I almost asked him for his location right away, but was barely able to stop my hand.
“Huu.”
I had to move calmly here.
I took a breath and texted him again.
[Need help?]
[No. I alone am enough. You stick to the mission you've been entrusted with.]
[But how the hell? We even checked that she was dead. Didn't you take care of the matter?]
[I overlooked her ability. I noticed that she changed her body into a homunculus.]
[Do you really not need help? You're going to attack a wizard's workshop alone?]
[No problem. As you know, I got new powers from the professor.]
There was a possibility that he would get suspicious if I did anymore.
I texted him, saying I understand.
“Hmm….”
Below, there was Jin Ye-Seul, who fell fast asleep on my lap.
After pondering for a moment, I was able to realize immediately that the thoughts that came to my mind were totally meaningless.
Above all, right now, there is no means to talk to Jin Ye-Jeong.
In that case….
“Ye-Seul, wake up. Ye-Seul.”
"Yes…?”
I sent a text message to Evangeline asking her to match my words, along with a text message saying Jin Ye-Jeong was in danger.
Soon after, I woke up Ye-Seul and showed her the text messages from Dmitry.
"Look at this."
“… what's this?"
Her eyes, which had been opening and closing, as if she were still not awake, raised sharply in an instant.
While she grabbed the phone and checked the text messages I exchanged with Dmitry, I called Evangeline.
She answered the call immediately as if she had been waiting.
― What's going on?
“I checked the text messages they were exchanging. Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi is actually alive and has changed her body into a homunculus.”
— … what?
Fortunately, she seemed to have checked the text message.
I immediately told her, explaining what had just happened.
"Currently, there are a total of four veins, including the one our side originally secured… now, all we have to do is secure the place Dmitry, that guy was occupying, and we're done. But, so, if you think about it flipping it over, maybe this could be a trap.”
— You're right. Because they might have contacted each other, or if one of them was subdued, they might have made sure that the other one would be contacted. No, it would be rather strange not to have such a device.
"Yes."
The veins could be said to be the key to their plans.
Of course, for a variety of reasons, they would have had to go about their work in secret and with only a few people, but if you think about what had happened until now, there was no feeling of them being too much at the end of their ropes.
“The first was a man who was Isaac McDowell's close aide. The second was a Chimera, and the third was a Griffon. But the Chimera and Griffon showed no sign of knowing us beforehand when they saw us. There were no particular interruptions or anything that bothered me along the way."
― Maybe it's because they're monsters. Even if they have a reason, they are fundamentally different from us.
"Yes, you're right. But… as I said at the beginning, it could be that Dmitry, noticing that the veins are being occupied one after the other, is planning to lure us out and deal with us."
― Maybe it's a situation where he doesn't really know.
"… first of all, just to be sure, I'm asking, you didn't have any problem with the currently secured veins, right?"
― Yes. The archives that was occupied first, then the cave. These two places have already been secured by people from our side and those sent from the World Tree Clan side. Unlike them, we can deal with the matter legally. Even if they attack us or something happens, we can immediately notice it. And, even on the mountain you told me about now, people will be arriving soon.
"Wait a minute. Ye-Seul, where did you say the last vein was?”
“An abandoned building near Urea. I don't know the exact location, but I was able to extract what the building looked like from him."
"Could you explain it in detail?”
Jin Ye-Seul pondered for a moment, then shook her head.
I answered the phone again, saying, I understand.
"Of course, securing the last vein is important, but we can't give up as long as there is a possibility that the story related to Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi is true. If it is true, it means that Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi is in a very dangerous situation right now."
— …….
“Even if it’s a trap, I think there are enough reasons to go.”
So, please tell me where Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi is hiding.
Evangeline replied to those words.
— … you guys don't have to take all the risks. I'd rather send people from this side.
"No. We have to go.”
Next to me, Jin Ye-Seul dismissed her proposal.
“Evangeline Lohengrin. Guild Master of the Guild Blue Sap. One of the Ten Strongest. Right?"
― Yes. And who are you, that you're calling other people's names recklessly like that? Interrupting as you please while others are talking.
“I'm the younger sister of Jin Ye-Jeong you guys are talking about.”
Evangeline was silent at her words.
“You guys said that person is actually alive? Then I think I'm qualified to meet her. Especially if the guy who beat that person to death is going to her right now, saying he's going to beat him to death again, it's even more so.… at least that's what I think?”
When Jin Ye-Seul said so, Evangeline, who had been agonizing for a while, sighed deeply as if she had made up her mind.
― What should I say to that child later… yes, I got it. I'll send someone from this side as well, for now. And I'll tell you the location... Frankly, I don't know if you guys will be able to arrive on time.
Indeed, when I checked where she mentioned, it was at least two hours away from here at the earliest.
"I got it. I understand that for now, and I will join quickly from this side as well.”
― Yes, okay.
After a while, Evangeline, who was hesitating, added.
― It's funny to say this now, but be careful.
After I hung up the phone, I saw Jin Ye-Seul sitting next to me and staring at me.
I had no choice but to be cautious about her attitude of waiting for me to open my mouth.
First of all, Evangeline must have also known about Dmitry's ability.
On top of that, there was no way she was going to send half-baked people, considering she cares about Jin Ye-Jeong particularly.
Yes, originally, I wouldn't have to worry anymore from the moment I informed her of this.
But….
“… I don't feel good."
Jin Ye-Seul nodded slightly at the words that I spat out without realizing it.
Meanwhile, Svengali whispered in a small voice.
[Sometimes the emotions of the moment are more realistic than the usual reason.]
I nodded at his words.
Yes, it's better to regret after doing it than to regret not doing it.
I concluded and called the number of the person who could be most helpful than anyone else in this current situation.
― Hello?
"Yes, hello."
― Ji-Hyuk? Is it Ji-Hyuk?
“Yes, it’s been a while. Horie-ssi.”
That person was Horie Yuzuki.
A wizard who can use the ability of teleportation, and who even that Evangeline Lohengrin admits is a cut above her, at least when it comes to spatial series.
Also, someone who owes me a debt that she cannot refuse even if I suddenly ask her for a favor.
“I'm sorry to ask such a favor out of the blue, but something really urgent has come up that requires Horie-ssi's ability."
― My ability? Not the guild master?
"Yes."
― What on earth is going on?
"Actually….”
I gave her an explanation, summarizing the situation moderately.
In any case, she was Lee Myung-Joon's closest aide, and Lee Myung-Joon knew about Jin Ye-Jeong's matter, so I thought she might also know about it to some extent, but to my surprise, she knew nothing.
— … I understand. I'll help you.
After a while, Horie Yuzuki answered like that.
― I've never met her, but I've heard about Jin Ye-Jeong, and I've also heard about her obituary recently. But I never thought such a thing was hidden....
“Thank you so much for your help.”
— You don't have to say that. It's not a bad thing, it's about saving people. First of all, can you tell me your coordinates, Ji-Hyuk? I'll move right away.
"I'm sure this is....”
I gave her the coordinates and got up from my seat.
Then Jin Ye-Seul also got up, following me.
"Okay. Soon a wizard named Horie Yuzuki, who can move through space, will arrive, and she said she'll help us. Let's ask that person to help us get to Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi right away."
"Yes."
“… don’t worry too much.”
"I'm not worried."
Jin Ye-Seul's hands were trembling slightly as she said so.
She hid her trembling hands behind her back.
I didn't have time to know whether they were trembling from anger or worry.
[Haa....]
However, Svengali just let out a short sigh, as if he were admiring, or as if he were dumbfounded.
Perhaps he could see what Jin Ye-Seul was feeling.
“Is it here…?”
Meanwhile, with a shhuak sound, the air cracked as if it were distorted, and a person came out.
It was Horie Yuzuki.
She looked around, spotted us, and was about to approach, but instantly trembled, startled.
“Ji-Hyuk, are you okay?”
"Yes? Oh, this is not my blood.”
“Uh, um… Then I’m relieved.”
She muttered like that.
And she immediately came up to us and held out her hands.
“Shall we say hello later and move quickly? Both of you hold my hand. Oh, what did you say the coordinates are?"
“Wait a minute, I saved it here….”
I showed her the coordinates that I had saved on my phone.
She glanced at it and nodded, saying, okay.
When I grabbed her outstretched hand, Horie said, looking at Jin Ye-Seul this time.
“Come on, you also hold my han… aaaaa! Y, you don't have to hold it that hard!"
“Oh, sorry.”
As if in pain, Horie let out a scream and grabbed the hand held by Jin Ye-Seul.
Jin Ye-Seul nodded her head as if she was really sorry.
“Ugh… it's okay. Originally, there are people who get nervous when they do spatial movement for the first time....”
As if it was really painful, Horie, who had small tears in her eyes, muttered like that.
Soon, after confirming that we both held her hand, she took a breath.
"Everyone close your eyes. You'll be very dizzy because the distance is quite large."
As soon as she finished speaking, I felt a sensation of being quickly sucked in, along with a disgusting feeling, as if something was suddenly snatching me.
It was that feeling of moving through space that I had felt before.
* * *
Yoo Ji-Hyuk and Jin Ye-Seul almost simultaneously covered their mouths as if someone had hit their chin as hard as they could.
“Euak.”
"Eu….”
Horie Yuzuki patted the back of the two with her small hands as if she were used to it.
“You're really feeling like throwing up, right? It's originally a bit harsh when you travel long distances... it would have been nice if the two of you had similar wavelengths as me or had moved around several times.”
She muttered like that as if she were sorry for no reason.
After a while, Yoo Ji-Hyuk and Jin Ye-Seul, who had recovered to some extent, looked around.
“Where the hell is this?”
It was Horie Yuzuki who answered his murmur.
“Oh, this place used to be a pharmaceutical company. It was a bit of a famous case, so I remember it."
“What happened?”
"Uh… I'm sure the company went bankrupt, and when the company building came up for auction, a gate exploded around it, so it's been buried for almost a few years….”
While explaining, she trailed off for a moment, then smiled awkwardly, staring at Jin Ye-Seul.
“Umh… did I do something wrong?"
"No."
Jin Ye-Seul shook her head.
Then she looked around and muttered.
“Rather, where the hell are we supposed to go?”
“Wait a minute, I'll call Evangeline-ssi agai….”
“Oh, wait a second.”
Horie Yuzuki put her hands on the ground and closed her eyes.
And soon after, she nodded and said, shaking off the dirt on her hands.
"There's an artificially created space down there. You said she set up a wizard's workshop, right? Then it'll be there.”
“… you figured it out in that brief moment?”
At Jin Ye-Seul's muttering that she said as if it were unbelievable, Horie Yuzuki smiled as if she were embarrassed.
“First of all, I'm a little... confident in the spatial series. I just did a quick scan of the surrounding area and found something I thought was a bit odd. Oh, of course, I could be wrong, but....”
"Let's move there first. Evangeline-ssi... isn't answering the phone. She said she was sending someone, so I'll send her a text message first, just in case."
"All right."
When Horie Yuzuki reached out her hands, Yoo Ji-Hyuk and Jin Ye-Seul held her hands once again.
She carefully held their hands and said with a smile.
"It's close this time, so it won't be as bad as before.”
Again, the two felt the sensation of being sucked in with a disgusting sensation, as if something was suddenly snatching them.
Soon after, they were greeted by the foul smell of blood and the smell of something burning.
The peculiar smell of a ventilation fan running in the basement, the smell of all kinds of drugs of unknown purpose.
And someone's painful groan and a man's low laughter.
“The last thing I want to leave behind… yes?"
The man who was holding someone's neck with one hand, Dmitry, turned his head to look over at the sudden presence he felt.
There were two women he saw for the first time.
And there was Yoo Ji-Hyuk, his target.
“…….”
Dmitry didn't say anything.
He just turned around and took a stance as if he was wary of the enemies who had suddenly appeared.
Every time he moved, someone who had been hanging by his hand struggled and let out a small groan.
“… we were almost late.”
Horie Yuzaki, who was glaring at Dmitry, muttered like that and pulled something out of her pocket.
Dmitry could belatedly realize that she was Lee Myung-Joon's right-hand man, Horie Yuzuki.
And what her ability is, too.
"I see."
He nodded slightly.
“Did you come to this place by moving through space? You're not late this time.”
Saying so, Dmitry fixed the person in his hand.
It was a hand movement like a child handling a toy.
“Ah, ugh… ”
“Look, Jin Ye-Jeong. They are the people who came to save you. This time, they came to save you alive."
Jin Ye-Jeong, who was held in the air with the back of her neck caught, groaned as if in pain.
No… run away... after muttering like that, she opened her eyes with difficulty.
“… ah?"
And she muttered in a low voice, as if she couldn't believe it.
“… Ye-Seul?”
"Hmm?"
Dmitry tilted his head at her muttering
Then he nodded as if he had realized it and let out a low laugh.
“Could it be a blood relative? Yeah, now that I heard it, it sure does look alike...?”
Dmitry, who was turning his head while sneering at Jin Ye-Jeong in his hand, was instantly startled and trembled.
There were definitely three of them, but he couldn't see one.
That, too, was the woman who looked like Jin Ye-Jeong.
"Hey."
Meanwhile, Dmitry could hear a voice coming from right below him.
"How long are you going to stay like that?”
Along with the words, Jin Ye-Seul, who was bending under Dmitry's sight, bounced.
Her legs swung like a whip, and a horrifying sound rang out.
Dmitry's arm, which had been holding Jin Ye-Jeong, was torn off and flew in the air.
[…….]
Seeing that figure, Svengali could be sure that what he had felt earlier was not wrong.
When Jin Ye-Seul trembled, the emotions she felt were none other than pleasure and delight.
