[Quest Complete!
Reward: 950,000 XP + Jang Hyundeok’s Trust + Performance Bonus]
[You have exerted a powerful influence over numerous cultists (Yellow-Clad King’s Descent Prayer Fellowship). Your understanding of the “Yellow-Clad King Cult” has increased.]
[Discovery: You have acquired Secret Item of the Yellow-Clad King’s Descent Prayer Fellowship (1). Experience gained.]
[Many will cry out your name in their own ways from now on. Those names will grant you new identities. This is only the beginning. A chaotic future approaches.]
“Change the line. How long is that damned ‘chaotic future’ going to be approaching?”
[The chaotic future draws near your presence...]
Crackle!
I summoned magic and wiped away the message window.
“In the end, no great gains.”
This amount of XP won’t even reach level 49.
My bond with Jang Hyundeok is already solid, so trust means little, and the only thing left is the agreed payment...
‘But that payment is just the ten million won Hyundeok put up, right?’
I didn’t work for pocket change, so it’s not a big visible achievement.
“So the only souvenir I got is this mask?”
[Mask of Harmony].
The secret item of the Yellow-Clad King’s Descent Prayer Fellowship shown in the message window is this: the three-eyed mask I took from Heein.
‘It’s low-grade, but still an artifact.’
Its effect...
It adjusts Persuasion and Charm stats and grants stealth ability? So that’s why they trusted it.
It’s not bad, but not worth swapping for my current one.
“Well, I guess I’ll settle for one memento.”
“But did you really forgive him because of that mask?”
Jang Hyundeok interjected.
“Hm?”
“I heard what you said to those cultists earlier. You said he almost died, right?”
He made that face like “He almost died and you let him off just for a mask? Is the mask that good?”
“There was also the taxi driver I let off after giving him one hit.”
“Ugh, at that time I was in some weird hallucination? Hypnosis? It wasn’t like you thought I was a bad guy, was it?”
“What are you talking about?”
If I had to choose, I let both Heein and Hyundeok off because of their future value.
“And don’t think I’m some mask-obsessed lunatic who’ll do anything for a mask. I didn’t take it because I wanted it.”
“Huh?”
It feels awkward to explain, but Hyundeok’s expression basically reads “You really are a mask lunatic?” so I had to.
“I hit him once to test whether he was just trying to fool me casually or if he was sincere.”
The Yellow-Clad King manifests wearing a mask.
Therefore, even outside the Masquerade, most devotees connected to the Yellow-Clad King have their own masks.
By taking that precious mask, I delivered the greatest insult.
Moreover, I deliberately tuned the power to deal no actual harm.
‘Of course, the reason I couldn’t deal damage was my phobia.’
But Heein must have understood it as a reminder that I could kill him at any moment.
Still, despite that, he did not show anger or shame.
‘I knew he was tough when we played the game, but damn.’
Alliance talk is just talk. I only agreed because it’ll be easier if he channels that intensity elsewhere.
Hein probably doesn’t place much value on this alliance either.
We’ll use each other, then wrap it up at an appropriate point. Maybe when my phobia shifts.
“All right. Let’s go back by car.”
I said, turning to find a way back. No way to take the boat now.
“Wizard.”
Hyundeok’s voice turned serious.
“What is it?”
“Thank you for helping.”
“All right, so behave from now on.”
“Really thank you. And for the house, too.”
He’d complained about the theme-park house, but he knew there was no other option.
“Sure. It’s not like we’ll live together forever. Once the trouble’s sorted, find a new place and move out.”
Inviting Hyundeok in isn’t only about watching Heein’s next move; there are other reasons.
‘It’s only a slight twist of the brainwashing.’
Hyundeok still emits pheromones that entice the brainwashed, and the Yellow-Clad King’s Descent Prayer Fellowship will keep indoctrinating new members.
At least until this rain stops, I can’t leave Hyundeok outside. And I confirmed other information this time too.
So it’s best to keep Hyundeok close for now.
‘I said there were no gains, but I learned a lot.’
I learned confirmed facts, potentials, and gained new connections. Once back, I’ll verify them.
‘I want to start immediately, but I’ll rest today... Tomorrow I need to handle Hyundeok’s move.’
Tonight, I’ll organize the newly confirmed things.
“When will this rain ever stop?”
“I don’t know. Maybe by tomorrow?”
“When it stops, things will be peaceful, right?”
“Hm...”
Actually the opposite. While it rains, many can’t move. The real problem starts after {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} the rain ends.
The rain, cursed by the Abyss, taints the earth and transforms whatever grows there.
“Hurry up and fix the car. We’ll be busy.”
“So I can rest until it’s fixed?”
I do want a few days’ break, unless the world is about to end again.
As expected, the rain stopped after a day, and the water covering Paju is slowly receding.
But another prediction also came true.
The sky still swells as if it might pour again. The air is damp and oppressive. Mud clings everywhere. A foul fishy stench wafts around. Paju feels like Insu Village.
“It’s a perfect environment for Deep-Sea Folk.”
The Sea God said they’re persistent, but they’re not the only problem. Cults wanting to remove my mask-hanger are everywhere.
I can’t ignore them, but at least it’s easier than risking my life flying or running about.
“If only the weather weren’t so miserable, it’d feel like a lazy weekend.”
Hyundeok’s move finished quickly—he didn’t have much stuff.
“What have you been living on? Where did the money I gave you go?”
“I mostly saved it, spent some on the scooter. I donated the rest to an orphanage.”
Donation?
If he were a significant NPC, I’d recall details, but in the game Cthulhu World, Jang Hyundeok was just a random country taxi driver NPC.
So I didn’t know the details, but the story he told about orphanage kids in Tanhyeon was real.
“Is that all your stuff?”
Heo Sanghyeon bent slightly to inspect Hyundeok’s luggage.
I worried he’d increase the household, but he looked oddly pleased.
Heo Sanghyeon twitched his bony fingers like spider legs as he approached Hyundeok (he really did look pleased).
“Any foods you avoid?”
“No, I eat all meat. Specifically beef, pork, and chicken. Birds and fish... fish without limbs. I eat those fine too.”
Despite fear, Hyundeok answered thoroughly.
Heo Sanghyeon widened his huge eyes to reassure him.
“Don’t worry. You’ll have a very—satisfying meal.”
“Ye-yes—I’m, I’m looking forward to it.”
Heo Sanghyeon chuckled and melted into the darkness of the kitchen. Watching his back, Hyundeok shivered, then clung to me and whispered.
“D-do you think the main dish today is... me!?”
“Who do you think the main dish is?”
“The homeowner...? Wait!?”
Only then did Hyundeok realize I own this house. He mumbled and slouched onto the living-room sofa, muttering “theme park” things under his breath.
Watching him, I decided to handle one of the chores I’d been putting off.
The cleanup after Insu Village kept me from it.
“Hm. Should I put it here?”
I hung the three-eyed mask I took from Heein on the wall.
Next to the grotesque Deep-Sea Folk mask [Mask of the Deep Sea].
“No, theme-wise, it fits better there.”
“There” meant beside the one-eyed mask I looted from another Masquerade target.
Since the one-eyed mask originally belonged to Heein’s companion, it makes sense grouping by type.
Or maybe I should rearrange them by artifact grade?
“You really did take it just because you wanted a mask, didn’t you?”
“As I said yesterday, it did have its reasons.”
“It really seems like it has many meanings.”
Hyundeok looked incredulous at the masks on the wall.
“Quite a collection, right?”
Heo Sanghyeon reappeared with drinks, speaking as if explaining “My household is just eccentric.”
He’d made tons of lemon syrup. The lemonade he mixed with sparkling water smelled tangy. My mouth watered.
“Hyundeok, just so you know, odd things sometimes pop out of the walls—not the masks. If you see anything like that, don’t touch it.”
“Huh?”
“Like hammers, bottles, or fans. If something appears, don’t do anything—call me.”
Last time, remains of a legionary golem trapped in the wall burst out. Junk stuck in the walls often pops out from odd places. Touch it and you get sucked in too.
“And actually, it’s best not to touch the masks either. Some are cursed or hold the former owner’s grudge—”
“Just don’t touch anything weird.”
“O-okay.”
“Sometimes furniture disappears too, but it comes back later, so don’t worry.”
“Furniture?”
The furniture cleans and tidies itself. When intruders come, it intercepts them—so the layout keeps changing.
“Never go into the innermost room on the second floor.”
“There’s occasionally a bear in that room; if it appears, don’t meet its eyes—just stand still. Nothing will happen if you avoid eye contact.”
“A bear—?”
“Also wolves and horses sometimes. Anyway, don’t mind them.”
On days heavy with yin energy, the taxidermied specimens in the torture chamber move. With all that rain, they’ll probably be active.
“And if you ever hear clattering or thudding from afar, press yourself against the wall. One careless move could kill you.”
“Kill—?”
The rolling golem sometimes dashes through the living room in excitement.
A collision with those tens of tons of stone would shatter you. Usually the golems take the damage, but Hyundeok has no self-repair.
“Also, never go down to the basement.”
“Or the attic. Don’t go there either.”
“Huh?”
“Also, no living women reside here. If you hear a woman calling you, ignore it.”
“Huh? She still appears?”
“Yes. Other specters are gone, but she won’t leave.”
“Should I hunt her down?”
“No, she’s my aunt... sort of.”
“Oh, your aunt?”
“The spirits tied to this house are mostly my relatives.”
I answered while recalling Heo Joo, this mansion’s original owner.
He lured his descendants and relatives here, turned them into undead. Heo Sanghyeon is the last heir of that cursed family.
“Oh, I get it! You’re teasing me, right? Classic newbie hazing. Ugh, so childish.”
Heo Sanghyeon and I stood side by side staring at Hyundeok.
“Hm... Hyundeok, so about this house—”
“Just leave him alone. After one or two scares, he’ll avoid it.”
“Waaah... please tell me you’re lying.”
“I don’t know. Anyway, don’t touch weird things and scream yourself to death. Stay put—quietly.”
“Don’t worry, Hyundeok. I’ve lived here fine so far, right?”
Aside from dying and reviving as undead, there haven’t been many problems.
Leaving the two behind, I headed for the basement.
“Uh, Wizard? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to release the pet I’ve caged.”
“Huh?”
To define my range of phobia, I need to test its limits.
‘Can I really awaken the Red One again?’
