Explorers aged much faster than normal people. That was because the higher you went, the more time you spent in the maze. A single expedition could last half a year.
But why is he so young?
That question momentarily formed in the platinum-haired, ointment-style man, but soon I swallowed. Instead of wondering the secret to a youthful appearance, I first had to organize the information.
«I heard you were in the palace. When did you arrive?»
While the city was on fire, Baekho was in the palace.
«Who said you can set fire without my permission?»
It was actually the Fallen Scholar who caused the fire...
«Do you want to die?»
And Baekho was furious about that fact. But what was the reason?
Even Fallen Scholar, the target of that anger, frowned as if he had no idea. «I just don't understand it. Why are you hostile to me? Things would have been a lot easier for you thanks to me».
«Easier? Yes of course. It's not like the bastard king is going out just because you burn this place down».
«Oh, so the king was really your target?» Even preying on him at a time like this, the Fallen Scholar winked at Baekho's response.
«That? Is the king the target?» Baekho sneered as if that was pathetic. «You really don't know anything, grandpa. Well, it doesn't matter. I can't bother explaining it to you». Baekho waved his hands as if he wanted to scare away flies.
«...You are more brutal than I had heard». I guessed that this kind of treatment was the first time for him because the Fallen Scholar did not hide his discomfort.
Of course, Baekho didn't even blink. «Yes, the one who is not refined is you, smelly charlatan. Honestly, buy yourself a new pair of dentures or something. I smell something rotten up here».
«W-what did you say...?» Fallen Scholar took a high hit for an answer. «Shameful...» Judging by that trembling beard and the delirious criticism, it seemed that the winner had already been decided. He couldn't imagine that that old man would beat Baekho Lee, who inherited the spirit of a K-Gamer, with words.
«Now, let's get to the main issue». Baekho ignored Fallen Scholar's irritation and got to the point. «So how are you going to take responsibility? My meat soup restaurant. It burned because of you».
That was the main reason why the guy came running furious.
«Meat soup...?» The Fallen Scholar seemed to not understand, but Baekho vomited his anger regardless.
«He may have been an NPC, but he did better with just my verbal instructions. Ha... I was also going to make myself kimchi next time...».
«...Was there an alchemy workshop in Karnon?»
«Fuck alchemy.» Baekho spat on the ground like a criminal. «This is why I can't talk to NPC bastards. Hansu would have been mad at me».
I shuddered when they pulled my name out of nowhere, but I probably would have gotten angry next to him. To think there was a place in this city where they made meat soup.
If there was such a place, you should have told me in advance! I couldn't even try it!
Anger gripped me towards both of them. Of course, there was nothing he could do about it except pretend to be a barbarian who knew nothing and keep watching.
«So what do you want? I don't want to antagonize you. If this incident has caused damage to your workshop, I will compensate you». The Fallen Scholar tried to negotiate. It was a pretty surprising sight. The madman who burned down all of South Karnon trying to solve a problem with words? How big was Baekho's stature for this grandfather to act like this? He couldn't be sure, but he knew one thing for sure.
«Take off your dentures. You said you would make it up to me. If you're really sorry, pull out that smelly denture with your bare hands. Then I'll let it go». When he was the enemy Baekho was more difficult than anyone, but as an ally he was truly a reliable existence.
«...I don't know what you misunderstood but these are not dentures...»
«Lie.» As if announcing the fall of the negotiation, Baekho stepped forward and said words that no one present could understand. «So what is this?»
But just a second was enough.
Dash.
There was a slight sound of feet rising from the ground and immediately, Baekho's body disappeared.
Latigo.
I couldn't tell how strong his agility level was, but what I could confirm with my dynamic visual acuity were short, fleeting moments: Baekho clenching his fists; the Fallen Scholar's bewildered expression; a veil of mana standing between the two.
¡Shaaaaa!
It was the combination of Danger Detection Assistance and Protective Shield, a magical connecting move essential for wizards to survive in the universe as a scoundrel. Judging by the purple color, the mana density was almost at its maximum. It was enough to withstand the punch of an ogre.
¡Crackkk!
He couldn't resist Baekho's fist.
Soon, the veil of mana shattered like shards of glass. As if to counteract it, the blue energy of Baekho's fist also lost its light. It was not a significant achievement for the Fallen Scholar because bare fists were enough to prove it.
Hit!
The split-second exchange ended, and Baekho's fist landed on Fallen Scholar's jaw. At the same time, something white splattered with blood.
«See, you were lying». Baekho snatched him out of the air and laughed. «If they are not dentures, why do they fall out?».
From what he could see, he was a crazy bastard.
«Do you really intend to end this here?»
Fallen Scholar took a hit but surprisingly got up quickly. Without any emotion, he looked at Baekho. «If I want to do more, I won't help it».
«Wow, I've never heard a bastard wizard say this in hand-to-hand combat». Baekho laughed as if that was ridiculous, but other than that, he didn't seem to look down on the other person easily. That was because Baekho was hurt anyway.
Why is he hurt?
I still couldn't understand it. After the Danger Detection Safeguard was broken, the Fallen Scholar used an additional safeguard and Baekho even broke it with his bare fists and punched him in the teeth. Those were all the exchanges I saw.
Spit.
Baekho spat bloody saliva on the ground and asked, «What was that in the end?».
«It was a simple curse spell».
«It's impossible that they cursed me».
«You should be familiar with the trick. Our bodies were temporarily touched. So I connected the circuit and completed the magic using your body as a medium».
«Oh, so that's why my mana resistance didn't work». Baekho nodded as if he understood. Now that he saw it, it seemed like most of the professional magicians in this world knew how to use this trick. Ha, there wasn't any cheat app like that in the game. «But this doesn't make sense either. Did you do it in that brief moment? Others take at least a few seconds to connect».
«I am the one who created this applied formula. Of course I should do so much».
«Wow, so you were the one who created this damn ability?». Baekho looked at Fallen Scholar as if recognizing an adversary.
That was the same for Fallen Scholar. «I know your situation. I also have an assumption as to why you ended your affiliation with the palace».
«¿Y?»
«Since we have met here, I will make you an attractive proposal».
«What is it about, tell me». Baekho asked as if intrigued. It seemed like this was more fun than the meat soup restaurant's revenge. The atmosphere was getting strange so I silently took a step back.
«Why don't we finish that man first before having a conversation?». Fallen Scholar moved his gaze towards me.
I didn't expect this situation... Damn.
My heart was beating hard. My life hung by a thin thread only with Fallen Scholar, but if Baekho contributed to it, I had no choice but to reveal that I was Hansu Lee and appeal to the old days.
«That's not an option». He had the worst in mind, but fortunately Baekho rejected Fallen Scholar's proposal. Because he knew I was a player? It wasn't an emotional reason like he couldn't see me die. «So it seems like I'm moving according to your plan.»
It was simply taking advantage of superiority. But was that attitude frustrating for him? The Fallen Scholar spoke as if he wanted to persuade an unruly child. «That man is a nobleman».
"¿Y que?"
«As long as he disagrees with the palace, he is a potential enemy».
For me it was also a pretty reasonable explanation, but luckily, Baekho didn't even listen to it this time. «So what? I can control it on my own, so don't worry about that».
It was obvious what the source of that trust was. He knew I was a player. I had to be sure that no matter how close I got to the palace, I could become a cripple at any moment.
Is it good that you know my identity?
«So... we should relocate.» In the end, not even Fallen Scholar could break Baekho's stubbornness and let go of the selfish desire to kill me. From his point of view, Baekho was more important than me.
«Ah, I'm just saying this in advance, but I'm not getting on a telpor».
«¿Telpor ...?»
«Teleportation. You take the lead instead. I will follow you. It's up to you to do something fun but be prepared to die in that case.»
«...Then I'll move first.» Soon, the Fallen Scholar flew into the air with the servant behind him. It was floatation magic.
«What are you looking at? I'll follow you, so you can go first».
Fallen Scholar stared at Baekho for a few seconds before disappearing beyond the flames. This put me through a crisis, but it was too early to rest easy. One of Baekho's characteristics was that it was unpredictable where he would bounce next.
«Hey.»
«...What?» I didn't bother to hide my fear.
«I only saved you once». Baekho smiled satisfied and left with that message.
My head went blank for some reason.
Didn't I just tell him not to kill me to take advantage? I don't know, I still don't know which side he's on. But if it really is like that... it may move me a little.
I wiped the ash-stained bridge of my nose with my hand.
«Hm.»
Oh, that bastard. I thought I didn't build affection.
***
Not long after Baekho and the Fallen Scholar left, Raven arrived. «Mr. Yandel!»
Thanks to the mention of Fallen Scholar, behind Raven was a large battalion of knights and battle mages.
«Did we come to save y-uh? Why no one...?»
When Fallen Scholar was nowhere to be seen, Raven put on a bewildered expression. The palace troops following him had similar expressions. Before any misunderstanding occurred, I quickly explained the situation.
«Do you mean that man who appeared at the time of the murder incident came and fought Fallen Scholar?».
«Yes, the two of them suddenly started fighting and disappeared in an instant».
«Do you know the reason why this man was hostile to Fallen Scholar?».
«Well, I don't know either!»
The reason I simplified the case as much as possible was in case anyone understood this situation and thought Baekho had helped me.
«You were very lucky». Since the incident involved such formidable individuals, the gentlemen did not doubt the authenticity of my claim.
«Then we should get out of here first.»
The palace troops stayed to investigate the surroundings and Raven and I watched for a while before leaving. The first to greet us were the survivors who had left earlier, the ten lives that Raven and I worked hard to save. Everyone bowed their waists before me with dark, ash-stained faces. Of course, not for long. No one was going to die for ignoring a thank you, right?
«Hey? Where are you going?» When I turned around, Raven expressed a question.
To be honest, I was exhausted from before and all I wanted to do was rest. «I made a promise.»
«... A promise?»
In exchange for receiving equipment and consumables with fire attributes, I told the wizard named Leven Arfegan that I would try my best.
Raven made a blank expression at first, but she didn't stop or scold me saying it was a senseless act. «Be careful. I'm going to help people here».
What, let's each do the best we can in our positions?
I looked Raven up and down as if to praise her and approached the fire again. Twelve hours later, the rain fell like a flood and the fire was extinguished.
¡Shaaaaaaaaaa!
In total seventeen more lives were saved. It was a crappy figure that couldn't be used as the main episode of a movie or comic, but...
[Your reputation has increased +1.]
[Your reputation has increased +1.]
[Your reputation has increased +1.]
[Your reputation has increased +1.]
[Your reputation has increased +1.]
That was the best.