Chapter 7: Seeing Stones as Gold (3)

"Have you heard of the Secret Shadow Divine Thief, Tiger Illusion?"

I knew the location of the Philosopher's Stone because I had created the setting for a character in "The King of the Vajra Fist."

A legendary being said to be the god of theft who could hide even shadows, and who wandered in the form of a tiger through illusions.

"...First time hearing of it. Is it someone from the East?"

"Yes, simply put, the world's greatest thief. There's a cave called the Secret Cave where he hid his stolen goods."

Thinking that the Divine Thief was a staple character that appeared in every martial arts novel, I had included him in my story.

I asked Wolfram to take out a map, then tapped my finger on a mountain range in the east.

"Right here. In the middle of this mountain range... there's a cave hidden behind a waterfall, and when you walk across the ceiling, another space appears."

"That's totally like a treasure vault!"

Wolfram clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. I nodded at her reaction.

The Divine Thief's Secret Cave was a place where various spiritual medicines, martial arts manuals, and strange animals and treasures from the Western Regions were gathered.

'I had chewed up all the medicines said to be good for the Nine Yin Blockage there.'

I smiled bitterly while remembering the past.

Even after consuming all the remedies commonly found in martial arts novels, my body showed no signs of healing.

No matter how much I took, my condition only improved slightly, never finding a fundamental solution.

"Earlier you said my blood vessels were blocked with something other than ice shards?"

"Huh? Yeah. How should I put it... like it's a substance not of this world? Though even I think that sounds strange!"

I ran my palm across my face while looking at Wolfram. If she, a renowned alchemist and mage, couldn't identify what was blocking my body...

"...Could it be from another world?"

This was the only possibility.

I thought it might be related to the Outer Gods, a setting from "Possessed by an Idle Game."

After all, Azazel Blackheart, the Holy Maiden of the Outer God who was like my third daughter, had also fallen after making a contract with them.

"No way, you mean those Outer Gods that only exist in rumors? If that were true, I would've died by your hands already."

"......"

Actually, she was right.

The reason I was looking for Verdandi now was because I judged she was essential to saving Azazel.

"So what's the source of this information? It's reliable, right?"

"I can't tell you the source, but I guarantee its truth. I'll stake my title on it."

Since the source was my own mind, I couldn't tell Wolfram who I'd heard it from.

Originally, this information was supposed to be discovered by Kim Hyul, the original protagonist, through the Hao Gate after the Divine Thief's death.

"Hmm, honestly, I can't believe it. Getting information about the Philosopher's Stone this easily?"

"You don't have to believe it if you don't want to. I trust people who endlessly question even themselves more than those who blindly believe strangers they've just met."

I told Wolfram my usual philosophy. I had written "Must Kill the Hero" because I couldn't understand the common hero summoning clichés.

I just disliked those prologues that started with "Hello, I'm a god!" and the tutorial fairies who began by killing innocent people.

"Is that why you don't believe in the oracle either? Even though it's the word of the Main God that most people on the continent believe in?"

When I showed a rather friendly attitude toward Wolfram, she tried to ask about my earlier blasphemous remarks.

She must have used magic to dispel the alcohol, as the wine scent no longer emanated from her body.

"Whether it's the Main God or lesser gods, I don't believe in those who freely give power. I think power always comes with responsibility."

To the now serious-looking Wolfram, I quoted what could be considered a fundamental line from superhero stories.

The spider hero's famous line about great power coming with great responsibility - I had always wanted to say it once.

"Master's teachings, this disciple Bi Wol writes down each character with brush and ink every night!"

Bi Wol spoke while clenching both fists beside me. Unlike Wolfram, she seemed proud just to know this fact.

"I told you you don't need to do that."

"However, even the Analects were collected by disciples writing down Confucius's words. I believe this is necessary for Master's words to be passed down to future generations."

Despite my advice against it, Bi Wol's loyalty to me was almost overwhelmingly strong.

Originally, my words were mixed with things I had learned from novels, books, dramas, and movies I had read in the past.

An author's input (consuming other works for information) wasn't limited to just writing.

"Bi Wol... My words often include sayings from ancient sages. Future generations will point fingers at them."

I hung my head in embarrassment. Though I was good with words, I feared having them recorded and evaluated by future generations.

I was already a failed writer. It was strange to think that someone like me could receive people's love through writing.

"I can just break all those fingers. How could the fingers of ignorant masses shame the sun in the sky?"

Bi Wol spoke while unraveling the bandages wrapped around my hand, spreading open my clenched fist.

Like a child unwrapping a present, Bi Wol opened her eyes wide and held my index finger with both hands.

"If Master fears people pointing fingers, then like this... I will protect you. I'll make even bad memories become good ones."

Her small pink lips drew closer to my index finger, and soon I felt a soft, moist sensation.

Lick, chu, smooch.

Like a baby, Bi Wol was gently sucking on my index finger. The wet sound of tongue and saliva mixing echoed through the carriage.

"B-Bi Wol. What are you doing...!"

A hot "puha" breath escaped, followed by more licking and sucking.

"Why are you so surprised?"

Bi Wol's breath, tongue, saliva, and a strange sensation tinged with twisted emotions traveled up my finger.

"I'm just treating Master's hurt finger, like how a mother beast licks her cub's wounds."

I tried to wave my hand and pull my arm back, but Bi Wol gripped my finger tightly with a "kuuk" sound.

As if it was perfectly natural, she made my finger glossy with saliva, acting as if my reaction was the strange one.

"Now it's done. This scar came from protecting me in the past, didn't it?"

Bi Wol spoke while opening her mouth with a "beh-" sound. As she said, my body and fists were covered in scars from various training sessions and fights.

"Though this disciple was in a position to be saved... I clearly remember your sacrifices for me."

Bi Wol spoke with her head lowered. Due to a few lines I had written, she was sensitive to blood and killing.

"You were deeply wounded on your shoulders, back, hands, arms, and even your neck."

"......"

"Though I've always wanted to lick away all the scars from that time, I thought you'd dislike it, so I took this small liberty instead."

I couldn't speak. Bi Wol remembered all the places where I had been injured then.

I had thought she was just an ignorant child, but it seemed she had been feeling guilty toward me all this time.

"Please don't mind what others say. I hope you'll think of it all as mere jealousy from those who don't understand Master's great character."

Bi Wol spoke while carefully putting down my hand. Her bow of the head looked like a formal greeting.

"Still, isn't this too extreme? I didn't save you expecting this kind of thing."

I had to say something to Bi Wol. After all, the Gold Tower Master was now covering her mouth in shock.

"My, so openly... You're really quite the sinful man. How interesting!"

Like a viewer watching an affair scene in a morning drama, she even started patting her surroundings with her palms.

I hadn't expected Bi Wol to act like this either. Though she usually showed obsessive behavior toward me, she had never been this overt.

'Could it be jealousy because of the Gold Tower Master?'

That was the only explanation I could think of. I pondered while resting my chin on my hand. The moist sensation still lingered on my index finger.

If she was jealous of Gold Tower Master Wolfram, who showed maturity in many ways compared to Bi Wol who hadn't yet come of age...

It was entirely possible.

"Didn't you say that wounds of the heart, though invisible and known only to oneself, must eventually be treated with medicine?"

"I did say that, but..."

That was what I had told Bi Wol when she was depressed about her friends dying because of her.

"This disciple just saw Master's heart wound from your words and wanted to treat it. Even though I have neither golden wound medicine nor precious spiritual medicines."

Perhaps because of my teachings, she now showed signs of not wanting to lose to me even in words.

Her words were measured yet pointed. Her way of leaving no openings for me to exploit was similar to a sword debate.

"Still, when such things happen, use words instead of actions. Won't others see me as a master who teaches strange behaviors to his disciple?"

When I tried to defeat Bi Wol's argument with proper reasoning,

"Master said you preferred those who try to change through actions rather than words, so I merely acted accordingly."

She countered by turning my own words against me.

"Now you're trying to outdo your master."

"Isn't there a saying that the blue comes from the indigo but is bluer than it? I want to surpass Master in every way someday."

She counterattacked again with a slight smile.

"Every way? What does that mean?"

"Of course, it means exactly what it says. I want to make Master unable to live without me. To make you look only at me, yearn only for me, only me..."

Seeing Bi Wol's throat vibrate as she swallowed her saliva, I felt chills run down my spine. Though she wasn't emitting killing intent, my body automatically took a defensive stance.

"Ahem, ahem. Why don't you save the master-disciple fight for when you get home? I'm still here, you know."

At that moment, Wolfram cleared her throat and stopped Bi Wol. Seeing her take out her staff, things must have gotten serious.

"We're getting close to Wonder Hill village now. Better prepare instead of fooling around."

As she said, houses started appearing in the surrounding landscape. Smoke rose from chimneys, and signs of human presence became visible.

"As you said, I've dispelled my drunkenness and wrapped several layers of defensive magic around myself. This should be enough to avoid death when meeting the hero, right?"

"Well, if you're not evil, then yes."

I spoke while watching the slightly trembling Gold Tower Master. Even I wasn't sure whether she would die according to the original plot or survive.

I could only hope that the hero's sense of justice hadn't been twisted yet.

***

However,

Contrary to Bing Yeon's expectations as he rode in the carriage toward her,

"I heard the Main God's words! They called me the 'Hero of Justice'!"

"...Ver-Verdandi?"

"Given that I received such an oracle, it seems Mother was indeed evil!"

At this moment, Verdandi Astraea was holding a kitchen knife to her mother's throat.