use Magic and unable to approach Negation, the Wolf turned around, standing beside Hong Yu-ri.
In the distance, the Floating Island was getting further away.
“Was it Semnan?”
“……Yeah.”
Hong Yu-ri, who answered absently, seemed distracted by the Fairy-type Monsters. Perhaps she was concerned about the idea that she might become one.
Time had passed, and they were on their way to Semnan, 170km east of Tehran, for supplies once again. It might take a while returning, but there shouldn’t be any problems.
Even after three full days, the disease hadn’t moved. Remembering the regeneration skills it had, the wounds must have already healed a long time ago.
Yet, the fact that it was still inactive made her feel a slight unease. There’s a saying, “No news is good news,” but that doesn’t apply to disaster. They couldn’t stay in the Square forever.
“……Have you made your decision?”
More of a resolution than a decision. Without using Magic, she could live at least three more years, but she knew it would be meaningless to take that time. Still, making that resolution wouldn’t be easy.
“After all… Ugh!”
Coughing, Hong Yu-ri turned her head. She lacked the courage to look the Wolf in the eyes while speaking. Then, she murmured with a voice barely above a whisper.
“…You’ll help me, right? No matter how it changes.”
As she said it, her face heated up. The first person she had spoken about was, of course, Alpha. She didn’t need to confirm; it wouldn’t change her mind… Yet still, she felt she’d said it unnecessarily.
There was no answer in return… Did he not hear? With Alpha’s hearing, that couldn’t be possible…?
Chewing on her cheek in anxiety, Hong Yu-ri looked away, her eyelids twitching, and her brows furrowing.
The Wolf was gazing elsewhere. So, she had been ignored…? The absurdity made her want to laugh. Just then, when veins began to pop on her forehead, a deep voice resonated.
But it wasn’t the words she was waiting for.
“……Tara.”
“…What?”
As Hong Yu-ri frowned, the Wolf extended a tentacle, as if explaining was a waste of time. Fairy, who had been quite some distance away, used flickering to return immediately, and the Wolf revealed its true form and began to run.
“Kyu~ Kyu~?!”
It was much faster than usual. The wind enveloped them as they sped along. Despite being startled by the sudden sprint, Hong Yu-ri kept her body low to not fall while turning her eyes to where the Wolf’s gaze was fixed.
Though several kilometers away, with her abilities far beyond an ordinary person’s, she could see clearly.
The ground was shaking. And at a terrifying speed.
It trembled subtly but distinctly. Could it be an earthquake? She knew that wasn’t the case. If it were, the whole ground would be shaking rather than something moving along with it.
“No way…”
“It’s him.”
At those words, Hong Yu-ri felt her breath hitch. The reason the Wolf hadn’t left the Square yet… was because the disease that had been hiding had finally revealed itself—the one who twisted the land.
As her panic faded, Hong Yu-ri regained her composure. At first, she thought the disease was chasing them, but the direction it was moving was not where they were but eastward…
“East…?”
Even as they ran, the Wolf nodded. East—the direction toward the Floating Island. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Is it after the Square?!”
“Most likely.”
To the two monsters, the Floating Island had probably just been an annoying presence. Especially for the disease, it likely felt that way. As long as the scales weren’t broken, even Great Magic wouldn’t do considerable damage.
But if the plague had developed awareness because of the recent death, the story would be different. If it had transformed from a nuisance into a potential threat that could end its life, it would naturally aim to eliminate the Square.
Since it lived deep underground, there was no way to detect the disease. They had to catch up to it before the Floating Island descended, no, they had to surpass it…! But the Wolf was gritting its teeth, unable to narrow the distance. And even if they reached it, it wouldn’t matter. Even if they prevented the Square’s descent, all of Semnan’s residents would be slaughtered.
“……You go to the Square.”
“What kind of nonsense…?!”
“I’ll lure it away.”
At those words, Hong Yu-ri stared at the Wolf in disbelief. She understood instantly what it meant. Preventing the Square’s descent would be up to her. All this time, Alpha had been saying he would buy time.
“Are you crazy?!”
“It’s the best option.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! What if you die then?”
Hong Yu-ri shouted. That wasn’t lost on her. Her gaze was fixed coldly and starkly ahead, further than the Wolf.
“What if you die while drawing it away? If you die, everything ends—!”
If the Wolf died, it would mean there was no way for humanity to defeat the plague. While she didn’t articulate it, Hong Yu-ri’s words suggested abandoning the residents of Semnan to choose a safer path.
In the grand scheme, her judgment was correct. It indeed reflected the perspective of a Mage. Or perhaps, she might not have moved the residents to evacuate to lure the disease.
Still, the Wolf shook its head.
There would be no compromises. It had long been averse to that. Even if the end it could see was death, it would keep going.
No, it had no intention to die. The Wolf was confident. Confident it could lure the disease and buy time. It was certain it could survive afterward…!
“I’m begging you.”
The simple word ‘please’ from the Wolf made Hong Yu-ri chew her lips hard. Finally, with a trembling voice, she whispered in the Wolf’s ear.
“…If you die, I’ll kill you!”
To say she’d kill him if he died—what did that even mean? The Wolf chuckled, and at that moment, the weight on his back disappeared. It felt like they had both moved to the Fantasy World. Simultaneously, a fierce wind started to blow, kicking up dust.
It was as if a sandstorm was rushing forward. Wrapped in the storm, Marang began to sprint at full power.
They needed to buy time.
At least until Hong Yu-ri made it to the Square…!
***
Grabbing Fairy, Hong Yu-ri dashed in the opposite direction from the Square, exactly where they had come from.
“Damn…!”
It had to be there. It must be there…! No, it had to be there for sure!
Startled, Fairy quickly understood her intentions and used flickering without hesitation, and Hong Yu-ri scowled. This was not the time to be picky.
If she hesitated and messed up, it would all be over. Not just for the citizens of Semnan but for the entire Square. Her teacher Aster, that obnoxious Dorothy, her student Baek So-yul, and Anela—all of them. The dragon? The transformation? Those things meant little…!
As Hong Yu-ri ran, red Magic seeped out of her. Even though she couldn’t hear it, she felt as if there were whispers in her ears, the grinding of her teeth echoed in her head. Having trained her body to bear magic for the sake of gaining Great Magic, she was now completely accustomed. Hong Yu-ri was running at full speed.
To find the ancient dragon somewhere in Tehran.