Chapter 170
“Come forth, Glize.”
Pueong-.
As Seo-jin pressed his hand to the ground, black smoke billowed out and a magic circle was drawn.
And from that magic circle, a spirit revealed itself.
Shaaaa-.
A frost spirit that exuded an atmosphere so cold it seemed to freeze the surrounding air just by appearing.
Ice Queen Glize.
A familiar obtained in the process of resolving Primgard’s winter.
[…….]
Glize looked around briefly before bowing her head to Seo-jin.
Seo-jin fell into thought as he watched Glize waiting for orders with her hands politely clasped together.
‘Although the form of servitude is necromancy, her essence is that of a spirit.’
She was one of the forces of suppression born from nature’s call, a spirit created by the world to prevent the reckless environmental destruction of the humans living in Primgard.
As such, she fully met the condition for an audience—that one must be guided by a spirit to approach the lake.
Moreover,
[H-how? This is within the Queen’s domain though?]
Pickle was startled to see Glize moving perfectly fine even within the Queen’s sphere of influence.
This place was within Her Majesty’s sphere of influence.
If it were an ordinary spirit, regardless of rank or the spiritualist’s capabilities, control would be seized by that person.
Because that person was the master of all spirit power existing on this floor.
No matter how excellent a spiritualist might be, they couldn’t stand against Her Majesty.
Yet the spirit before his eyes showed not the slightest waver.
Control wasn’t precarious, nor were the mana flow and spirit core unstable.
Though faint hostility could be felt, she simply bowed her head silently and waited for orders from her summoner, Seo-jin.
Pickle stammered as he looked at Glize.
[C-could it be, this… isn’t a regular spirit?]
A spirit created through unusual methods, different from spirits derived from the four great elements.
Such spirits were said to have completely different ecologies from ordinary spirits.
The spirit before his eyes appeared to have ice attributes on the surface, but her inner workings must be far more complex than they seemed.
At Pickle’s words, Seo-jin nodded.
“That’s right. But that’s not all there is to it.”
Being an irregular spirit alone wouldn’t be enough to escape Vivian’s influence.
The reason Glize was fine was because her relationship with Seo-jin wasn’t that of an ordinary spirit and spiritualist.
‘What binds Glize and me is the necromancy spell [Summon Dead].’
Due to the structure of the contract, Glize was classified as undead rather than a spirit, so she wasn’t affected by Vivian’s spirit power.
Seo-jin chuckled and spoke to Pickle, who had forgotten what to say and was stammering.
“You boasted that you’d guide us yourself if we found a way, didn’t you?”
[D-did I say that?]
Paraarak-.
Pickle feigned ignorance and acted like he’d bolt at any moment.
His wings trembled so rapidly it seemed he’d flee any second, so Seo-jin took action.
[Reverse Heaven Divine Art, Second Form. Grasp (Chak)]
Chwaaa-.
A force of attraction burst from Seo-jin’s hand.
Pickle, who had been trying to escape, was caught by the scruff and sucked toward Seo-jin’s hand.
[Uwat!]
Kwaak-.
Seo-jin, who had grabbed Pickle, smiled slightly as he wrapped black electricity around his other hand.
“You’d better keep your promise obediently if you don’t want to get fried. Fairy.”
***
Several days later.
The Reverse Heaven Society safely arrived at the lakeside following Pickle’s guidance.
Cheolsseok-. Cheolsseok-.
A pebble beach that extended endlessly along the waterside.
Water so transparent you could see through it rippled shallowly over the pebbles.
Raising their eyes from the pebble beach, an endless horizon stretched along the sunset.
“This is…….”
“A lake?”
The group couldn’t help but admire the lake before their eyes.
That was because this was more like an ocean than a lake.
The property of the water was freshwater, but its size alone made it appropriate to call it a sea.
Pickle, who had guided Seo-jin to the lake, tore at his hair while crying out in despair.
[Damn it, bringing humans all the way here. At this rate, Her Majesty will scold me!]
Despite grumbling about this and that, Pickle had guided Seo-jin and the group all the way to the lakeside.
Perhaps thanks to being guided by Pickle, the Queen’s messenger, the group didn’t receive any attacks from spirits or monsters during their journey.
Seo-jin commended his contribution.
“You worked hard guiding us here.”
Thanks to Pickle, they’d resolved in just a few days what could have taken weeks, or even months at worst.
[Whatever, give me something for working hard to guide you!]
“You should receive compensation from your master, why from us?”
[L-like she’d give me anything for bringing outsiders all the way here!]
“You should have been careful with your words then.”
Seo-jin chuckled as he smacked the squawking Pickle on the head.
Of course, it was true that he’d run his mouth carelessly to tease Nam-gung Cheon, but from Pickle’s perspective, it might be somewhat unfair.
It wasn’t his fault that he’d happened to encounter a strange black mage who serviced spirits as undead.
Just bad luck.
Meanwhile, So-yul, who had been admiring the beautiful lake scenery, asked Pickle.
“By any chance, how do we meet Her Majesty?”
Getting to the lake safely was one thing, but their real purpose was to meet Vivian and receive the World Quest.
They needed to find a way to meet the Queen.
Pickle crossed his arms and turned his head sharply.
[Figure that out yourselves. My role ends here.]
Just guiding them here would already earn him a severe scolding, and on top of that they wanted him to take them right before her. These wicked humans.
Getting excited upon seeing humans for the first time and running his mouth had become the root of disaster.
However, separate from Pickle’s thoughts, Seo-jin demanded additional guidance.
“Since we’ve come this far, it would be better to guide us obediently.”
[Why?]
“Because if you don’t, I’ll cause a ruckus here.”
Chiririt-.
Black lightning sparked at Seo-jin’s fingertips.
Since this was the lakeside, the Queen’s domain, causing a disturbance here would be even more effective.
At Seo-jin’s threat, Pickle tried to maintain composure as he warned.
[I-if you do that, you won’t be safe either, you know? Her Majesty’s honor guard will smash you to pieces!]
“That may be so. But if there’s one thing certain.”
Cheok-.
Seo-jin pointed at Pickle and twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Your position will become very difficult for bringing the humans causing that ruckus to the lakeside.”
[Uut…….]
At Seo-jin’s warning, Pickle stepped back and ground his teeth.
He fluttered his wings as he fell into serious contemplation.
Seo-jin shrugged as he watched the agonizing Pickle.
Of course, Seo-jin had no intention of causing trouble at the lakeside. There was nothing good about provoking the spirits’ mood.
It was just bluffing to threaten the fairy called Pickle before his eyes.
After pondering quietly, Pickle seemed to have made up his mind and shouted as if he had no choice.
[Fine, fine! I don’t know what happens after that!]
As Pickle brought his hands together after saying that, the lake began to part.
Chwaaa-.
Between the waterway that split left and right, rainbow-colored mana settled and a translucent bridge was laid.
[Follow me!]
Seo-jin’s group headed into the lake’s interior along the rainbow bridge Pickle had created.
A rainbow bridge extending below the water’s surface.
Following Pickle into the deep blue lake’s interior, a transparent mana barrier swept past the group.
Jeuwoong-.
It seemed to be a type of barrier, but they passed through safely thanks to Pickle.
After passing through the mana barrier, a large crystal palace that looked like something from a fairy tale appeared.
This was the palace of the lake’s fairy, Queen Vivian.
[A human? It’s a human!]
When Seo-jin’s group appeared, white light clusters circling around the palace showed interest.
[Who brought them? Who?]
[Pickle, that troublemaker. He’s going to get scolded by Her Majesty.]
[They look interesting! Will you play with me?]
Voices filled with childlike innocence.
However, Pickle waved his hands dismissively as if annoyed to chase them away.
[Get lost! Don’t talk to me!]
Watching Pickle vigorously wave his hands to chase away the light clusters, Francesca asked.
“Why is he suddenly acting like that? Aren’t they fellow friends?”
Were they on bad terms despite looking similar?
To Francesca’s question, Seo-jin answered.
“Those light clusters are a type of thought-form that hasn’t yet become spirits. Innocent but harboring pure malice.”
Lower spirits operate as a system managing attributes and the environment, given structure and attributes under the guidance of higher spirits.
Those thought-forms are used for that purpose.
However, those things that haven’t yet become spirits are existences on the fringes of spirits, not belonging to any system or structure, drawn only by instinctive desires and curiosity.
They could be seen as similar to the Greed (Tam) that Seo-jin employed.
So attempting to converse or play with them was dangerous.
Because those thought-forms desired to possess the ‘physical bodies’ that living beings had.
[Let’s make a bet with me! But the loser has to grant a wish, okay?]
[Want to become light and play with us? It’ll be fun!]
“…….”
After hearing Seo-jin’s explanation, it seemed one could sense the pitch-black malice hidden within those thought-forms’ pure proposals.
Francesca covered her ears and turned her gaze away from the light clusters.
***
The group entered the crystal palace’s interior after passing through the countless light clusters that kept clinging to them.
After passing through checkpoints several times, the group finally reached Queen Vivian’s audience chamber.
Ttogak-.
As they reached the audience chamber, a being appeared with the sound of high heels.
[So it’s you? The foreign existence that has set foot on this sacred land.]
Queen Vivian standing atop a crystal dais.
She greeted Seo-jin’s group with her chin raised high in an overbearing attitude.
“……!”
Austin looked Vivian up and down, then froze as if shocked by her beauty.
Heavenly beauty with snow-white platinum hair wearing a voluminous dress. Even translucent fairy wings extending beautifully like butterfly wings.
She was a beauty as if painted in a picture.
But the shock was brief.
Pabat-.
Austin had already politely taken a bow and knelt on one knee before her.
Then he recited lines as if his mouth had been oiled.
“That is correct, Your Majesty. If our humble group has offended Your Majesty’s mood in any way, please forgive us with your generous heart.”
Vivian frowned slightly at Austin’s sudden change in behavior, then looked down at him and asked.
[Still, there’s at least one human who knows manners. What is your name?]
“I am called Austin, Your Majesty.”
[I see, Austin. So you’re the human spiritualist who commanded four supreme-class spirits. I acknowledge that talent, but commanding such powerful spirits near my lake is challenging my authority. Do you have anything to say in your defense?]
Austin lowered his head and clutched his chest as if pained.
“I have no excuse even with ten mouths. Ignorance is also a sin. However, my companions are without any sin. Please punish only foolish me.”
As he took an even more humble attitude than expected, Vivian cleared her throat and changed her words.
[Ahem, I had no intention of punishing you from the start. Excellent spiritualists are precious after all. However…….]
Vivian turned her gaze to glare at Seo-jin.
[Your case is a bit different.]
“You mean me?”
[That’s right. How dare you service a spirit in such a manner. Don’t you feel sorry toward the spirit?]
Vivian took issue with the necromancy contract with Glize.
In the past, Narcissus had also commented on this once.
However, Seo-jin shrugged and answered.
“Without the contract with me, it would have been an existence destined for spiritual extinction. And I don’t know how to handle spirits other than through necromancy.”
Glize was an existence that should have disappeared along with Primgard’s winter.
It was thanks to the contract with Seo-jin that she could maintain her existence like this.
“And whatever contract I make isn’t for others to concern themselves with.”
[That can’t be. Necromancy is a forced contract. It’s an unfair slave contract without bonds or emotional exchange with the spirit. Break it immediately!]
“If it weren’t for that unfair contract, I wouldn’t have even made it here. Why exactly do you shun outsiders so much?”
If it weren’t for the peculiar contractual relationship between Seo-jin and Glize, they couldn’t have even faced her in such a peaceful manner.
When Seo-jin pointed this out, Vivian became flustered and angry.
[T-that’s none of your business either!]
“…….”
Vivian didn’t seem to have any intention of answering.
From the somewhat scatterbrained way she spoke, it seemed if he pressed a little more, she’d spill everything from her own mouth.
‘I think I roughly understand the situation.’
The lake’s Queen who shunned outsiders.
Forceful control of spirits.
Even the light clusters gathered around the palace in excessive numbers.
Seo-jin deduced the current situation Vivian was in through information from before his regression and several pieces of information he’d grasped while coming here.
“This world’s spirit power circulation has stopped, hasn’t it?”
