The address Kim Yul had sent was a small residential complex in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
The property prices were exorbitant, and almost no one lived there, making it an excellent neighborhood for a mage. Unlike the complex where Ian lived, there hadn't been any major fires or the like, so ghosts didn't swarm the streets either. Only the occasional grotesque entity wandered the alleys.
“…….”
It was only natural for entities to be present where a mage lived. As long as their memories weren't erased, beings entangled with the mysterious would continue to be entangled with it.
Moreover, mages were existences who directly handled memories called magic. Unlike psychics, who were simple mutants, or knights and martial artists who trained their bodies through cultivation techniques, mages tended to have all sorts of bizarre things popping out of their hands, eyes, and mouths. Thus, to ordinary people, a mage was practically no different from the mysterious itself.
Of course, if you shouted, “You really are just like some entity!” in front of a mage, there was a high chance you would disappear without a trace by the next day. It was practically the same as yelling, “Please kill me!” so it was only natural. There were many ways to commit suicide, after all; if you found life lacking in thrills, picking a fight with a mage wouldn't be a bad idea.
“Hmm.”
While lost in such idle thoughts, Ian arrived in front of Kim Yul’s house.
It was an ordinary, modern-style house overall. It was a bit smaller than Ian’s place, but more than enough for living alone. Rather, it felt somewhat excessive.
Drip, drip, drip.
Beyond the high wall, he could hear faint sounds of water. The kind of sound one might expect from an artificial lake or pond.
It seemed she had done some extra landscaping in the yard.
Given Kim Yul’s personality, Ian wouldn’t have thought she was one for decorations, but it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case. Before entering the house, Ian quietly listened to the water, neatly lit a cigarette, and firmly pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong.
The cheerful sound echoed throughout the house. Before long, footsteps approached, and the front gate swung open with a creak.
“Newbie, you’re here…!”
Kim Yul, dressed comfortably, welcomed Ian. Ian roughly nodded in greeting and entered the house with her. With a squeak, the gate closed.
“Hehe, how’ve you been? I’ve been doing okay.”
“Yeah, more or less. But when exactly did you pick up the grimoire?”
“It’s been about four days. I haven’t touched it directly yet, but it keeps coming back no matter how many times I throw it away, so I’ve had no choice but to store it in a fish tank for now.”
Instead of engaging in small talk, Ian got straight to the point. Fortunately, Kim Yul responded immediately.
Drip, drip, drip. Water flowed into the small artificial pond built in the yard. Ian stuffed his hand into his coat pocket and glanced at the sight.
“It didn’t open itself on its own?”
“Not that I noticed. But do grimoires do that?”
“From time to time. That’s what happened with mine, at least.”
Plip.
A water strider resting on the pond lightly paddled the surface. Ian turned his head.
“You know about Dagon, right?”
“The Outer God created by Lovecraft. That’s about all I know. I didn’t bother looking into it more since I didn’t think it’d ever be relevant to me.”
“That’s enough.”
With a clunk, the two entered the interior of the house. Taking off their shoes and stepping into the living room, they found fish tanks bubbling everywhere. Blue water and black fish filled each one.
And among them, one particularly small fish tank. Inside the tank that held only two fish, a turquoise book floated leisurely.
Whether due to animal instinct, the fish only hid inside the little house and trembled, taking no other action.
“Is this it?”
Ian looked down at the grimoire and asked. At the same time, as if recognizing his presence, the grimoire stopped moving and slowly raised itself until its cover was perpendicular to the floor. The bizarre fish engraved on the cover stared fixedly at Ian.
A gaze that was anything but pleasant.
Ian dragged over a nearby rolling chair and plopped down beside the fish tank. Kim Yul sat down next to him.
“Yeah. What do you think? Can you feel anything?”
“I’m not knowledgeable enough to figure out information just by looking at a grimoire’s cover. Only Iseoa can do that.”
“Iseoa? Who’s that?”
“He exists, that’s who. Anyway, I don’t know exactly what this is just from the cover. I can’t read the title either.”
[𐀔𓆩 𐫱 𓈓 𐎿𓆪 𐫰 𓍢]
Some of the symbols were recognizable, but the completed title was not visible. Considering that every grimoire Ian had laid eyes on until now had boldly revealed its title, it was a strange occurrence.
‘…Could it be that, contrary to my high affinity with Outer Gods, I simply don’t mesh with the Lovecraftian side at all?’
It was a reasonably logical deduction. Ian let out a low hum and met the glare of the grimoire staring daggers at him.
“I could definitely recognize the title perfectly when I saw the photo, but seeing it in person is a whole different story. Did it suddenly hide? Or is a photo somehow different?”
“Well, this is also a type of entity, so isn’t that why? Anyone can see a photo, so it doesn’t matter much, but revealing itself directly to you seems dangerous, so it’s intentionally avoiding you. What do you think? Isn’t that a decent guess?”
“…Sounds plausible. Well, either way, what I have to do won’t change much.”
Ian tilted his head and summoned his grimoires. The Hand of Re-creation and the Tome of Contract settled into his grasp.
[Uung.]
[U, ung!]
The two grimoires vibrated as if they wanted to tear apart *Dagon and the Embrace of the Sea* right that instant.
It was a reaction similar to that of the Abyssal Sea Chronicle when it had faced Nyarlathotep’s Anchor on the cruise ship. The grimoires’ instinctual disgust was transmitted directly into Ian’s mind.
It was only natural. Just as humans felt instinctual disgust and terror upon seeing something pretending to be human, Outer Gods could not tolerate other things that imitated them.
*If even the grimoires react like this, they’d go absolutely ballistic if they met the real thing.*
Ian snickered and first opened the Tome of Contract.
Dealing with an Outer God’s grimoire was something he had already done before.
*R’lyeh’s Submersion*. He had acquired that grimoire at an art museum, sealed it with the Tome of Contract, and then cleanly killed it with re-creation magic.
What he had to do now wasn’t very different. He pulled a pen from his pocket and looked back at Kim Yul.
“I’m going to deal with this right away. Step back.”
“Huh? R-right now?”
“Dragging it out won’t do any good. Lovecraftian grimoires drastically reduce their owner’s lifespan to an average of ten years or less. And that’s just the average. Most don’t even live that long.”
“…….”
“The fact that it came back even after you threw it away means it’s already chosen you as its owner. If you touch it, it’ll immediately affect you. Or rather, isn’t it already affecting you a little? Like an urge to keep the grimoire.”
“…I do, a little. It’s getting worse as time goes by. That’s why I called you.”
Having said that, Kim Yul smiled softly and rested her head on Ian’s shoulder.
“If you help me out this time, I’ll grant you any one wish. Really, anything. You can just blurt it out like you’re ordering a slave, and I’ll do it.”
“…Wouldn’t that actually be good for you, though?”
“Bweh. Caught me.”
She giggled and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. Ian pushed her head away with a bitter smile.
“Let’s grab a bite when this is over safely. I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”
“Okay. The menu is up to y—”
The moment Kim Yul tried to continue, turquoise light suddenly burst through the glass of the fish tank.
“…!”
Light blinding enough to sear the eyes. Ian immediately hardened his expression and thrust his hand into the fish tank.
Ian didn’t know exactly what the grimoire was trying to do.
But it was obvious as fire that leaving it alone wouldn’t lead to a good outcome. He grabbed the grimoire roughly and began to chant.
“…Ugh!”
He had tried to chant. If only the grimoire hadn’t suddenly vanished.
Thick scent of blood and rotting meat.
An unmistakable stench wafted from Kim Yul’s direction. Ian whipped his head around. Kim Yul looked down at the grimoire caught in her hand, her pupils trembling.
“H-huh? Why is this in my hand…?”
[Foolish one. Why have you refused the chance to ascend and called forth a heretic lost in delusion?]
A heavy whisper cut through the space, interrupting Kim Yul’s voice.
And on the window.
On the window.
Fish eyes pressed tightly against the glass stared at the two, bleeding profusely.
The moment she recognized them, an intense headache hammered at Kim Yul’s head. Her face contorted, and Ian clicked his tongue as he pulled his hand out of the fish tank. His revealed hand was covered in blood.
“…….”
Blood dripped down with stinging pain. When he glanced back inside the fish tank, pieces of torn flesh were floating about.
“…This is insane.”
An ambush from which not even a hint of hostility could be sensed. He immediately shook the blood off his hand and summoned the Hand of Re-creation. He rushed straight toward Kim Yul and thrust out his uninjured hand.
“Be reborn—”
[But worry not, daughter of the sea. I bestow upon you the station of a saint, and you shall become my faithful servant and child.]
Kreeeeeeek!!!!
A roar loud enough to completely drown out Ian’s spell burst forth.
He ignored it. He gritted his teeth, somehow finished his chant, and grabbed the turquoise grimoire held in Kim Yul’s hands.
At the same time, part of the grimoire’s pages melted away, and the bizarre fish drawn on the cover opened its jaws wide and swallowed the title whole.
[The sea embraces you.]
FWOOSH!
Seawater burst from the grimoire’s cover like a bomb. Kim Yul was swept away in an instant. Ian frowned and urgently summoned the Abyssal Sea Chronicle, pulling it out. He immediately placed his hand over his lips and quickly chanted a spell for underwater breathing.
“The sea is thy breath, and I myself shall join lips with thee…!”
Gurgle…!
The moment the spell concluded, seawater swallowed the entire space. Hearing vanished instantly, and his vision was dyed completely black.
In less than a second.
“…….”
At some point, Ian had been thrown into the sea.
*
The sensation of his homeland’s soil beneath his feet after so long was nothing particularly special.
“Ian….”
Clear skies. Beneath them blew a warm May breeze mixed with pollen. Haneul stood still, slowly curling up the corners of her mouth and savoring the breeze with her whole body.
“So this is the air Ian usually breathes… Mmm, my legs go numb just imagining it….”
“You crazy bitch, stop that and move your luggage already! You know full well Bureau agents are hiding around Korean airports!”
Greta shouted. Haneul clicked her tongue loudly, took one more deep breath, and approached her.
“Isn’t moving luggage something you can do alone? Why do you need my help?”
“Because you have the most, you bitch! What, are you on your honeymoon? Why did you pack so many cosplay outfits? Are you trying to give that first love or whatever of yours a broken heart?”
“I won’t make him die of a broken heart.”
“So you’re gonna jump him. Ugh, stop bullshitting and listen while I’m being nice. We’re moving out right after we drop our bags at the hotel.”
“Can’t we rest for a day? I need time to visit the orphanage too.”
“Our business comes before your personal matters.”
Greta shoved a suitcase toward Haneul. Haneul sighed and took it.
Just then, Jonas, having finished a call, approached the two holding a beeping device.
“Jackpot right off the bat. We’re getting in a car right after dropping our bags at the hotel. Destination is Yong… in? Yeah, Yongin, here.”
“The destination’s already decided?”
Greta asked back with a surprised expression. Jonas nodded.
“Yeah, a large-scale ether fusion reaction was detected. My ability linked to the observation device triggered, so it’s certain.”
Tap, tap.
Jonas tapped his temple.
An ability that linked with specific objects and senses to exponentially amplify effects.
It was an ability second to none when it came to detection, tracking, and pursuit. If used more than three times a day, side effects like severe headaches, numbness in the hands and feet, and internal injuries would occur, but there was no problem as long as he kept it to three times or fewer.
He put his phone in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette.
“We’ll poke around once, and if it seems like a total bust, we’ll bounce right away. Take your mental barrier reinforcement just in case.”
“Ugh, I hate that because it tastes awful… Hmph, I’m jealous of Haneul… She doesn’t have to take any reinforcement….”
Greta grumbled. Haneul tilted her head with an expressionless face.
“Then become a psychopath too. It’s a pain that some people have social disabilities, yet you’re jealous of that?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want that. I can’t become a psychopath who can’t empathize with anyone except my first love.”
“Then shut up and move. We need to finish today’s work quickly so I can go meet him.”
Haneul said so and sprayed her perfume generously.
It was an item made by appropriately mixing all sorts of perfumes, lotions, and body sprays to roughly imitate Ian’s scent from her memories. It wasn’t satisfactory, but even so, it was one of Haneul’s treasured possessions.
“Hngh… Haa….”
She smelled the scent embedded in the hem of her shirt as if savoring it, then let out a heated breath.
“I’ll come see you soon, Ian.”
Haneul’s black pupils unfocused languidly.