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Geoerg of Indolence.
He was, as his title suggested, the most indolent person in this world.
Therefore, unless it was a truly exceptional case, he wouldn’t move from his abode all year round, 365 days.
One could say he was a recluse of the corner.
“Even the one who just arrived is a fake.”
Leaning back in his chair, Geoerg, whether the other Mines listened or not, spoke lazily in a sluggish voice, devoid of any soul.
That figure was a puppet created by Geoerg, inserting his own fragment of ‘consciousness’ into it.
“Explain.”
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Seemingly too lazy to even speak, Geoerg, ending his greedy words about wanting the divine pearls, put the pipe in his mouth.
A man in a black robe who had been standing behind him stepped forward, removing his hat.
Under the robe, the face revealed was that of a man with closely cropped silver hair, and a remarkably kind appearance.
As the man’s face was revealed, the Mines buzzed with excitement.
“Norton?”
“Why is he here…”
“Became a Mine?”
Most reactions were filled with discomfort and disbelief.
Understandably so, the man had been at the forefront hunting Mines just a few years ago.
The former leader of the Dawn Guardians, the player of the Hymn of Rest, Norton.
Norton’s appearance stirred excitement in the room.
Geoerg, who had been puffing on his pipe, casually waved his hand.
Instantly, the excitement dissipated as if washed away.
Looking around, he asked, “Is there anyone among you who can break through the Seal of Eunga and retrieve the divine pearls?”
“…”
None of the Mines present had an answer.
Understandable, as breaking through the Seal of Eunga was something no Mine could possibly achieve.
A seal that completely excluded magic. The divine pearls lay dormant at the heart of that seal.
Therefore, within the Mine Association, no one had ever considered going after the divine pearls.
Hence, when Geoerg mentioned going after the divine pearls, no Mine believed it would succeed. However, what followed from Geoerg was quite astonishing.
“Norton has a way to break through that seal.”
“!”
“Could that really be possible…”
“Are you truly believing his words?”
“He must be lying.”
Despite the skeptical responses, Geoerg’s expression remained unwavering.
“I confirmed it myself.”
“······.”
At those words, Jangnae fell silent as if a mouse had died.
Although Bongmajin was at the center of the Eungga, no one had the courage to refute Georg’s claim, as it was unclear how he had confirmed it.
Georg, who would kill Min as easily as insects when bored, made everyone avoid eye contact by simply glancing around.
“Tsk, like bugs.”
With a gesture suggesting to continue, Georg nodded at Norton. Norton, who showed gratitude by bowing slightly, spoke up.
“As Georg-nim says, I cannot eliminate Bongmajin, but I know a way to distort its nature.”
“······.”
Noticing the uncomfortable expressions of the Mines, Norton began to explain the plan with composure.
“In four days, the Hae Shin Yeon will be held in Eungga.”
Hae Shin Yeon.
It was an event where the magical stone, ‘Pearl of Hae Shin,’ which turned Eungga into the land of magical veins, would be publicly displayed.
Despite the risk of the Pearl of Hae Shin being stolen, they would boldly present it to the public to demonstrate their power and recruit sponsors.
Norton was suggesting to reclaim the Pearl of Hae Shin at that Hae Shin Yeon.
“For this, I have planted the [Seed of Ama] in the guardian of Eungga, Haegeom Eunhoseong.”
“!”
At the mention of the Seed of Ama, the Mines stirred once again.
The cursed magical creature that feeds on human magic and grows, Ama (亞魔).
The source of the Seed of Ama was none other than Georg, the lazy Mine.
Supported wholeheartedly by Georg, Norton had succeeded in planting the Seed of Ama in Eunhoseong.
At that moment, one of the Mines who was silently listening to Norton’s plan asked a question.
“If Eunhoseong falls, will the Hae Shin Yeon still take place?”
Norton smiled slyly.
“The Hae Shin Yeon will proceed as scheduled.”
“?”
“The head of Eungga values the family. They wouldn’t want the foundation of Eungga shaken by canceling the Hae Shin Yeon.”
Eungga was a family that had built a reputation by lending military power to outsiders.
If such a family suddenly canceled the Hae Shin Yeon held every ten years, the public’s evaluation of Eungga would plummet.
Therefore, the head of the family planned to proceed with the Hae Shin Yeon, hiding the fact that the guardian was in a critical condition.
Of course, there were voices of opposition within Eungga about opening the Hae Shin Yeon without the guardian, but Norton knew in advance that the head of the family would quell them.
“To steal the Pearl of Hae Shin from Eungga without Eunhoseong and Bongmajin is a very easy task.”
As Norton laid out a detailed plan, he held up a ring embedded with a red gem.
‘Is that it.’
When I looked at the ring with interest, Norton spoke.
“This is the gem needed to free oneself from my music and the corrupted energy of Bongmajin. The potion contained in the gem will lose its effect after being ingested into the body the next day.”
After the explanation, the ring was distributed to the Mines. My expression turned awkward.
‘Oh.’
The rings were not given to everyone; they were only distributed to pre-selected Mines.
It seemed like they had pre-selected the mines entering the banquet hall based on their skills.
Since the game didn’t have such detailed details, it was something that they hadn’t prepared for.
“I have no choice but to steal.”
It was impossible to snatch a ring in a hall crowded with over a hundred people.
In the end, it seemed better to choose the most approachable person and steal from them when they were alone.
“This is bad.”
The more I looked at the mines who received the rings, the more my impression could only sour.
Each and every one of them had a vague outline of their aura.
With their auras flickering here and there, it was not only difficult to pinpoint but also a separate realm to destroy them.
In the end, it was a story of giving up on targeting auras and resorting to stealing based on skills.
I picked the most approachable-looking person.
“I have to target that guy.”
A guy leaning against a pillar in the hall, arms crossed.
His aura seemed less vague, indicating he might have the lowest skill level.
“As it seems like all discussions have concluded, let’s disband.”
As I pondered, whether the explanation had ended, Georgh declared the end of the meeting.
And so, as one by one the mines left the assembly hall, I also moved to pursue the mine I had targeted.
However, the guy who left the hall started wandering around the garden pavilion instead of leaving the mansion suddenly.
Confirming that the guy was alone, I approached him.
It wasn’t difficult for me to sneak up on him, given that targeting auras was challenging.
Casually approaching the guy, I quietly gathered my energy.
“Let me land just one good hit.”
If a person didn’t faint from a single blow, it would backfire on me, so I concentrated my energy, aiming at the back of his head.
Until then, the guy hadn’t sensed any attack and continued to stroll around the garden pavilion, admiring the view. It was when I was about to release my energy.
“So, you were here.”
“Oh, damn.”
Suddenly interrupted by the guy speaking next to me, I withdrew my energy.
And the guy I was chasing briefly turned to look at me before disappearing around the pavilion. As I frowned, the guy who appeared next to me caught my gaze.
It was a face I had never seen without a mask, but the voice and attire matched the guy who had provoked me when he first entered the hall.
“Hmm?”
However, as I stared at him, I suddenly realized one crucial fact.
“Did you also receive a ring?”
“You’re asking the obvious.”
The guy proudly raised the ring on his index finger, smiling smugly.
Then, sensing something was off, he furrowed his brow.
“You, this guy, seem suspicious? Following me around, talking differently? Take off your mask.”
“Shut up, you damn bastard.”
“What?”
Grr!
Energy surged in response to the guy’s shocked expression.
“Gah! This son of a b-“
Thud!
My energy surged back into the bastard’s face.
“Argh!”
The fiend, with a twisted face, rushed at me, swinging a fist crackling with magic.
Whoosh!
A dark fist cleaved through the air. But it couldn’t advance any closer to me.
“What the-!”
His eyes widened in disbelief as his fist, pushed back, was deflected by the expansive ‘elasticity’ of my energy.
“Gah!”
Gathering my energy again, I struck the scoundrel’s jaw, watching him fall to the ground.
“Just a pathetic kid.”
For my aura to be clearly visible, the condition was that the opponent had to be significantly weaker than me; being faintly visible didn’t mean I was weaker than him.
He was merely a “Ringbearer,” barely at the level of hanging on a ring, far from the caliber needed for a raid on a banquet hall.
“I guess I’ll have to erase his memory?”
I muttered to myself as I looked down at the unconscious guy.
If he fainted from a blow by a lower-ranked individual, I wasn’t sure, but he seemed to have sensed something suspicious about me, prompting him to request I remove my mask.
Perhaps due to his unconscious state, his aura was less hazy than before.
Still erratic and darting around, making it difficult to pinpoint, but…
“I suppose I’ll keep hitting until it lands.”
Since it was already done, there was no point in holding back. If he didn’t go down with one hit, then two, three would do. After that, I could forcibly wake him and deal with it.
With that plan in mind, I stood up, brushing off my hands.
“Hah!”
A gasp echoed as the guy I had targeted earlier returned and spotted us, startled.
“Just go away.”
As I gestured, the guy who had swallowed his groans turned and left again.
The assembly hall was unique, but fights among mine were a common sight.
Alone again in the space, I managed to partially shatter his aura.
“Phew. Finally broke through.”
It was tough at first, but now I had a sense of it.
Finally, after neatly wrapping things up, I stood up from my seat, feeling refreshed.
“Oh, right. The ring.”
Belatedly recalling my original goal, I retrieved the ring from the unconscious guy.
That was the moment the gathering came to an end.
“Phew-“
“······!”
At the sound from behind, I stood still in my place.
Someone was standing right behind me.
A chill ran down my spine.
It was a shiver so intense that it made goosebumps rise all over my body.
“Hmm, interesting.”
A lazy voice mixed with laughter. I slowly turned around.
“So, it’s finally over.”
With a face buried in fat, eyes curved like a crescent moon, the man smiling behind me was the lazy mine, Georg.