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Chapter 36
The mage Ansen explained diligently.
“A place in the same location but a completely different world—this is usually called a shadow realm. It’s a world you can glimpse or enter under certain conditions.”
The colder Mehen’s reaction became, the more enthusiastically Ansen spoke.
“Even if it’s called another world, it’s not entirely different. It shares the same background—just the inhabitants differ. Like high-level monsters or demons. Usually, there’s a central subject or object that acts as the core, and if it’s destroyed, the realm disappears. Though it can also occur as a natural phenomenon…”
Mehen, feeling a headache, held his forehead and raised a hand.
“That’s enough explanation about the shadow realm. So you’re saying… something like that has appeared?”
“It seems someone overlaid identical barrier magic circles to create a phase gap. That’s not something an ordinary mage could do. Even if you understand the theory, it’s nearly impossible to replicate…”
“Is it even possible?”
“Not unless you’re a Star-ranked mage.”
Perhaps it was the instinct of a true mage in the face of such a miraculous phenomenon—Ansen’s eyes sparkled brightly as he stared at the barrier.
“We’re not here for that.”
Mehen’s patience had reached its limit.
Faced with this unexpected situation, there was only one thought in Mehen’s mind.
“Phase gaps, barriers, whatever—I just want to know one thing. Can we get our young lady out of there?”
“Ah, well…”
The mages’ expressions instantly darkened. The awkward smiles said enough without needing to hear the answer.
Crackle—
A sudden anomaly stirred the barrier.
“?”
FWOOSH—!
The barrier circle flared as if overloaded, and the mages, who had begun assessing the situation, all froze in shock.
“What in the world is happening?!”
What in the world had happened?
Gulp.
I tried to appear calm, swallowing my dry throat, but even keeping my trembling body still was difficult.
I was holding onto my sanity by a thread—I felt like I could faint any second now.
“Hmph.”
Jet-black hair, golden eyes glowing like a predator staring at its prey.
The moment our eyes met, I couldn’t move a muscle.
It felt like a massive beast was staring me down, sizing me up as its next meal.
The oppressive, wild energy crushed my body so completely that I couldn’t even appreciate his handsome face.
“How strange.”
A graceful smile curved along his perfect lips.
“You shouldn’t be able to see me.”
I gasped as his face drew so close it was almost touching mine. His black pupils narrowed vertically.
“Why does it feel like you’re looking straight at me?”
Cold sweat dripped down my back.
Like a well-fed predator discovering an unexpected delight, the man studied me intensely and relentlessly.
“……”
“……”
Should I pretend I didn’t see him? Pretend I don’t know what’s going on?
But from the way things were going, I’d already been caught.
Would pretending now just get me punished for lying?
What should I do?!
If I had the guts of some conniving divine priest, I might try bluffing my way out of this…
But having never been one to flatter others was now my greatest regret.
Can’t he just pretend he didn’t see me?
Just as I was rolling my eyes in desperate, hopeless denial—
“…Interesting.”
A faint chuckle slipped from him, and the suffocating pressure binding me suddenly lifted.
“Haa, haa…”
I gasped for breath as clarity returned—and realized there was no pretending anymore.
He did it on purpose.
I glanced at him and quickly lowered my eyes.
He looks like he’s in his twenties.
But the energy I felt from him…
It was nothing like his appearance—more like a coiled serpent that had lived for centuries, hiding in human form.
Is today the day I die?
“Are you scared?”
“Well…”
Wouldn’t anyone be scared in this situation?
“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to do anything to you right away.”
“Ah… okay.”
My reply made the man laugh again like a lunatic.
I couldn’t read him at all.
Still, one thing I was confident in—my finely honed sense for detecting danger said I wouldn’t die just for saying the wrong thing.
“Who are you?”
“You’re curious about me in a situation like this?”
What else was I supposed to be curious about?
“You’re not a ghost, right?”
I asked as I subtly backed away. The man blinked, then burst into laughter like a madman.
What is wrong with him?
“A ghost?”
Smiling enchantingly enough to bewitch someone, he replied,
“I’m not one of those filthy, low-grade monsters.”
…A crazy fantasy world indeed.
Even ghosts are considered low-rank monsters?
“Hm. Strange. You really can see me? How? There’s nothing wrong with my powers…”
He muttered to himself, poking my cheek repeatedly.
“I thought I sent all living things away. Why are you still here? Hmmm… Did I mess up the range settings? No, that shouldn’t be it… What are you?”
The more the eerily beautiful man muttered incomprehensible things, the more terrified I became.
He rested his chin on one hand.
“You’re holding up well. Normally, a regular human would pass out just from glimpsing this place and never wake up.”
“??”
You threw me into a place like that?!
“Am I going to die?”
“Do I look like a murderer to you?”
Yes.
“…No.”
“Well, that’s disappointing.”
What’s with that reaction?
Did I hesitate too long and screw up?
Was this it—was I going to die? If so, I was seriously considering begging Mehen to let me write a will first.
“Well, I suppose this is fate.”
The man smiled. A smile that could enchant just about anyone left me dazed.
“Oh, since we’ve met, let me ask you—have you seen anything really big, weird, or just unusual?”
“Uh…”
Suddenly, I remembered that thing I’d barely glimpsed earlier—the thing I probably shouldn’t have seen.
“Over there.”
“Hm?”
“At the end of the corridor that connects to the hall.”
“Ah, thanks.”
He hadn’t seemed to expect much, but his face lit up when I gave the answer.
“In return for the info, take this.”
He handed me a round egg with wings. A flying Easter egg? What made it strange was that it was semi-transparent.
“If you hold it tightly, you might survive.”
“…?”
Was I supposed to make a wish or something?
As I stood there, confused, the man turned to leave—but glanced back at me one last time.
I flinched.
He smiled again when he saw my startled expression.
“Just one piece of advice—go the other way as fast as you can. Unless you want to get caught up in something and die.”
I blinked.
And in an instant, the man vanished.
“…Was he really a ghost?”
I definitely felt like I’d been possessed.
“But what did he say just now? If I don’t want to get caught up and die…?”
The moment I realized the weight of his “advice,” my face turned pale.
WEEEENG—
Suddenly, the egg in my hand lit up, and a milky-white translucent shield enveloped me.
At the same time—
KWAAAAAAHHH—!
A sonic boom followed by a massive wave of magic tore through the mansion, smashing and obliterating everything in its path.
All I could do was clutch the egg and shut my eyes, like a farmer hoping the typhoon would pass.
You lunatic, you could’ve given me a head start!
“Ugh…”
I had no idea how I even survived it—but eventually, it ended.
“…Oh.”
And then.
“Huh?”
The world around me had changed.
“Did I come back?”
Sunlight streamed into the now-familiar mansion. I blinked in disbelief and tilted my head.
Crackle.
The egg I’d been clutching lost its light and crumbled. Inside, a strange emblem remained.
“A falling star?”
What could it represent?
Just as I examined the emblem curiously—
“Huh?!”
“There she is!”
People came rushing toward me.
“Arellin!”
It was Pession and Mehen, clearly worried, running to me.
“Young Lady!”
Only now did it start to feel real, like waking up from a long dream.
What… was that man?
Mehen reached me and immediately pulled me into a hug.
“Young Lady, are you alright?!”
“Mehen…”
I thought I was fine—but seeing Mehen’s face told me I wasn’t.
His familiar warmth and the scent of dried wood wrapped around me, and my body finally relaxed. Drowsiness hit me like a wave.
“What on earth happened…”
“I don’t know either.”
“Young Lady?”
I nestled into Mehen’s embrace and closed my eyes.
“I’m just… going to sleep.”
And just before my eyes fully shut, I saw the emblem in my hand emit a faint glow.
