114 – Part 2. Taesoo
Taesoo. Gwiho.
A fox spirit with nine tails.
After absorbing the intelligence of the northern continent for thousands of years, it awakened as a demon.
He accepted the faith that embraced him and took his place as Taesoo.
In essence, he was a local deity.
And with that level of dignity, he possessed a power incomparable to humans.
With that power, Taesoo practiced magic.
“Space distortion. It feels like it has expanded hundreds of times…”
It was clearly a space about three stories high inside the casino.
But where I stood now felt like an expansive and towering ground, as if I were outside.
In the middle of it all.
Rustling its silvery fur.
A colossal entity opened its eyes and faced me.
“Who dares to disturb my slumber…”
Fur bristling with anger.
And a growling visage.
The voice seemed to enter my head directly, bypassing my ears.
In response, I prostrated myself in the northern style to show respect.
“He could literally toy with me and even end my life.”
In the case of superhumans like Yerinana’s Transilvia, or even Swordmaster Sola, if I give it all I got – including the use of desperate moves – I might just stand a chance.
Even the Four Heavenly Kings, once they are fully awakened in the latter half of the story, I could perhaps land a hit.
However, the concept of a fight simply doesn’t stand a chance against an entity like Taesu.
He can distort the space around and see the entirety of the northern region.
And me being inside this distorted space means I am already within Taesu’s grasp.
Essentially, Taesu can toy with me as he pleases.
“But what was Taesu doing when the final boss appeared?”
A question strikes me at that moment.
Why on earth did Taesu just sleep during the game storyline, until the final boss revealed himself?
While it could be explained by the fact that the identities of the Four Heavenly Kings were not revealed in the early part, Taesu remained dormant even when the Four Heavenly Kings started causing havoc.
Then, the moment the final boss pierced through the dimensional wall and appeared, Taesu finally made an appearance, stealing the show with one punch to the final boss.
“I bet the system intervened again.”
A glaring plot hole.
As for Taesu, there is a strong possibility that certain attributes have been tweaked by the system.
Maybe there’s a reason Taesu could not act externally all this time…
“[What are you? What on earth are you! Why is the inner workings of the human race so twisted! Such a profound inner self cannot be obtained without experiencing life multiple times!]”
He hit the nail on the head.
It seems a being like Taesu can peek into the inside of his opponent.
And it seems he saw my emotional turmoil.
One object with twelve different emotions inside me…
From Taesu’s viewpoint, I might look like a monster.
“As the master of the North, I greet you, Taesu. I sincerely apologize as I have intruded your sleep during your rest. Please forgive me. About my inner self-“
[Hmm, Fine. A diverse heart, on the contrary, is a good thing. A precious guest has arrived.]
“…?”
Just when I thought he was on guard,
Taesu eases his furrowed brows, attuning himself bringing forth a gentle voice.
Are you welcoming me?
[Ah, it seems like encountering a human after a long time has caused me to release my energy recklessly. Surely, you must be in pain. Suppress your energy immediately and calm yourself.]
“······?”
At that moment, with a mischievous smile, Taesoo’s body began to shrink.
Suddenly, his body transformed into the figure of a woman with long, flowing hair as tall as I am.
The fox ears still remained on her head, and nine tails peeked out from beneath her skirt.
Then, the energy that was tingling in my head disappeared.
“But it wasn’t painful enough to be in agony, was it?”
I released my energy recklessly?
If someone like Taesoo did that, I would either be writhing on the ground by now or my head would have exploded.
I am perfectly fine, strangely enough.
It didn’t take long for me to realize the reason.
[Ability: Mental Fortitude]
[With a strong body comes a strong mind. Mental fortitude is enhanced proportionally to overall stats.]
Enhanced mental fortitude.
Thanks to this ability acquired when I faced the final boss, Draken, I managed to come out unscathed.
Taesoo, who was observing my reaction, widens her eyes in surprise.
“So, you managed to overcome my energy. Human, are you really of the same race?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Hmm, you’re not lying. What on earth could have happened? Anyway! Since I’m in a good mood, if there’s something you desire, tell me! Speak your desires, human.”
Taesoo smirks and crosses her legs.
Her momentary display of displeasure is quickly replaced by a willingness to assist me.
Was Taesoo always this mild-mannered?
In any case, this is a fortunate turn of events.
It seems like I can achieve what I want right away.
“I have a limited perspective, so I would be grateful if you could impart some wisdom.”
“Why would a human seek guidance from me? Seek an instructor of your own kind. I don’t know much about your kind either.”
“It’s not about your kind. I want to inquire about the physiology of the werewolf race.”
“Oh, I see.”
Tae-su, a goblin and a demon, showing interest with a smirk.
Originally, Tae-su is deeply familiar with the beast-men clan, since she governs over the majority of the population in the north, who are part of the clan.
Her other form is that of a beast-man.
“I came to ask if you, Lord Tae-su, who has lived for thousands of years, would know about the unique constitution of the beast clan.”
“Alright. Tell me what you know. I’ll tell you as much as I know.”
“Do you know the beast clan’s trait called ‘Kwangjeung’?”
“Kwangjeung?”
Tae-su tilts her head.
It seemed that ‘Kwangjeung’ was a term coined recently, and Tae-su was out of touch with the latest fads and hadn’t encountered the term yet.
“‘Kwangjeung’ is a valuable trait of the beast-men clan, thought to appear once every millennium. It amplifies the sensitivity of the five senses and enables one to unleash suppressed wildness instantly.”
“Ah, I see. The blessing possessed by King Palana. I’ve only witnessed that blessing three times in my lifetime. It is indeed rare. But what about it?”
“If you happen to know any way to suppress or eliminate this trait, please tell me.”
The ‘Kwangjeung’ of Yerina.
It’s another name for the obsessive condition of Yerina that has tormented me during the past 12 cycles.
As long as ‘Kwangjeung’ exists, I will not escape hardship in this cycle either.
I have managed to evade it thus far.
Yerina, who caught Alisha’s betrayal, will pursue me even more relentlessly in the future.
From what I see, it would be impossible to evade Yerina for over a year from now.
In my current state, the moment I encounter Yerina, my house will turn into Yerina’s ice cave, and a bad ending is certain.
Hence, I need to neutralise ‘Kwangjeung’.
If Yerina’s obsession is minimised, there might be hope even after I get caught.
And if ‘Kwangjeung’ improves, the situation with the traitorous Alisha might improve too.
But all of this effect is secondary.
The real reason is something else.
“Do you want to get rid of King Palana’s blessing?”
“You may take it that way if you wish.”
“But I have to ask. Why do you want to get rid of the perfectly fine blessing of King Palana?”
“Because the Snow Queen can’t be happy due to ‘Kwangjeung’.”
“What are you saying? Thanks to his blessing, King Palana has become powerful. He has seized the throne with that power and is leading countless vassal states but you say the blessing is making King Palana miserable?”
“What you say is undoubtedly true. His characters brought immense power, honor, and the throne to the Frost Lord. Marshal also attributes his paranoid obsession and suspicion to help the Frost Lord establish absolute authority. It is clearly a blessing for the Frost Lord. But the madness, for a man named Yuri or Frost, is a truly depressing curse.”
While madness might be an excellent talent for the Frost Lord,
For humans, for Yuri or Frost, it is the worst character trait.
It’s a disease that devours the psyche of oneself and those around, suspicious of everyone until the moment of death, unable to build relationships with people.
“Yuri or Frost doubts everything, and this doubt only grows with time. He trusts no one, demands loyalty and faith from others. But it’s like pouring water into a bottomless bowl. Yuri or Frost will never share his heart with anyone until the end of his life. Love will never occur, and no one will understand him. He will live his life wearing the mask of the high Frost Lord and die lonely. This is the curse that madness has brought to Yuri or Frost.”
Madness must disappear.
Not for the sake of something else.
For the happiness of Yuri.
‘I realize it now.’
I couldn’t think of that when I saw Yuri as a simple heroine to conquer.
I couldn’t come up with that during the time when almost all thoughts were occupied with how to deceive her and commit perjury.
But in the 13th round where I gave up on wooing heroines.
Only when I genuinely wish for their happiness, I realize it.
That for Nana, Alicia, and Yuri for all three, Yuri must be liberated from madness.
“I wish Yuri Frost to be happy as a person, as a woman.”
[Ha ha ha ha! You! Are you plotting against the Frost Lord?]
“You may take it that way.”
[King Palana is unchallenged under heaven! A child naturally destined to be high and beautiful alone! Are you trying to break the natural destiny of King Palana because you want to be loved by that child! Are you trying to pull out the beast’s teeth, cut his toenails, and tame him as livestock! Ha ha ha ha! Hilarious! So funny!]
Tae-su, who was holding his belly and laughing, ended his laughter and swiped away tears.
[Ha ha ha! I laughed hard for the first time in a while! Good! Fun! It would be fun to see the arrogant wolf become a docile dog! Of course, it’s not going to happen! Here! Take this!]
“······?”
Then a book appeared on Tae-su’s palm.
Tae-su throws it at me.
Looking at the cover of the book caught, it reads ‘Broad Mind Practice’.
[Broad Mind Practice]
[A book of mind techniques to train the senses. If mastered, you can freely control your own and others’ senses.]
The system window that appears when you apply a query.
This… is exactly what Yerina needs.
Of course, the question of how to make Yerina use this is another problem.
But I’ll think about that later.
Because finding a way to suppress her mania is a great achievement in itself.
[It’s a meditation manual for nurturing the mind and mastering one’s heart. Following the manual will allow the King Palana to gain complete control over her abilities. Even without her habitual obsessive-compulsive symptoms, she should be able to switch to beast mode.]
“Thank you very much. I am deeply indebted.”
[Forget it. It used to be a ragged book on the street up until three thousand years ago. It’s enough that it’s in the right hands now.]
Was Tae-soo always this noble?
If I had known, I would have gone straight to him.
I bow my head again, touched by Tae-soo’s mercy.
[Ha ha ha! You know how to respect. Don’t worry. I’ll ensure that the manicure technique is properly conveyed to King Palana.]
“Ah? That’s okay. I’ll convey it directly.”
From Noble mtl dot com
[Becoming a fool, how are you going to convey it to King Palana? Leave it to me.]
“….?”
I am flabbergasted.
What does that mean?
Am I becoming a fool? Why?
[Why are you making such a stupid expression? Weren’t you the sacrificial offering dedicated to sating my appetite? Speaking of which, hehehe… You look delicious. Only living for about twenty years, how can you possess such a diverse soul? Such fresh and diverse soul colors! It’s truly the pinnacle of gourmet!]
“Ah.”
Upon hearing that.
The mysteries become clear, one by one.
The reason Tae-soo did not get angry despite being disturbed from his nap.
Because the one who woke him was a tasty offering.
And the reason he kindly answered the abruptly asked questions.
Because he’ll devour it after replying.
He supposed he can at least grant the last wish of an appealing offering.
“I’m not an offering!”
[Did you come without understanding? That is very unfortunate. Nevertheless, there’s no helping it. Blame your fate. The process of having your soul ripped out and devoured won’t be painful. There’s no need for fear. It’s said to be a transcendent feeling, as if reaching the heavens.]
Once again, Tae-soo transforms into a huge fox, approaching me with his mouth wide open.
A crazed monster.
I can’t communicate.
If things continue this way, I’ll end up like a fool, my spirit being devoured.
That’s absolutely out of the question.
I don’t intend to smear the wall with sh*t at such a young age.
‘Should I fight?’
The moment I tried to draw my sword,
A chilling sensation grazes my mind.
An instinct honed through years of peripheries.
An instinct telling me where to dodge and where to strike is now screaming at me not to draw my sword.
Something’s broken.
I can’t see any way to handle this.
No matter what attack I make, or where or how I attack.
In the end, all I can imagine is my head being chewed up without even marking that steel-like jaw.
‘f*ck!’
[Where are you trying to flee!]
Considering my attacks won’t work, there’s no need to upset Taesu.
Instead, I make a run for it.
Towards the door which I had come through.
However, no matter how much I run, the wooden door seems not to get any closer.
It keeps getting farther.
It seems the space is warping as I run.
“It’s useless! You’re in my formation! In here, you can’t escape. Surrender your spirit to me obediently!”
“What?”
As I was about to descend into despair,
A glimmer of hope strikes me.
A formation, as he called it, is a type of charm created by engraving magic into objects or land.
And if it’s something made through magic,
There is someone who can surprisingly deal well with it.
Just then, something in my bag rattles and shakes.
[What is that? That hideously shaped lump!]
“Ah, this is a fantastic object dropped by the death of a beautiful spider woman.”
As I calmly halt my steps and take out the trapped soul of Cali I had kept in disguise, Taesoo’s expression distorts.
I have to end this quickly since if I take it out for too long, it will be traced by the Four Heavenly Kings.
The moment I lay the starving, shaking soul on the ground.
Magical energy seeps out from the ground and is absorbed by the soul.
“This is how you use it.”
[No, stop!!!]
In an instance, the spell formation is deactivated.
The surroundings are filled with the traces of magical energy, and a hazy smoke is laid out.
It’s done!
The space distortion must be impossible now.
Moreover, because the visibility worsened, I should use this chance to escape.
……And so, I think as I reach out for the doorknob.
But, when I look behind, an unusual silhouette is visible through the smoke.
Is there some kind of tricky creature over there?
[Yikes! No.]
“You…….”
[What, what are you doing! It’s better for you if you escape quickly now that the spell formation is deactivated! If not, you’ll be at the mercy of me, ah, no! That can’t happen! You can’t see my true form!]
As I move forward through the smoke, the true form of Taesoo slowly reveals itself.
A small fox with nine tails.
That fox, covering its eyes, is trembling.
[Achievement reached]
[Taesoo, the encounter with the fox!]
Oh. Its an actual fox and not a loli one.
another slave?