"Uh, what is it? Masked person, are you here again?"
… … To be honest, I was a little sentimental.
However, that feeling was instantly shattered the moment I saw the dizzying scenery of Geumchon Pawn Shop and Jung Eun-taek.
"Yes, old man. I'm here. "You don't have a part-time job today?"
Today, Jeong Ye-eun, who helps out at the pawn shop, is nowhere to be seen.
"That guy ran out to check out the night market."
"Oh, I see. "Can I ask you for something?"
"So, what did you need today?"
"hmm… … First of all, I would like to buy about 10 meters of silver thread. Do you have it? And tree branches that can be used as materials. "It doesn't matter what kind of service it is, so it's like it's blessed or consecrated."
"I don't know what else you're bringing these things for."
Besides that, my request went on for a long time.
Every time, Eun-taek Jeong grumbled with a disgusted expression on his face, but miraculously, he was able to take everything he needed.
'This place is definitely out of the ordinary.'
Just a short walk outside the door, there is a night market where Paju citizens happily eat street food and take selfies, but this is where I buy things like ghoul hand bones and the dried skin of a two-headed lion.
When the calculation was finished, Jeong Eun-taek paused for a moment and then spoke.
"Well, you said last time that you wanted to go to Cheongeumdang, right?"
I was already planning to ask, but you spoke up first.
Yes, you are now over level 30, so you have exceeded the minimum level to enter the Thousand Geumdang.
"Can I get a ticket?"
"Hmph, it's not something that comes out that easily."
"Still, I guess the old man brought it up because there was something, right?"
Jeong Eun-taek made a disapproving look again at my words.
"Someone I know asked me to introduce a problem solver. "Then I looked into it and found out that there is no problem solver like you?"
"hmm… … "It's probably an exaggerated rumor."
"What is exaggeration? "It's been a long time since this old man washed his hands, but he's not deaf yet."
Jeong Eun-taek paused for a moment and then continued.
"Tsk, anyway, I'm going to send you a message through the witch in the back alley in about 15 days, so please take charge of my work."
"It looks like someone is going to Cheongeumdang?"
"okay. The teacher I was indebted to 20 years ago... … I'm planning to go to Cheongeumdang. "Can I ask you a favor?"
Although something went round and round, this is a prerequisite quest for entering the Thousand Geumdang Hall.
You will visit Cheongeumdang together with the person who holds the Cheongeumdang ticket.
I answered with a smile.
"great."
Since it is covered by a mask, facial expression management is not necessary as always.
* * *
After a short move, we are back in front of the starving mansion.
"Do you want to go in and rest for a while?"
"No, no, no, no! "I have a dispatch scheduled for later, so I'll go to work right away!"
Jang Hyeon-deok was confused as if he still had some trauma from the ghost.
'That kind of problem isn't something that can be easily fixed.'
"Please call me again next time. "If the wizard calls you, you can really go anywhere!"
Jang Hyeon-deok left behind such shameless words.
His tone seemed certain that he probably wouldn't have to call for a while, but the day we would meet again would come sooner than he thought.
To begin with, it is in the mountains far away from the city, and there are no buses that come here.
Even if you just want to buy food and drinks, you will probably have to call Jang Hyeon-deok.
Anyway, after confirming that Jang Hyeon-deok was leaving, I went into the house with Dol-dori.
Cleaning is almost finished now.
A lot of the negative air that had accumulated along with the dust was removed, and a lot of the ghosts that had been clinging to the mansion along with the stale air were driven out.
Of course, this does not mean that the identity of this house as a haunted mansion disappears.
Even after all the fuss that had been going on all day, the mansion was still dark and gloomy. There are still poisonous ghosts that have not been completely eliminated in every corner of the mansion.
"Those poisonous bastards… … ."
It is ambiguous to say that they are tenants who have had difficulties due to a change in landlord, but they also seem to be embarrassed that their homes are suddenly being destroyed.
As soon as my gaze reached it, it slipped into the crack in the wall and hid somewhere.
Finding them and chasing them away would be very tiring.
"The reason Jang Hyeon-deok ran away… … "I can't blame you."
No matter what excuse you make, this house is still a haunted mansion. And that identity will continue to be maintained in the future.
We don't have infinite time, so let's solve other things first.
"Turn around! "Follow me to the basement!"
I went down to the basement, calling Doldoli.
Rattling, rattling, rumbling, rumbling!
As the size becomes smaller, it moves more noisily than before.
"Let's take back what we put in earlier."
Grumble!
One of the spaces in Doldol's mouth opened.
The inside of the now smaller Doldori is barely big enough for a person's head to pass through, but the amount of luggage that would fill a studio room spills out from inside.
Cursed jewels and body fragments of golden dancers, golden heads that are still alive and in hibernation, eggs created by the fusion of the bodies of flesh monsters and parasites, several grimoires and magic stones, and miscellaneous items collected here and there, Magic catalysts, material items, and even artifacts that were neglected due to low utilization.
The basement is a space used by the previous landlord, Heoju, to conduct his magic laboratory and dismember victims of necromancy.
It is also a space where countless creatures have lost their lives.
Even though I cleaned it up using the command golems, I still couldn't erase all the traces from before.
The faint smell of blood and decay.
"Well, if you endure this much, it will get better."
Anyway, this space is the wizard's workshop that I wanted so badly to have.
While the spirit golems were busy organizing things, I looked through Heoju's research log and grimoire in the basement.
It appears to be interfering with the clean-up, but no one is dissatisfied with it. Because no one has an ego like that in the first place.
This is a laboratory that has been used for 150 years by a person directly sponsored by the Being of the Abyss.
Although this mansion has been robbed several times in the past, this is the first time it has been handed over in such an intact condition.
The magic system is different from mine, so some adjustments are needed, but you will be able to use most of the existing equipment as is.
Although the content may be focused on a somewhat biased field due to its nature, the remaining materials here will eventually become my magic and knowledge.
"Thanks to you, I can start right away without much preparation."
And let's get rid of the things we've been putting off with the excuse of not having a workshop, one by one.
Coincidentally, the golden head of a dancer brought from Tanhyeon catches my eye.
"I was thinking about where I could use that. "Once you're ready, you should do that first."
It is a powerful magical creature that even I had a hard time dealing with.
If you combine that with the technology to control the spirit golem, you will be able to create something very useful.
If you are properly prepared, you will receive a request to visit Cheongeumdang through Tudor.
There are still expectations about the black market that Cheongho mentioned.
Perhaps because I have a house, a lot of future-oriented thoughts come to mind.
Once sufficient preparations have been completed based on this mansion, you can begin the mid-game play of [Cthulhu World].
Now, the main story will proceed not only in Paju, but also in other regions.
After thinking about it at this point, I called in a few command golems and had them clean up the attack room.
Now I can rest. As I slowly came out of the basement, still stretching my sore body, an unexpected problem arose.
[…] … .]
This is a signal sent by the command golem that gave the mission to monitor Heo Sang-hyeon.
"It's ambiguous timing."
Heo Sang-hyeon woke up.
I sighed for a moment and looked at the window on one side of the hallway.
It's dark outside, and the sky is full of stars.
My sleeping pattern is already strange, but I guess I'll sleep after the sun rises today.
When I arrived at Heo Sang-hyeon's room on the second floor, I slowly knocked on the door and opened it.
When I entered the room, Heo Sang-hyeon was startled and tried to force himself to get up.
Just counting the time I was asleep, it's roughly over 24 hours.
I looked at him in silence for a moment to gauge his condition.
However, you cannot guess your health by looking at your appearance.
His face is still gaunt and pale, like a corpse.
And the feeling of death that is unique to the undead.
To check the condition, you must look inside rather than the external appearance.
The evil magic of the negative dimension flowing within Heo Sang-hyun's body is moving more actively than before.
Rather, the power of the bright light is added, and he is filled with a magical power of a different nature from the magical energy that originally flows through his body.
Immediately responds to my will... … It's a magic that comes from me.
"Well, it looks like it's in better condition than I thought."
Heo Sang-hyun, who was rolling his eyes and blinking excessively, which was unusually prominent due to his gaunt face, seemed to hesitate for a moment and then opened his mouth.
"Lord, master… … ?"
Ugh, I guessed it would be like this, but it was still burdensome.
Now I have become a wizard who solves all kinds of cases in fantastic Paju, but before that, I, Kim Shin-hwa, was an ordinary office worker who has lived in Korea for several decades.
There's no way I'm used to hearing a man who is about eight years older than me talk about my master.
"Forget the word 'master.' "How are you feeling?"
"I am… … it's okay. Much better than before... … no see."
"That's a good thing."
"however… … ."
In an unconscious motion, he fumbled with the mirror hanging around his neck. It is a different technique from the necromantic magic that had previously bound him.
It's much kinder than necromancy. However, Heo Sang-hyun seemed rather awkward about it.
"What on earth did you do…?" … ? What about my master? And what happened to me?"
"Umm… … ."
I left it alone to have this conversation, but what should we talk about?
First of all, it seems that the master that Heo Sang-hyeon spoke of this time was not me, but Heo Ju.
"First of all, your former master, Heoju, is dead."
"Dead? No way… … !?"
"How could that be? "You can sense it anyway, right?"
"… … ."
"And just as you can sense, I have been given everything in this mansion."
"yes… … "I am aware of it."
Everything mentioned here includes Heo Sang-hyeon, who was Heo Joo's slave.
Most of his previous interactions with me, laughing at me, and attacking me had nothing to do with his will.
Perhaps the only thing that was his true intention was that he tried to kick me out as soon as we met.
"Okay, but apart from that, I have no intention of using you as a slave. However, I have no desire to waste magic power and artifacts for no reason."
Heo Sang-hyun smiled vaguely for a moment.
It's a smile that only fanatics without ego can make.
It doesn't matter what Heo Sang-hyun thought before.
A sense of loyalty to me is already forming in his mind.
Loyalty to myself takes priority over the desire for self-protection, hopes, or dreams.
If I tell him to die, he will die with joy and joy.
"It might be difficult for me to understand your needs or psychology. I have never died and come back to life. Of course, the concept of personal desire may be rare due to artificial loyalty... … ."
I reached out my hand towards him.
Several magic circles rose around the hands of Heo Sang-hyun and I, which stopped in midair.
Some of the magic circles are connected to the mirror hanging around Heo Sang-hyeon's neck, while others are connected to his head and heart.
I moved the magic circle connected to my head.
Giiiiiiing… … .
The magic circle moves according to my will. Soon, some of the incantations tied to Heo Sang-hyeon's mind changed form.
To be precise, it removes the compulsory loyalty that constrains thinking and action.
At the same time, an immediate reaction occurred in the body.
His lifeless lips were twisted, and his bony hands were shaking.
That is the original emotion Heo Sang-hyun must feel. Fear.
"Now, are you able to think for yourself a little more?"
Heo Sang-hyeon seemed unable to open his mouth.
All he does is roll his big eyes and flinch with an anxious expression.
"If you wish to attain Buddhahood, I will liberate you like this. There will be no pain or discomfort."
"I, I, I… … I am… … ."
But I raised my hand and stopped him.
"Listen until the end."
"… … yes."
"If you want to stay alive like this a little longer, I can help you with that."
His eyes widen again.
The eyes are so big that I feel anxious just looking at them.
"Of course it's not free. "I need a butler to take care of the mansion."
Although you couldn't see it behind the mask, I smiled.