The Master of Vigilance (8)
Yusu and I decided to write a contract for White Deer based on the negotiations. When I showed a sample of the completed contract, Yusu had a slightly reluctant expression, saying that it was magic similar to the principle of an agreement made by the beings who crossed the wall with the Dragon. However, after much consideration, he was convinced that the situation was different from then. No fatal or unreasonable clause could jeopardize them.
Right now, Yusu was talking with a few hazy lights to ask for permission from the village elders regarding the details of the contract. It seemed to be an entirely different kind of magic from what Garam had used previously. Yusu was much experienced and superior to Garam. It was a necessary procedure because the contract’s magic wouldn’t be established if the delegation of the individual Maek named Yusu who came to this place wasn’t recognized as a delegation of the group called White Deer.
As I looked at it, I threw closed telepathy to Parvache.
‘I don’t know how the feedback will come. Even if I reduce some of the weird items and precious metals that I give in exchange, I should stick to the original text for the part I want.’
[However, it would be better to receive an item called Speech Dissolving Pearl. It’s the interpretation magic of this world’s language that has no record in the Akashic Records. I’m curious about its principle.]
Parvache coveted it, but when I thought about it carefully, I wondered how many times I would have to talk to foreigners in the future. It didn’t seem like a big need. The top priority I would like to implement was the prohibition of aggression and hostilities between White Deer Village and me. In fact, the purpose of proposing a contract was to secure my safety by making a soul contract with White Deer for this part alone.
It was still a hope to get a rake-off, but it was absolutely necessary to create a magical spiritual force that wouldn’t harm me. For “support and cooperation” to be possible, Yusu agreed that peace must be guaranteed on its basis. A peace treaty would be a huge loss if we were fighting. Moreover, it would be even more necessary if the other party were to move near my house… if it could be classified as a “neighbor” who will move into my neighborhood, a peace treaty was a must.
In the process of negotiating the contents of the contract a few minutes ago, when I asked where the village was to be moved, Yusu replied.
“Didn’t Garam or Mrs. Pearl tell you about it?”
Then Garam nodded and replied.
“I didn’t tell him, Brother Yu. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t expect this to happen. It is information that must be kept secret to humans…”
“Master Yoon, I think I should tell you. We need your help anyway because of the huge barrier that blocked Garam. And once we start moving, it will be difficult to avoid your eyes anyway. I’d rather tell in advance and ask you a favor.”
When it comes to the barrier that had blocked him, it meant the Mok-dong barrier. Was it that they needed my help because of that? Was he saying that the place was within this barrier? And as convinced of my guess, Yusu glanced at the Han River’s water surface flowing under the Mapo Bridge.
“The planned place is right here.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Yusu explained with a calm tone.
“The medium of the barrier of White Deer Village is pure water. Baengnokdam looks like a shallow crater lake that doesn’t dry out at all in ordinary humans’ eyes. Still, the elders create a huge lake after a long time beyond the boundaries that humans can perceive. The lake protects the village and acts as a barrier to space at the same time. The current lake is already unified with the spirit body of the mountain, so even if the village is moved, it is impossible to bring it…”
Yusu paused for a moment before continuing.
“According to the prophecy, it seems this place is where the cleanest water flows among the largest rivers and lakes of the land. Unfortunately, it has become a dilemma because it is said that there is a crack in space. But the problem seems to be resolved now.”
Parvache, who heard so far, burst into laughter through telepathy, and I shook my head because it was an absurd claim. This was the source of pollution directly exposed to the Waterbird of Decay, so I asked Lee Seo-rin to throw a few more artifacts, especially near the Mapo Bridge. The artifact, which sank on the riverbed, began to purify while simultaneously invoking the magic of concealment. Its effects have continued to this day. It was at a level that couldn’t be compared with the general water quality of the Han River.
Humans were only puzzled by this phenomenon and couldn’t find the artifact’s existence, so they were left guessing why this phenomenon was happening.
“And when I saw it with my own eyes, it seems that a kind of technique is being applied to the river here that maintains the unusually pure water. I can feel the energy that is similar to the power that blocks the crack in space. It would be useless to pretend you didn’t notice. I guess your arrangement didn’t work anyway, right?”
I acknowledged his speculation.
“Well, there are no other humans who can do this other than you.”
He could have passed on without talking about the necessity of pure water. Still, I think he was trying to ask me to continue the purification by publicizing it as long as it was obvious that it was my magic. Anyway, this made me understand that they owed me three things. I maintained the Channel’s barrier, purified the Han River’s water quality near Mapo Bridge, and allowed entry into the Mok-dong barrier.
Even if I didn’t cooperate, they could somehow find a different way on their own. Still, it seemed certain that they would have to go through a very cumbersome and difficult path. If I didn’t know this, the story would be different, but I demanded that the level of “support and cooperation” that would be given to me be raised as soon as I knew this. Parvache strongly advocated this part.
In addition to the few items that they initially decided to provide, we were asking for more. Then Yusu openly asked me what I wanted. What more should I ask for? The answer to this question was quickly drawn out. The materials required to create and maintain artifacts for Channel barriers or purification weren’t great. It wasn’t a big benefit for me to receive compensation from White Deer residents just as much as I spent. Regardless of whether I was compensated or not, it had little effect on me.
I didn’t tell Yusu about this. However, I demanded to receive something in exchange that wasn’t directly related to the barriers’ maintenance.
“Then, the magic that you and Garam use. Teach me the magic that uses the dreams.” I told him in a calm voice which reflected my curiosity and interest in their magics.
“…?!”
The magic that Yusu used to casually appear in the middle of my living room was intimidating. That form of magic had piqued my interest and created a desire within me to learn it. In learning and analyzing their magic, the demand came from the judgment that the method of elimination could also be derived. I could be relieved to some extent by signing a contract. However, there was an intention to prepare for an unforeseen event when the contract term was shortened or terminated for the rest of my life. There was also the purpose of satisfying Parvache and my curiosity about their magic.
“However, this technique is difficult to use properly without mixing the innate ability of the Maek. The only person who is not a Maek and could use this perfectly was Magohalmi–Grandmother Mago.”
While saying so, Yusu expressed discomfort at first. Still, I stuck to my argument that even if I failed to implement the magic, it was meant just to encounter and learn new magic. The real reason for this push, of course, was that even simply understanding the principles of magic alone could help me to set up a countermeasure, just in case.
In the end, Yusu agreed to organize the terms in the contract to the extent that the best efforts based on good will be made to teach magic without falsehood or concealment, but the performance cannot be guaranteed.
‘I thought my heart fell when he showed up at my house earlier. What kind of magic is that?’
It was an event where the concept of the barrier, which I absolutely believed, collapsed. I had never thought of magic invading by bypassing the “wall” of the barrier.
[The concept of magic will be completely different. You can learn that part after signing the contract, but I’m curious about what characteristics of that race affect their magic.]
‘Me, too. Let’s take a look at the records slowly after signing the contract and get them out of our house.’
Parvache nodded. While the two were staying at my house, I didn’t just spend time spying on them and eavesdropping on them. From the moment the two stepped into the house, the magical patterns circling their bodies were all recorded. Body hair and skin fragments that fell on the floor while they were transformed into humanoids were also collected for future inspection. When Yusu transformed into his basic bodily form, the transformation was recorded as a means for future study into the race.
‘It’s going to be a lot of data… but it is still necessary to take some time to study. It will help to find out what kind of creatures they are.’
I took a draft of the yet-to-be-written contract and tried to imbue the idea. It was a contract that hadn’t come into effect yet, but I could tell in advance whether or not my thoughts violated the contents of the contract. The result was, of course, clean. This means that my research activities weren’t included in hostile acts. I was just researching the data I’ve collected before signing the contract, and I’m still unwilling to take the lead unless I faced an explicit risk. Research under that premise was interpreted as not being hostile.
That’s why you have to write good clauses when writing contracts—especially important parts, such as the definition of hostile acts. Yusu was still talking with a serious look on his face.
Looking at those tribes, I realized how many times I encountered things in the world beyond my expectations. Moreover, in our dimension, Parvache couldn’t obtain information through the Akashic Records. I don’t know what other beings were hiding beside them. I don’t know if everyone could talk and negotiate as they were now, but if there was a kind that didn’t…
Yeah, one careless action was enough. Before it comes to a severe price, it was necessary to mobilize all possible precautions. Oh, well, I need to find those suspicious guys quickly, but before that, I should stamp the contract and send them to Jeju Island. Thinking so, I frowned.
Until a few days ago, I enjoyed the life of an unemployed man who watched TV all day long and did only what he wanted to do, but suddenly I had more work to do. Well…
“Sigh…” I sighed as if the ground was going to fall out from under me.
Up to this point, my reason was sharply forged because of the sense of crisis, and my sensibility, which was more honest with my instincts, was lingering in me.
