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Chapter 23
“Here,” the former Red Lotus guildmaster said.
I gave a deeply distressed look, my face deathly pale, and stood where he pointed. I observed the ground beneath my feet.
There seemed to be nothing on the floor but sand; however, Seo Dawon was confident, nodding his chin as if to urge me to move faster. I eventually raised a dagger with my right hand over my left palm.
“Haah….” I sighed.
“If you’re scared, I can do it for you?”
“…..It’s fine.”
I was embarrassed at his curt tone and worried that he would make a remark about my incompetence even in small matters. Why must I cut my own hand?
But, as time went on, Seo Dawon’s gaze pressured me into action.
Eventually, I closed my eyes and cut my left palm. Blood seeped from the wound, drop by drop. At first, the pain was tolerable, but, as the sanguine droplets continued to gush out of the wound, my hand began to throb as if it was dunked into boiling water.
It was not a deep wound, but hurting my own body distressed me. I squeezed my fist, trying to wring out more blood, and my palm was soon enveloped in slippery, damp red liquid. The fishy smell of iron wafted through the air, and I touched the ground with that bloodied hand.
“Doesn’t a shallow wound hurt more?” Dawon asked.
“Eugh…..” I sneaked a glare at him. “Quickly, the skill….” I grumbled, timidly.
A sparkling, gold magic circle appeared where my hands touched the floor.
However, as the magic circle emerged, I felt an unpleasant sensation of something licking away the blood underneath my palm, and I reflexively flinched.
“Don’t move,” Seo Dawon warned me; my shoulders trembled. I tried to ignore this unpleasant tickling sensation, holding back my rising nausea.
After suffering through fear of the unknown and stress for a few intolerable seconds, I whipped my hands off the ground after Dawon said “It’s done.” Standing up, I checked my palm. The wound from earlier was still open, but all the blood I squeezed out had vanished. Complicated feelings welled up inside of me. Did something truly lick at my palm? Jeez….
“It’s out.”
I followed his words and looked at the center of the Magic Circle; a black wedge, just like Seo Dawon had shown earlier, was slowly pushing out of the ground.
Soon after, the golden magic circle disappeared, and the wedge laid still on the sand. I reached over to pick up the wedge, and, when my fingers touched its surface, a system message simultaneously appeared.
You have acquired an ‘essence of a vengeful ghost’ that cannot be verified because you have not yet satisfied the conditions.
Gained: An ingredient for summoning Vengeful Ghosts
Further information access is barred due to the low ability of the summoner.
The rank cannot be determined at this time with available appraisal skills, so please refer back to this window at a later time.
“But, I….It says that it’s currently impossible for me to access this information….”
“Just store it in your inventory.”
“Yes…..” I docilely followed his instructions.
Seo Dawon explained further. “You know how my guild members died with me, right?” He asked. The hologram of the black wedge in his hands disappeared when he clenched his grip. I reflexively nodded.
He continued, “I believe they or their memories are also sealed into these ‘Essence of Vengeful Ghosts.'”
Recollections of each fallen member had bubbled up in my memories. Obviously, Seo Dawon was not the sole death that day. If he became a vengeful ghost, then, likely, the other guild members may have encountered the same fate.
“But I haven’t seen any other ‘Essence of Vengeful Ghosts’ other than yours….”
“There’s probably situational requirements to be able to see these ‘essences’,” Seo Dawon stared at me after speaking. I couldn’t help but feel anxious at his mysterious gaze–my neck went stiff from the tension.
“Some of your blood was spilt where I had died,” He said.
“…..Huh?”
“You fell from a high place, yeah? When you hit the ground and injured yourself, your blood seeped into the ground. I think that blood called to my soul, the ‘essence of the vengeful ghost.’ You’re a necromancer, after all.”
Are you saying that the blood of a Necromancer was a necessary medium for a vengeful ghost contract? My mind went blank at this almost unbelievable theory. But, then….why wouldn’t this information be contained in the Necromancer class description or the skill’s status window?
AD
“T-that’s the first time I’ve heard that…”
“You’re probably not privy to this information because you’re low level.”
What could I say in the face of Seo Dawon’s, a top level ranker’s, confidence? I knew nothing of levels nor special qualifications. So, I merely nodded my head as if I understood.
Seo Dawon continued after calmly waiting for my wild thoughts to collect itself. “So, before we escape, we should utilize your blood to revive the Red Lotus guild.”
“Ah….What?!”
My nodding head suddenly froze; I retreated in surprise. No way…Is he expecting me to fall from such a height again? Is this guy crazy?! Regardless of my promise to help achieve his revenge, I don’t want to die for that goal!
“I-I don’t have that many potions right now, and a serious wound would kill me….”
“You don’t have to spill blood until you’re at the brink of death anymore. You have me now.”
Fortunately, he said that he could sense the location of these essences through his skills. It was enough to make a cut on my palm and make my hands slightly damp with blood. Although I nodded my head, when I took the dagger out of the inventory I felt the situation was a bit unfair.
“Wouldn’t you rather have seven servants than just one?” Seo Dawon remarked. His further persuasion eventually broke through my regretful feelings.
With just Seo Dawon…Signing his contract increased my ability and firepower by so much. With guild members led by and personally raised by Dawon…Anyone would think twice before attacking us.
I fiddled with the ‘Essence of a Vengeful Ghost’, emotions entrenched half in anticipation and half in nervousness, and placed it into my inventory. Seo Dawon carefully scanned the floor again and gestured at another spot, “This way.”
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Once the magic circle was invoked yet again, I winced before gripping the dagger. The wound on my palm had already clotted, and it was so painful to place a blade on an already existing injury.
By the third slash, my hand hurt so much that I couldn’t hide my groans of pain. I couldn’t bring myself to draw the dagger again. Seo Dawon offered to make the cuts for me….but I thought I’d rather do it myself. My pride persevered through hot stinging tears. From the fourth slash on, I switched to the opposite palm.
Seo Dawon glanced at my crying yet determined face in wonder as we acquired the fifth ‘Essence of the Vengeful Ghost.’ “The last one is someplace else, so let’s go there.”
I began to walk weakly, tingly hands stretched out.
“By the way, how old are you?” Seo Dawon, who was leading the way, suddenly asked.
I gingerly wiped away my tears with the back of my hands, “I’m twenty four…”
Suddenly, Seo Dawon stopped and looked back, “You’re three years older than me?!”
“What?”
“Wait, that’s wrong. It’s been three years since I’ve died. You were born in XX? Then, you’re the same age as me.” 1
“Huh???”
What kind of bullshit is this?! I thought Seo Dawon was Red Lotus’ guildmaster. What kind of person becomes the guildmaster in their early twenties? In other guilds, the leaders were usually in the 40s or 50s. Younger guildmasters did exist, but they were rare. Especially considering how most famous guilds had older executive officials.
And Seo Dawon…Seo Dawon is incredibly attractive, there’s no way he’s in his early twenties just based on his poise! Plus, he’s unbelievably tall and built for a mage. Three years ago he would have been 21 years old….I just couldn’t believe him; there was nothing innocent or youthful about his image.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“?? Are you telling me that I look old?”
“Ah–No…It’s not that….! Are you really the same age as me?”
“Yeah. But now that you know my age, you’re speaking informally.” 2
“Um, Sir……”
I couldn’t figure out whether or not he was teasing me–instead I gave him furtive glances out of the corner of my eyes.
Seo Dawon looked at me for a second and then smiled lightly, “It’s good to be the same age. Feel free to speak comfortably.” When he smiled, there was some credibility to his words: the years dropped off his face.
I was emboldened by his smile and rushed to his side. “Were you really born in the year XX?”
“Mhmm.”
“Really?”
“Do I really look old enough for you to continuously ask this annoying question?”
His emotionless voice wasn’t so scary anymore. I couldn’t help but steal secret glances at him as we walked forward, side by side.