The report was neatly placed on the desk.
“Anyway, this is a headache.”
“Exactly.”
Erica wore a business-like smile.
“Just as we barely managed to fend off an unprecedented invasion, now we have a necromancer problem…”
The general meeting representative rubbed his chin. I quietly nodded. The cap written up to my head was uncomfortable.
“You mentioned that the first meeting would be brief, right?”
“Yes. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule.”
“Not at all. We owe a lot to the association.”
Trivial formalities exchanged, and the main topic arrived.
“The observation area is firstly on the outskirts of Namyangju. It seems that this area is the origin of the situation. I suspect the necromancer group has stationed themselves there as well.”
Erica took out her notebook. The pen was in motion. Quick hands.
“Secondly, we have Uijeongbu. It seems that, aside from the serious situation near Namyangju, the NM concentration is not very high elsewhere. Thus, we have decided to designate Uijeongbu, where important buildings are located, as a future search area.”
As her gaze turned towards me, I nodded.
The influence of this decision is also due to the association being based in Uijeongbu. We are also mindful of your position.
In the end, this is also a matter of interests. Both the order and the association need a connection to confront the disaster that looms over them.
We must be cautious. We must extend hospitality. To make the shackles binding us a little more robust.
The atmosphere changed as soon as I laid eyes on Erica, reminiscent of the general meeting representative.
Suddenly, I felt overcome with fatigue.
I twisted my sideburn for a moment.
In that sense, this terrorist attack will certainly be beneficial. Providing Erica with an unexpected situation in her ordinary life might serve as a refreshing stimulus for her, who is entrenched in association work.
A scenario where a calamity-level demon suddenly arrives in the quiet conference room is not bad either. A hostage situation with these hunters, who would not shy away from death, pointing blades at their throats is enough for a refresh.
I pondered for a moment.
But still, isn’t it hard to maintain the desired situation if these well-known hunters resist while being shackled? Resistance could be fierce.
I cannot engage in a leisurely conversation with Erica. It may not even be possible to make her concentrate only on me.
I twisted my sideburn again.
I imagined the situation.
After all, since they would be all incapacitated, wouldn’t they be unable to speak? Except for Erica.
I blinked.
Is it permissible to think like this next to the concerned parties?
“I see.”
It’s a story that doesn’t matter anyway.
This is also a stepping stone for Erica to seep into my plans. The hostages spewing hatred would indeed be concerned for me, pointing their blades in opposition.
That sight will surely be glorious and grand. To the point of blinding my eyes. Enough to spew forth an unfathomable entity.
A torch will blaze upon the ground in a garden where the rain falls and the flowers wilt.
No problem.
The project for creating a beautiful world is progressing. Maintaining the short-term plan is the same. This love, whose final destination is a glorious death, is undeniably the most fitting groundwork.
Suddenly, I longed for her scent. I buried my face in Erica’s shoulder as we spoke.
And I whispered softly.
“When will you kill me?”
“…. Huh?”
Silence fell.
As I raised my head, I could see Erica’s pupils shaking countless times.
“Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”
I twisted my sideburn once more. I had been too mischievous.
Her hand reached out. This time, my ear was pinched. Usually, she would pinch my cheek, but perhaps she targeted my ear due to my hair making it hard to see.
This is a different kind of unsettling pleasure.
I had been thinking momentarily about the terrorist plan when I noticed the conversation was coming to a close.
“We have plenty of magic stones to offer. Over 1000mp, in fact. The raw materials have been directly extracted from high-level gate demons, so I can guarantee their quality.”
Did she personally deal with it during the gate subjugation? Come to think of it, I remember a field team arriving afterward.
“That’s certainly good material. It seems the director has been very attentive this time.”
“Of course. We plan to also contact the Union Department, not just the association. There will be no disruption to the plan.”
Suddenly, a golden hourglass came into sight. The fine powder flowed down.
“This is…”
“A detection device specifically for ambushes, a magic power measurement device. The director instructed me to deliver it.”
“Isn’t this an artifact that directly merges high-tier magical techniques? Heh, is it really okay for us to receive something like this…?”
“The association is always open.”
Silence flowed. The general meeting representative nodded rapidly, trembling.
Erica gently smiled.
She was beautiful.
The first meeting came to an end. We exited the building and stepped out onto the street.
“Phew. I thought I was going to die from the tension.”
I blinked.
“You did well! That was impressive!”
“I don’t want to hear this from someone who leaned on my shoulder and fell asleep halfway.”
Busted.
“Are you going to the group extermination too?”
“Since I’m part of this operation… I plan to go. I’ll leave the association matters to others.”
“Then I have to go too.”
“Why?”
I turned my head. Her golden hair fluttered.
“Oh no, it’s not that. Just curious.”
Erica averted her eyes slightly.
Is it pure curiosity? Well, that makes sense. The girl, who was unpredictable, has been cooperative lately.
And it is time to cut that off.
“My place was originally by your side.”
Erica twirled her sideburn again. Then her pure white eyes turned back to me.
Suddenly, I saw her cheeks redden.
“You have to kill me.”
Soon after, disbelief filled her eyes.
“… What on earth am I hearing?”
“Yeah?”
“Right. You deserve punishment.”
I smiled softly.
—
I lit a scented candle and collapsed onto the sofa. Indeed, quiet and dark places are good for me.
Anyway, I also need to slowly think about my long-term goal, Behemoth.
As this is a high-ranking amphibious monster that needs to be summoned directly—different from gate demons—collecting materials will be necessary.
I pondered for a moment.
Perhaps this necromancer group might be helpful. The magic stones we could get by slaughtering those who have given up their humanity will certainly be beneficial.
Materials. Recipes. And quantity.
For now, let’s focus on the terror.
The blood-red flames turned into blue. The shimmering air gave way to an outlined modeling that brightly illuminated the surroundings.
“Pretty.”
[ Are you planning something strange, perhaps? ]
“Even if you say that, I believe you’ll understand me.”
[ Sigh. ]
I roughly ignored it and shifted my gaze.
It was an appropriately sized representation of the Uijeongbu Rebellion building and the surrounding streets.
The ground remained desolate. Chaotic and dirty. It hadn’t been cleaned in days.
In contrast, the Rebellion building was well-maintained. As far as I remember, some magic treatment had been applied.
After all, the main characters are Erica and me. The situation just needs to be chaotic. Demons can burst in through broken windows, or we can summon the necro race from the ground.
I contemplated for a moment. My eyes could not help but drift to the modeling side.
If I had to choose, the latter would be preferable. While the former could create confusion by shattering windows all at once, I also have to consider the magical treatment applied to the outer walls and glass that the model shows.
But the necro race is different. They can be summoned anywhere as long as there’s ground. It’s easy for them to roam in the rusting city. The ambiance is perfect. A skeleton army slowly rising like flowers emerging from the ground is pure romance.
Skeletons are lower-tier among the necro race. If they seem weaker than expected during the terror, I can simply infuse them with magic power.
Now, I only need to find one person.
I dashed out of a household. A blood-red ring spread wide.
“Hurry. Please. This is a very crucial time.”
[ I understand, so stop rushing me. ]
Words were etched and flashed. A gigantic magic circle emitted light, sending forth a current of air.
The Bloody fluttered its tiny wings. Then it turned its head.
[ That way. ]
Fortunately, it was not far away. Given that Uijeongbu is barren, it would be pretty easy to find him even at the edge of Namyangju, connected to Yangpyeong.
As I stepped forward, I spotted a man. Silver hair flowed, and a shovel sliced through the air. Countless rectangular graves were visible, and tombstones filled the ground.
“Reaver!”
The Reaver looked at me while shaking off dirt from his shovel. His eyes were slightly weary.
“We meet again.”
“Indeed.”
I smiled slightly. And unknowingly, I gripped the knife in my pocket.
No, that’s not right. I don’t need to threaten him.
“It’s tough, huh?”
“Wow. How much have you dug?”
“I need to raise my stats during this opportunity. It’s unavoidable.”
There is an atmosphere to consider. Offering a knife to the serious and stoic Reaver likely won’t be that amusing. I’m not such a bad girl after all.
“With your stats, you’re already at the upper echelon, right?”
“I aspire to be an eternal upper ranker.”
His hair hung down.
“Such effort is only natural.”
If that’s the case, I have a good idea. I raised the knife and infused magic power into it.
It could be used as leverage for negotiation.
