Chapter 35 · 11 min

Chapter 35

What to do

"The place where the magic book is strictly speaking is not this world."

At 'Bug Mania''s words Seo I-hyeon frowned.

Saying not this world the other world he went to came to mind.

"Accurately speaking it's a place like a gap of the world."

"Gap?"

"Yes. Regard it as a space the magic book made."

Seo I-hyeon was freshly amazed. The existence of the magic book itself was amazing, and that the magic book guy even makes space was also amazing.

"In fact there's nothing special. Because there there's nothing except the magic book. Just entering and bringing out is the end."

Seo I-hyeon tilted his head.

"If that kind of thing one can do directly."

'Bug Mania' made a bitter expression. But even in such an expression maggots crawling so something peculiar sense of incongruity was there. Shall one say it doesn't seem a proper expression.

Of course Seo I-hyeon didn't have his stomach turn or disgust surge with mere maggots. Honestly he saw scenes worse than this tons.

There were times mercenaries came saying they would catch the witch, and guys who formed parties saying heroes also charged. And even there were times the army came.

After doing a war like that, a scene of a degree that a person swarming with maggots like that looks like a noble unfolds.

Seo I-hyeon who had briefly other thoughts quickly came to his senses and concentrated on 'Bug Mania''s words again.

"There are a few reasons. One is the jealousy of the magic book I have."

"Jealousy? Does a magic book even do that?"

"Yes. It does. Jealousy is severe so it doesn't even let touch other magic books. So until putting it here a person to help is needed."

'Bug Mania' said that and opened the display cabinet next to him and took out one metal box from inside. A size that can store exactly one thick book, and the surface was densely filled with various magic circles.

Of course Seo I-hyeon no matter how looking doesn't know what role those magic circles play.

'The structure is a bit different from the magic circles I use. Dirty complicated.'

Complicated to a degree one doesn't know if one can memorize and use or understand such a thing.

"It's a storage box specially made to store the magic book. Because if just leaving it might escape."

"Escape? A book?"

"Yes."

The mouth corners of 'Bug Mania' answering slightly rose. Seo I-hyeon clearly saw that.

Because of the maggots awkward somewhere, but that is clearly a smile.

'It seems something satisfying.'

But what is satisfying? What Seo I-hyeon can think is only one. That he knows too little regarding magic books.

Well, okay. Anyway from the start he didn't trust 'Bug Mania', and no thought of trusting in the future either.

What to look and trust a person first seen today.

'By the way that person also living wouldn't be easy.'

Seo I-hyeon passes casually, but probably other people absolutely couldn't do so.

Look even now. Gesturing and maggots drop from the hand. The maggots that fell on the floor crawl hard and seem to try to return to the original place riding 'Bug Mania''s feet and enter inside the clothes.

At least since there's even the instinct of trying to return like that the house doesn't become a maggot den.

"Shall we go now? The entrance entering the space the magic book made is on the back mountain. Thanks to that I could discover. I was lucky."

'Bug Mania' took the magic book storage box and moved steps.

Seo I-hyeon quietly followed behind.

The two people who left the house climbed the back mountain.

Going about the middle of the mountain 'Bug Mania' stopped his steps.

Seo I-hyeon looked around. No matter how looking it doesn't seem something is here.

"Do you feel it?"

At 'Bug Mania''s question Seo I-hyeon neither affirmed nor denied. At times like this just staying still is enough.

"As expected a mage so you know right away. For me it took a few days until noticing here. If not a frequently used walking path I probably couldn't have found."

Making one think and draw conclusions on one's own like that is the best. Seo I-hyeon still neither affirming nor denying looked at 'Bug Mania'.

'Bug Mania' looked at Seo I-hyeon with meaningful eyes for a moment then extended his hand toward somewhere.

Toward the direction he extended his hand maggots poured out.

'That can also be used as an attack?'

The more the opponent dislikes bugs the more effective. If a personality that fusses clean even better. It could become a very excellent mental attack means.

While having such thoughts, the poured maggots floated in the air and flowed down. As if something transparent is there.

The maggots burst and the body fluid stuck stickily to the transparent something there.

Seo I-hyeon looking at that largely nodded. That certainly works.

Sizzle!

The maggots' body fluid evaporated all at once. The transparent something seems very hot.

And after emitting heat once like that, even to Seo I-hyeon's eyes what is there was clearly visible.

It was a door.

Really a door was alone in the air. Even not placed on the floor but slightly floating.

A very splendid door. Patterns as if tightly wrapped with chains made of fire were full.

"How is it?"

'Bug Mania' asked in a proud voice as if it were his own.

What how.

"Cool."

Really cool. After making a plausible workshop making the door like this also seems okay.

Then every time entering and exiting the workshop the mood would improve.

"Regrettably I can't touch. The magic book inside, probably a magic book related to fire. Because fire is incompatible with me. You saw my bugs burning earlier, right? If I touch I would probably also become like that."

Seo I-hyeon looked at 'Bug Mania' with speechless eyes.

'Hot to the degree of evaporating bugs, then I'm okay, what?'

He already dislikes painful things. But endure the burning pain that is one of the top among pains?

'Is he a crazy guy? No, he is a crazy guy.'

They say the longer owning a magic book the more one gradually goes crazy, 'Bug Mania' also seems to have become like that.

"'Timid Black Mage'-nim will be okay. For me also incompatible and since owning another magic book it becomes a problem, usually since having to find a new owner they don't burn just anyone to death. Probably not even lukewarm."

How to trust those words and carelessly touch that door. Seo I-hyeon approached the door and carefully brought one finger close. But even becoming fairly close heat is not felt.

Quickly touching the hand then removing it was okay. So he touched the finger a bit more stickily. Really not even lukewarm. That doesn't mean cold either though.

"My words are right, right? Just entering inside and bringing only the book out is enough. Minimum 100 thousand, if well 1 million coins become 'Timid Black Mage'-nim's. Or becoming the owner of the magic book."

His voice was subtle unlike the appearance, and alluring. Not simply a good voice but a voice containing mystery.

Of course it didn't work on Seo I-hyeon at all.

"Um. I'll worry a bit for a moment."

At Seo I-hyeon's words 'Bug Mania''s eyes slightly widened. But he quickly organized the expression and quietly waited for Seo I-hyeon's decision.

He couldn't know whether his words worked or not. At times like this just waiting brings the best result.

Seo I-hyeon abruptly turned his head and looked at 'Bug Mania'.

"Can you confirm if there are really coins?"

'Bug Mania' blankly looked at Seo I-hyeon. What kind of mental structure does one have to have to be able to say such words?

Seo I-hyeon who felt that gaze added words as if making an excuse.

"No, it's not that I necessarily suspect, but still if entering inside one doesn't know what will happen, that degree of confirmation one has to do."

"So meaning you suspect me. Regrettable and sad, but it can't be helped. Since becoming this appearance there's no one who believes my words right away."

'Bug Mania' judged that confirming the coin wallet is easier and faster.

If hesitating here even what can be done doesn't become.

'Bug Mania' took out the smartphone and displayed the held coins.

Seo I-hyeon quickly approached close and confirmed the smartphone.

"Oh. There are as many as 200 thousand? It's a bit distant from 1 million though?"

"If the magic book's value exceeds this I will take responsibility and sell. In the world rich people who want magic books are overflowing."

Seo I-hyeon smiled brightly and nodded.

"Understood. Then let's enter right away. Well, is there something like precautions?"

"None. Just entering and bringing only the book out is enough."

Seo I-hyeon approached the door. And placed his palm on the door and slowly pushed with force.

The door opened smoothly as if having no weight.

From the opened door gap fierce flames popped out and moved as if licking the space.

Seo I-hyeon startled and tried to avoid but somehow not hot so stayed still.

The flames licked Seo I-hyeon's forearm and passed. But no feeling came at all.

"Amazing."

Seo I-hyeon muttered like that and opened the door more and boldly entered inside.

As soon as entering inside the door closed with a thud.

When opening earlier it felt so light, but the sound when closing was heavy without compare.

"Wow. Amazing."

Admiration came out on its own. The place Seo I-hyeon's gaze headed first was the book in front.

A book floating as if stuck in the air. A book of a cover one doesn't know what material.

But chains of fire were tightly wrapping that book.

The chains of fire wrapping the book were extending in all directions, and even that was stuck in the air. Not stuck in the wall or ceiling.

As if the chains of fire were binding the book appearance.

"This is a bit strange? Just looking at the shape it seems not the magic book made this space but this space is confining the magic book?"

Seo I-hyeon carefully examined the chains of fire holding the magic book. It was chains made of four, three lengths were perfectly the same, and only one was excessively short. Not even half of half remaining.

First examining the magic book to that degree he looked around.

It was a very wide cave-like space, and flames surged from all directions.

The fire that came out from the door gap earlier. Not hot at all.

Besides that there was nothing.

"Then meaning one has to bring that book out... would it be possible?"

Other things he doesn't know, but being bound with chains of fire was a bit bothering the heart.

To take out the book one has to cut those chains, right. But just looking it wasn't something one can cut with force.

There has to be a physical entity to cut with force, right. But that was literally chains of fire. Made only of fire.

That fire can hold a book with weight is natural. But how to cut the chains of fire that frontally go against that natural.

Seo I-hyeon first approached the book.

The location where the book is was exactly Seo I-hyeon's eye height.

"No title on the cover either."

In fact not that there's no title, but there is but Seo I-hyeon can't see, but Seo I-hyeon couldn't know that.

Seo I-hyeon first slightly stroked the book. Curious about the material, and also wanting to touch a magic book once. And wanting to confirm if it's really a book with entity was the biggest.

The moment bringing the hand, the mana in the body was sucked in continuously.

Seo I-hyeon's eyes widened. He didn't know the magic book would suck mana in this way.

But while being eaten mana among the four chains wrapping the magic book one, that is the shortest chain began to be erased from the end.

A structure of erasing the chain as much as sucking mana.

Like that one chain disappeared completely, and when the end part of the second chain disappeared, Seo I-hyeon removed his hand from the book.

The magic book as if flustered wriggled madly. But because of the chains it couldn't move properly and only slightly shaking degree was all.

"Look at this guy?"

In fact the magic book was also in a flustered state now. Usually if touching it one absolutely can't remove. But Seo I-hyeon removed his hand too casually.

The magic book vibrated once then wriggled again. As if struggling wanting to go to Seo I-hyeon.

Seo I-hyeon looking at that stroked his chin.

"What to do."

In fact since mana is infinite just giving is no relation. But he's not a pushover so why should he.

The moment touching the magic book, he could clearly know 'Bug Mania''s intention.

That guy probably regarded that Seo I-hyeon would have all mana sucked here and die.

That crazy magic book no way ends with just sucking mana. Probably after sucking all mana it will also eat vitality, maybe even the body itself all.

"How many did it eat?"

Whether hearing Seo I-hyeon's muttering the magic book wriggled again. This time the movement was a bit different from a little ago. As if trying to unfold the cover.

"Oh, trying to inform with writing?"

It wriggles up and down.

At this level wouldn't conversation also be possible? If doing in a very simple question and answer format.

"If I give mana what will you give?"

It wriggles. As if trying to rush. Seo I-hyeon interpreted in his own way and drew an answer.

"Meaning acknowledging me as the owner?"

This time it wriggles up and down.

"If I become the owner what's good? Can I also use magic? Right away?"

The magic book wriggles up and down.

"If lying magic book or whatever I won't leave. I'll just erase the existence."

If putting in the shadow and leaving even if a magic book would there be a way?

Seo I-hyeon said that and brought his hand to the magic book again.

The magic book fiercely sucked mana. And the chains also decreased at a much faster speed than earlier.

Seo I-hyeon watched that scenery with eyes full of expectation.

Now soon, he obtains that magic book he only heard in words and only envied.