NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 159
“Did you really just point to the chair on the other side of the table, Yu-ri? Seriously?”
Dorothy, now dressed, couldn’t believe Hong Yu-ri’s boldness. Talk about topsy-turvy, this was absurd…
Sure, she wanted to throw a snarky remark back, but she held her tongue. After all, she was the heir of Square, unlike that loudmouth. A true successor needed some grace, right?
“Are you sure you changed? Can someone open a window?”
Seeing Yu-ri scrunch her face while pinching her nose made Dorothy pause. She was ready to channel her magic when she caught sight of the swaying red bottle.
“Quit flexing and just sit down, will ya?”
Hah, who’s the one flexing here? Just the thought made Dorothy’s blood boil, but ignoring it was hard with whatever was in that bottle nagging at her.
Her intuition screamed that whatever was inside was anything but ordinary.
…Yeah. Listening to Yu-ri might not be the worst idea. Then she’d really teach her some manners.
So, Dorothy collected herself and put on her superhuman patience. She didn’t catch the significant smirk on Yu-ri’s face as she popped the bottle’s cork, making Dorothy involuntarily swallow.
“You… You don’t mean?”
“Why? Doesn’t sound plausible?”
“No way…!”
If she wasn’t mistaken, that intoxicating aroma filled with unfathomable magic was clearly Dragon Blood. But honestly, how many dragons out there could boast such blood?
Yu-ri raised a hand to stop Dorothy from getting too close before quickly sealing the bottle again.
“Just a tiny bit! Let me check it, please!”
A tiny—like, 10cc tiny—vial, but the Dragon Blood inside was the ultimate temptation for any mage.
Dragon’s blood could boost magic power all on its own and was also invaluable for creating magic circles or items. Plus, it was oh-so-rare, almost worth its weight in gold due to all the mystical properties it held.
Sure, a dragon usually had a giant size, yielding tons of blood if caught, but the real deal with actual Dragon Blood was extremely scarce.
What’s more, they mostly trained A-Class hunters or were way above that level, making them a rarity even in dungeons. And losing pure Dragon Blood during a fight often left you with nothing but impurities…
“Just a tiny bit! Please!”
Yu-ri snorted dismissively, “Seriously? You have no idea how precious this is. Are you out of your mind?”
As if a dragon with wings would just let itself get caught. Even here in Square, Dragon Blood was running low. But Dorothy being so desperate over a mere 10cc? Nah, that wasn’t happening.
Yet, there was a scent unlike anything she’d encountered—it had to be top-tier quality… Possibly from a dragon with immense power. She wanted to find out more, but Yu-ri’s sly grin suggested that wouldn’t happen.
That fish-caught-in-a-net look made Dorothy fume, but she couldn’t deny it was impressive on Yu-ri’s part. Was this Hunter seriously not just wasting time?
“…What do you want?”
“Not much?”
“You didn’t bring this up just to brag, right?”
Yu-ri shot back a glare that clearly said, “Do I have that kind of personality?”
“Just thought we should keep working on the usual stuff?”
“…The usual stuff?”
Yu-ri’s tone suddenly dropped serious. Dorothy furrowed her brows as she sensed the shift.
“Aren’t you sick of it? Plague and Disease… so tiresome.”
“…?”
Dorothy looked at her like she’d lost it. Isn’t that why they were stuck in this mess? Hadn’t they been at it for fifty long years?
But really? Just out of nowhere venting about Plague and Disease? She squinted at her, trying to gauge how genuine it was, but Yu-ri’s expression remained unchanged.
Clearly, she had plenty of thoughts. So, Dorothy decided to stay quiet and hear her out.
Yu-ri explained how they’d collaborate, starting with Dorothy and the mages at Square. The existence of Alpha was hush-hush, but the work would go on as usual.
However, Plague and Disease must be dealt with—distanced at all costs. While Alpha fought Plague, they’d pour their magic into Disease to buy as much time as possible.
“Wait a minute. What’s with the random talk?”
“What do you mean?”
Had there been something in what she said that didn’t click? Yu-ri eyed a now-confused Dorothy and felt the urge to shoot back just to make a point.
“If you don’t want to, then don’t. You can just—”
As she shoved the Dragon Blood into her stash, Dorothy rushed to interject.
“No, not that! Just who is this Alpha you keep mentioning?”
“Huh? Oh…”
Yu-ri nodded as she recalled that “Alpha” was just a name she made up. Although the rumors about Agail’s demise spread like wildfire, the actual name was probably forgotten.
She gave Dorothy a hint, but when Dorothy looked confused, Yu-ri just shook her head.
“You really have no street smarts, do you?”
Of course, Yu-ri had her reasons for being reluctant, but it wasn’t Dorothy’s fault for missing the hints, right?
“Who else would it be? You freaked out on sight.”
“…What?”
“You panicked like a pure moron the moment you saw him. Now, here I am…”
“Hey, stop rambling. What are you on about?”
Another sharp cutoff from Dorothy. It seemed more like a rejection of understanding than an act of ignorance, which got Yu-ri fuming.
How could she not get it? That was more of an intellectual issue by now!
But, wait… Has this sass always been so good at feigning cluelessness? Something felt off, like she wasn’t scared but just utterly baffled. Had she genuinely lost her mind?
Feeling frustrated, Yu-ri arrived at a conclusion.
Amnesia. That notion was clear. Yu-ri chuckled to herself, holding back laughter as she imagined Dorothy’s cluelessness.
“Enough of this. Just tell the old man what I said.”
“…?”
“If you’re gonna do it anyway, you might as well give it your best shot.”
Dorothy frowned, noticing how fatigued Yu-ri seemed. …Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt to put in some effort. If it meant getting Dragon Blood, then she could definitely manage.
But Yu-ri wasn’t done. She dug out two more vials, and Dorothy’s eyes went wide.
“You…!”
“Indigo and Yellow. If you help convince them, all of this is yours.”
Swallowing hard at the enticing offer, Dorothy nodded. This was a must. Whatever Alpha was, they needed to hurl magic at Plague and Disease. Just a bit of extra effort wouldn’t change the game, right?
Essentially, it was a trial run for some strategy… Sharing her thoughts wouldn’t be an issue.
Even if it felt off to just follow Yu-ri’s lead, Dorothy swallowed hard.
Yu-ri couldn’t hold back her laughter as she watched Dorothy gleefully clutch three 10cc glass vials. It was downright rich. But if Dorothy discovered how replenishable they were, she couldn’t even begin to guess her reaction!
***
“Teacher?”
Was someone already here? Baek So-yul opened the door upon hearing a knock but saw nothing. Just as she was questioning her sanity, a voice emerged.
“It’s me.”
Startled by the unexpected voice, she realized it was the Wolf hiding in Stealth. With a relieved sigh, she patted her chest.
“Phew… You scared me.”
She had mentioned stepping out, but it had been nearly two whole days since she last saw him. She was worried he might have left entirely. Now that she found him, she tilted her head.
“What about Fairy?”
“Had to dash to Fantasy World for a bit. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
But even as he spoke like everything was normal, Baek So-yul could tell his tone was off.
It was strange how just his absence seemed to rattle him… It made her envious.
Reaching out, she scooped up his puppy form, and he remained quiet, as if familiar with the routine now. The best she could do was this. Once he left Square, she wouldn’t see him for a while. She wanted to grow closer to him before that…
“Also, I have something to say.”
“Something to say?”
The sudden question caught her off guard. As he spoke, she toyed with her earlier thoughts, nearly responding with a no. She held back those feelings and nodded instead.
“…Yeah. Like, yeah.”
His sigh, whether disappointment or regret, made her feel a tinge of happiness. Maybe he was sad about being apart? Couldn’t that mean something?
Then the Wolf shifted to a serious tone.
“Then there are things you need to know.”
Things he originally didn’t plan to share. He wouldn’t be able to disclose everything, of course, but she would need some gist to prepare herself. All this only seemed worthwhile if the Master of All Things was truly sincere.
Thus, the Wolf laid out the crucial warnings.
Beware the Master of All Things. Soon, they’d be vanquishing Plague and Disease, and Fairy-types would be joining the fray. So, find a partner among them.
Her only chance to escape from the Master of All Things was to bolt to Fantasy World. If she ever encountered her, she must flee without hesitation.
“The Master of All Things?”
“The ruler of this Square.”
Also, the master of the original Black Square. No one knew she even existed, and even those who did would have no idea of her true nature.
Wizards living in Square probably remained oblivious to the Black Square as well. That would fit since it was solely her ideology.
No matter how many wizards faced her, she’d come out unscathed. Even Plague and Disease would be wiped out at her whim.
And that held true for Baek So-yul. As long as the Master of All Things was here, she could easily turn into a Witch if she wanted.
Actually, it wasn’t that simple.
Her choices were near nothingness. If the Master of All Things wanted to, humanity could be obliterated in an instant.
Although none of this was something she planned to say, the notion that the Square’s ruler was the leader of the miscreants left Baek So-yul speechless.
“So, it’s dangerous for you to be here.”
“…”
“The choice is yours.”
With that, Baek So-yul stared blankly, her eyes opening wide.
“Still…”
That nightmare plagued her throughout her life. The dream of becoming a Witch and taking lives. The very presence of that nightmare was a more profound fear than anything, leaving her terrified. However… she realized it wasn’t that frightening anymore. It didn’t bring her anxiety. Why?
“You’ll save me, right?”
Because he had promised her that.
As she gazed at him, captivated by his earnest smile free from deception, the Wolf simply nodded.