100 — Chapter 100

The Special Unit announced the personnel selected for the Thirteen Palaces of Emptiness raid.

Fortunately, Alexei had been included as the first priority.

“Hayan, you didn’t make it.”

“That’s because I lack experience.”

Surprisingly, the most important factor in this selection was whether one had previously participated in a Thirteen Palaces raid.

The Seeds of Calamity wandering the world had already produced dozens of kings.

The selection criteria varied each time, but the outcome was always the same.

The internal layout of the gate was almost fully documented, and even the method used to kill the king just two years ago was recorded—so it was a straightforward mission that anyone could follow without much complication.

With the Sword Immortal present, it seemed impossible for anyone to seize the throne, so the plan was clearly to strike quickly and decisively.

Other guilds already had veterans who had killed kings multiple times, leaving almost no chance for newcomers to be selected.

If it weren’t for me, Alexei would have had to wait at the bottom of the list.

Even No Yeonhwa was excluded, simply because her abilities made team coordination difficult.

Interestingly, none of the Special Unit commanders except for Ha Yeri had been chosen as part of the raid team.

A sudden unease hit me—had we overreached?

“Hopefully they’re not all laid up from food poisoning. If that were the case, it’d be difficult to prevent any disasters from hitting the surface while the raid is ongoing…”

“Hm. We’ll just have to check for ourselves.”

It was unexpected that so many personnel were hospitalized in the capital’s hospital.

And of all days, it was because the lunch menu had included delicious lobster tails.

Rare seafood that only showed up in elementary school cafeterias in Gangnam’s wealthy districts had been served, and everyone had rushed in, filling the dining hall to capacity.

The fact that they were hospitalized due to toxins from the tentacles steamed along with the lobster pierced my heart.

“At least I got to eat five tails myself.”

『Fear not!?』

“You eat the poison and gain the nutrients. That is the path of a true strong one.”

Of course, the portions that contained poison had been given to Digestion, and I only ate the leftovers.

Anyway, after Alexei left for training, I decided to investigate just how much the Special Unit’s combat strength had been reduced.

Even with the Thirteen Palaces raid, the Sword Immortal and I could kill the king and hold the throne—but someone was still needed to prevent disasters from occurring across Seoul.

I confirmed that Yoo Se-byeol, who had given up her lobster tails for the others, was unharmed.

However, perhaps to ensure that the lineage of the Old Gods’ Wound wouldn’t be completely severed in case the raid failed, she hadn’t been selected.

That left only a few candidates.

Seona would remain in Seoul this time as well.

Seong Gwan-il, who specialized in constructing and transporting large structures, was a non-combatant and thus not eligible.

Excluding Kim Seong-gon of Division 5, who was away on a business trip, there was only one person left.

“Come to think of it, Captain Cheon So-baek isn’t here.”

『Fear not?』

Why was that?

Cheon So-baek’s magic would be a great help in any situation.

Could she be in the capital hospital like the other Division 4 mages?

But I had never seen her eat in the cafeteria before.

“Shall we see where she is?”

I lightly scattered my mana, tracing her whereabouts.

Secretly, like tentacles growing from weeds in a shadowy alley.

My mana threads, thin and faint enough that no one else could detect them, swept over the area, focusing solely on Cheon So-baek.

From the now-cozy underground prison to the rooftop garden, every corner was scanned.

She usually loved to surprise people with her elusive invisibility magic, but today, she was nowhere to be seen.

“How strange… could she have gone out on an errand?”

『Fear not?』

“I really don’t know what Commander Cheon usually does. She just wanders around and buries herself in whatever task she’s absorbed in… Ah!”

Then, a place flashed through my mind.

I immediately left the Special Unit headquarters and headed for the subway.

After a few stops, I arrived at the Red Magic Tower.

When I opened the door to the lab I hadn’t visited in a while, a thin layer of dust had settled inside.

Parts scattered around suggested that this lab had been used for producing tentacle turrets during the reconstruction of the Gyeongbu Line.

I could tell whether Cheon So-baek had recently been in her private lab by her unique scent.

It was the familiar fragrance that always drifted from her hair and body, a smell that, if inhaled quietly, lifted your spirits.

『Fear not…』

“Stop giving me weird new obsessions, will you?”

『Fear not.』

“If anyone knew, they’d think I was counting the stray hairs sticking out of the back of Commander Cheon’s otherwise perfect body every time I give her a massage. It’s just that the scent is strongest there, so I remember it, that’s all.”

『Fear… fear not…』

Setting aside that sad misunderstanding, I followed the source of the scent with my nose.

Surprisingly, the farther I went into the lab, the stronger it became.

With every passing second, the olfactory cues confirmed even more that she was here.

But… does perfume normally change scent this quickly? I thought it lasted at least a few hours.

Pushing that small question aside, I finally reached a corner of the lab where a small elevator was installed.

Inside, I inspected the buttons and realized it seemed to head straight for the topmost floor—the main tower level of the Red Magic Tower.

『Fear not!?』

“May I go up? Of course. After all, I hold the professorship of the Red Magic Tower.”

Since it was in Cheon So-baek’s personal lab, I could use it too. Even if others were around, I had official permission for dual usage, so no problem.

Speaking of which, when I caught Lee Do-hwan last time, we made a bet that I’d take on a lecture in the tower—wonder if she’s prepared for that?

Pressing the button, I decided to ask her once we met. In an instant, the elevator whisked me up to the main tower floor.

“…….”

“…….”

“H-hello?”

The moment the door opened, a few mages observing the sky glanced at me, then returned to their work.

I passed them as naturally as possible and headed straight for the lingering scent of Cheon So-baek.

The highest main floor of the tower had one small spire jutting above it.

The scent led me up the stairs to that spire.

Near the top, a small door awaited. As far as I knew, only one person could stay in a place this high.

The master of the Red Magic Tower, Cheon So-baek’s mentor: Cheon-seon (Heavenly Immortal).

“Should I open the door?”

『Fear not!』

“Can you sense anything inside?”

『No?』

Like most Transcendent Awakened, Cheon-seon rarely appeared in public.

Rumors had long circulated that he spent decades at the very top of the tower, researching ultimate magic.

Even at official events, he hadn’t been seen for years; most people didn’t even know if he was alive.

Still, seeing him meet with his student suggested he was present.

What could he be doing inside?

Was he perhaps administering some punishment, like when I was alone with Ha Yeri?

Just as I was about to knock, the door swung open before my hand even touched it, and familiar crimson hair, tinged with the scent of roses, floated into view.

“Oh my, what brings you here?”

“There was a food poisoning incident in the cafeteria yesterday. I came to check if you were unwell.”

“I didn’t eat there. I went out for my meals yesterday.”

“Glad to hear it, then.”

Cheon So-baek stepped outside, leaning her back against the door.

Her behavior was as natural as ever, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding something inside.

Her body was so slender that I couldn’t properly see into the room when the door opened.

Even the subtle sense of my tentacles couldn’t pick up her presence.

“Did you come all this way just because you were worried about me? That’s kind of touching.”

“By the way, aren’t you participating in the Thirteen Palaces raid?”

“That… doesn’t sound all that fun.”

How many Awakened people in the world could casually call the Seeds of Calamity “that” with such confidence?

Even though raiding the Thirteen Palaces didn’t mean total annihilation like the center of the Sea of Decay, in terms of difficulty, it was still top-tier.

“It happens roughly once every other year anyway, and I hear the guild sent a lot of power this time. I’d rather stay here and stop damage from getting worse.”

“I see.”

“And I don’t like heights.”

A fear of heights?

We were already quite far above the ground.

I tried to peek through the slightly open door during our conversation, but there was nothing to see.

Maybe I could sneak a tentacle inside.

As I considered it, a beautiful face suddenly came into view.

“Why do you keep getting distracted while talking to me?”

“I was curious if Cheon-seon was inside.”

“Why? Do you have business with him?”

“Just thought it’d be good to build some rapport. After all, he’s at the pinnacle of magic.”

No matter what kind of personality Cheon-seon had, I was confident I could get along with him.

Compared to Baek-seon, who talked to skeletons, or the Sword Immortal, who checks his granddaughter’s search history, he seemed far more normal.

However, Cheon So-baek didn’t seem willing to let me meet her master.

She locked the door with magic and slowly descended the stairs.

“Hmm~ I can see right through you.”

“…….”

“If you want to look good, how about being a little friendlier to me? Like the time you asked the Word-Spirit user if you could go home. I always feel like I’m pushed to the back of the line.”

I instinctively stepped back.

This was a pattern that scratched at a long history.

From childhood friends to Mala-nim, if I got caught in this routine, I’d end up listening to at least an hour of nagging and then be forced into some weird contract.

Like having to eat with No Yeon-hwa every weekend, paying a “friend fee,” and all sorts of dating rules I had memorized.

Yet this—this was impossible to counter.

Everyone had different emotional triggers, after all.

“I… I’m sorry…”

“No, what did I do wrong? Tell me, did anything I did make you lose interest?”

The truth was the opposite.

Unlike other women, I always treated Cheon So-baek with respect and never teased her because I was wary of her goodwill, the kind that seemed ready to give up her liver and gall if she wished.

Ha Yeri and No Yeon-hwa were obvious, and even Yoo Se-byeol, who maintained distance from superiors, was easy to approach lightly.

But Cheon So-baek, who approached me as if we’d known each other forever from the very first meeting, made me feel a certain pressure.

I wanted to ask why, but I knew doing so would be like throwing kindling on a dry spark.

“Well, you came at just the right time. You’re not included in the Thirteen Palaces raid either, right?”

“No, I…”

“Today, let’s take our time and have a proper conversation about each other.”

I wasn’t going with the raid as part of the Special Unit, but I was supposed to participate alongside Seol Si-heon.

I couldn’t tell anyone else that, though.

Just as Cheon So-baek, with a completely determined expression, grabbed my wrist to go down the stairs, a notification rang from my smartwatch.

—Ugh… that’s a bit much. Are you a pervert?

“Huh?”

“Ah, sorry. That’s from the Old Gods’ Wound’s side.”

“No, that’s not the issue… it’s just…”

—Ugh… that’s a bit much. Are you a pervert?

She had said that on our first date.

Maybe remembering my reaction to her outfit, a mischievous smile appeared again on Cheon So-baek’s lips.

“Hmm~”

“Cheon So-baek?”

“Well, it’s not like I dislike it entirely. Let’s go, seems like an urgent message. We’ll talk later.”

Thanks to the alert I set up on my smartwatch before coming here, I could safely slip away.