Chapter 63: GOTCHA
“Jung Yong! Jung Yong, are you listening?”
I barely snapped out of my reverie at Seop Baek’s shout.
As I suddenly regained my senses, Seop Baek was frantically waving her hand in front of my face.
“You’ve looked completely lost for a while now. Is everything okay?”
“Hmm… No, it’s nothing. Just…”
I hesitated for a moment whether to tell Seop Baek about it.
Numerous inner conflicts arose. After opposing each other twenty times, rejection finally triumphed.
I didn’t want to get Seop Baek involved unnecessarily. That was the main reason.
“Well, anyway. What was that piece of jewelry you bought earlier?”
Since the inner council had decided that way, I decided to change the subject first.
I pointed at the small box she was holding. This was the piece of jewelry Seop Baek had carefully chosen for about two hours.
Not quite in my right mind, I ended up paying first without even checking what it was. Now I realized I had ended up buying something without confirming.
“This? It’s a ring.”
Seop Baek proudly extended the box toward me.
I scratched the back of my head.
“No, I mean what kind of ring?”
“In fact… I don’t really know either. Hehe.”
Her completely unexpected reply made my eyebrows shoot up.
“What?”
“They said that one random ring is included among several rings in this box. Anything from expensive legendary items to cheap common items all at the same price! Isn’t that a unique sales strategy?”
“… Hey. That’s…”
It’s a gacha system.
So merchants using such tricks have already appeared?
Has luck-based, failing gaming really spread to this alternative world like a plague after conquering Earth?
Whoever introduced this must definitely be a hero from Earth. I was now convinced of that.
While thinking about what to say upon seeing Seop Baek turn into a black cow,
“I liked one of the rings mentioned in the list of rare items. The black gem in the middle looked so pretty, I hope that one comes out!”
She was there, her eyes shining with excitement.
Naturally, my sorrow at watching this was as certain as the probabilities in a gacha game of getting junk.
“Seop Baek, have you heard of something called sensory control?”
“Sensory… control?”
“Try your best to convince yourself you don’t want it. It’s the last advice I’m giving you as your senior.”
“???”
Avoiding sensory temptation. In professional terms, it’s called expectation control.
Of course, it doesn’t actually have any real effect. But it’s a good skill for mentally preparing yourself when you draw 10, 100 times and never get what you want.
“Hmm… I wonder what will come out…”
At that moment she began carefully opening the box.
Thud. The box opened. I was watching absentmindedly when…
“What the hell…!”
I instinctively grabbed my sword.
A chill ran down my spine at a strange sensation emanating from within the box, and I glanced at the Demon King.
Had she also sensed the same thing? She was looking back at me with a tense expression.
“Hey Ruci, did you get that feeling just now…!”
“…Judging from your reaction, it doesn’t seem to have been my imagination.”
Ruci directed an irritated look at the small ring in Seop Baek’s hand.
And she added,
“The smell of a Demon King. A really powerful Demon King.”
“…!”
“As much as I don’t know which one left the scent… it’s certainly not an ordinary dangerous feeling.”
That’s right.
My whole body bristled with a chilling sensation. It was the kind of overwhelming power that made me think this was what a real Demon King’s power felt like.
Apparently, Seop Baek hadn’t sensed anything, as she appeared unimpressed.
“Ah, this looks pretty old. I guess it’s a failure…”
I shook off my thoughts and immediately activated The Eye of Mimir to identify the item with this wild presence.
Swish. The usual panel surfaced.
[Item Information]
[Name: Omen of Isgrath]
[Details: ??? did ??? and left ???. Modified with ???, it now grants its master ???]
[Details: ???]
[Possible Enhancements: 0]
It’s all question marks.
Is this beyond what my current level of The Eye of Mimir can identify?
At that moment,
[The point of Return has been renewed.]
[Time – Continental Calendar 1108, January 12, 11:12 AM]
[Location – Markeuteuriseu, Upper Plains of Promise, Kern City Business District Zone 1]
My point of return had refreshed again – the second time today.
I fixed my glare on the ominous black ring.
“Isgrath? The ring of the ancient dragon, you say?”
When I mentioned the ring’s name to Ruci, that was her reaction.
She went quiet in contemplation, muttering something under her breath. I leaned in secretly to whisper to her while Seop Baek wasn’t looking.
“What is it? Is that dragon a real dragon?”
“Yes. Isgrath is the name of the last dragon.”
“Last dragon?”
“Even before I was created by the witch, dragons were already extinct. But Isgrath was the one who lived the longest of them. That’s why he’s called the Last Dragon.”
“The Last Dragon. He must have a pretty flashy title.”
I nodded to myself, then continued asking Ruci,
“Do you have any idea what this ring might be?”
“Hmm…”
Ruci carefully examined the ring Seop Baek was wearing while humming thoughtfully.
After watching it for a while like that, she eventually shrugged and shook her head.
She was giving up.
“I don’t know. Judging by the fact that it’s not in my memory, it’s probably an item made within the last 30 years or so. I don’t recall seeing anything like this before I was resurrected.”
“Why don’t you even consider the possibility that your memory’s wrong?”
“Hmph. Don’t underestimate my memory!”
While she had such confidence in her memory, why was her intelligence so low? I swallowed my comment.
As I remained skeptical while looking at Seop Baek’s ring-covered hand,
“Hero, take that ring from her immediately.”
Suddenly, Ruci casually threw out a completely unexpected statement. I immediately raised an eyebrow.
“What? Why?”
“Does it look like that girl can handle a ring with such immense power?”
“… That’s true.”
“There’s no telling what might happen. Since there’s so little information, don’t you think you should be the one to manage it? You do have extra lives after all.”
“…”
I was startled.
An unexpectedly normal statement came out of Ruci’s mouth.
“Stop looking at me with that proud expression, hero. It’s annoying.”
Sensing something from my expression, Ruci kicked my calf.
If I said it as it was, her wounded pride would get scratched again. Since it would be bothersome if she became deflated again, I opened my mouth to mumble something vague.
“No, it’s nothing…”
But then, a figure rushed quickly between Seop Baek and myself.
A person. A person wrapped in burlap. For an instant, I caught sight of red hair swaying in the hood.
Seop Baek, who had just been slapped on the shoulder, immediately leaned forward.
“Kyeok…”
Of course, I caught her just before she fell.
This is physical prowess. The difference in agility. Since Seop Baek is primarily an intelligence character, her agility is low, which slows down her reaction to sudden situations.
“Ah, t-thank you, Jung Yong.”
“No problem.”
After helping Seop Baek up, I stared at the fleeting figure in the burlap.
Not even apologizing before running off. Out of spite, I thought about running after them to give them a hit.
But then I immediately remembered my bag.
“Could it be a pickpocket…?”
In haste, I felt around my backpack and pouch.
But there were no signs of tampering. Double-checking out of concern, I saw that the money was still in the bag.
Were they just in a hurry? I scratched my head.
[The point of Return has been renewed.]
[Time – Continental Calendar 1108, January 12, 11:30 AM]
[Location – Markeuteuriseu, Upper Plains of Promise, Kern City Residential District]
It was only when that panel appeared that I realized and ran after the vagrant, glaring with wide eyes.
“Hold it! Stop right there!!”
I shouted and ran like a bullet. The vagrant briefly glanced back at me, then quickly disappeared down a dark alley.
I clicked my tongue and was about to follow…
“Ah, Jung Yong? Why are you suddenly-”
But at that moment, Seop Baek grabbed my sleeve.
I was about to yell in frustration, but seeing Seop Baek’s worried look toward me made the urge disappear.
“…”
Instead, a sigh escaped my lips.
Entering the alley where the vagrant disappeared late, it was already completely out of view.
I stared silently at the dark alley extending ahead as my thoughts lingered.
“… This is the third time.”
This was no longer something I could laugh off.
I swallowed dryly and remained motionless for a while in that spot.
