지옥도 (3)
아하트는 묘한 분위기를 풍기는 건물에 들어섰다.
사람이 드나들지 않을 법한 건물이었지만, 최근까지 돌아다니는 사람의 흔적이 많았다.
똑똑. 벽을 두들기며 복도를 걷자 넓은 공간에 소리가 음산하게 울리기 시작했다.
그때 앞에서 인기척이 느껴졌다. 벽에서 빼꼼하고 얼굴이 내밀어졌다. 머리 길이의 차이만 있는 박노아와 똑같은 생김새였다.
아하트는 그녀를 발견하고 벽을 두들기는 것을 멈췄다.
“기다리고 있었나? 로아 양.”
“아뇨. 저도 방금 도착했어요.”
아하트는 올리비아 로아가 있는 방으로 걸음을 옮겼다.
안쪽에는 기묘한 물건들이 쌓여 있었다. 확실히 그가 알고 있는 신전과는 다른 분위기였다.
‘서지한 군이 왜 직접 오길 꺼려 했는지 이해가 되는군.’
이곳의 목적은 둘째치고 풍기는 분위기가 꺼림칙하다.
사실 그럴 수밖에 없었다. 이 장소는 순수하게 신을 믿기 위해 형성한 곳이 아닌, 탑의 아이인 박노아를 어렸을 때부터 선망한 자들의 결과물이다.
순수한 믿음이라기엔 그 의미가 퇴색된다.
박노아의 신앙이 드라칸과 다르게 회백색의 빛이라는 점도 그 때문이었다.
“오면서 다른 일은 없으셨나요?”
“운이 좋게도 갈등을 일으킬 만한 일은 만나지 않았네.”
“That’s fortunate. What you asked for is kept inside.”
Every time Ahart saw Roa, he intrigued the impression that he resembled Noah Park. People say that they feel rejected when they see the same impression as herself, because she chose the impression that she looks just like Park Noah.
Loa carefully removed the item from the shelf. It was a wooden sword with a grayish-white light.
“This is the wooden sword Noah used in the past. As you said, we have gathered people’s faith here.”
Ahat took the wooden sword and looked around. He saw only a grayish-white light, but felt nothing else.
What was hidden in the wooden sword was the faith of those who believed in Noah. To call it a holy thing, its sanctity is very weak, but in terms of its meaning, the holy thing was right.
Roa said to Ahat with earnest eyes.
“Is this really enough for Noah to open his eyes again?”
“I’ll have to try. But he said there was a possibility.”
“Then, I would like to thank you.”
Ahat left Loa’s greeting behind and went out of the building. The wooden sword holding the light was in a state of being tied with a cloth to attract attention to carry around.
After receiving the item, Ahart called Seo Ji-han. But he heard a voice saying that he was talking to someone and that he could not answer the call at this time.
[-I have received the item.]
Ahat texted Seo-Han and moved.
Even though he should have finished his chores, the direction of the footsteps was not going down the tower. For some reason, it was a place where people lived.
I thought I’d get a phone call soon. Because it was now time for Ahat to arrive on the 25th floor.
Ellen’s grunting voice could be heard over the smartphone.
[-Hello, Jihan. Did you know that Ahat-sama is here?]
aldamada. Ahart went to the tower instead of the busy me at my request. I said I had personal business to do, so I politely asked for it.
[-Going to the basement of the tower all of a sudden. What is that all of a sudden?]
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. We have to hit the player before Arihan Hector reappears. Now that things are right, it’s time to move.”
[-Even though···.]
Ellen spoke in a worried voice.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Ellen’s reaction is understandable. From Ellen’s point of view, I heard that she was suddenly going to a dangerous place. However, this plan was not in haste, but had been prepared in advance. He had been talking to the people who went to Hell Road for quite some time.
Tell Ryu Seo-yeon, the supplies needed in Hell are already prepared. It wasn’t a hasty action.
[-Who are you going to the basement of the tower with?]
“First of all, Ahat-sama and Drakhan-san. And there’s also Instructor Layit…”
Ellen was also reassured when she said the names of the people who were going with her.
[-If there are that many people, it would be worth trying against Arihan Hector. Because there is a holy sword, and there is also the personality of Drakhan-san.]
As for our party’s specs, there would be no risk in catching the beautiful Hector in theory.
If magic is sealed by Drakhan’s personality, the beautiful Hector is just a long-lived old man with a wealth of magical knowledge. However, he is not an ordinary wizard, but the pinnacle of a necromancer and an archmage.
Perhaps exceptionally, the situation where Drakhan’s personality would not work had to be taken into account.
‘This is the first time Drakhan has become an ally.’
It was not possible to verify to what extent the fallen hero, Drakhan’s personality would work. If the personality works, Arihan Hector’s attack will be very easy, but as long as it’s on hardcore difficulty, don’t expect that far.
‘More than anything else, I can’t let an existence that threatens me until now.’
There is no way that Arihan Hector doesn’t know about Drakhan’s personality. There must be a reason why he continued to leave him like that.
It is in the same vein that when I wounded Arihan Hector, I let him go without killing him. Arihan Hector did not have one or two plans he made in case he died. There are things I experienced in the original.
‘But under the current circumstances, it’s okay to kill the beautiful Hector.’
Even if a problem occurs in the tower, the best mages on the battlefield will naturally solve it. Even if there were some of Hector’s disciples among the wizards, there would be no way they could do anything about it.
“How’s the manager’s job these days?”
[-As always, it’s hard. You didn’t tell me until now, just in case I care, did you?]
“Oh, that’s not it. It’s been confirmed recently that this is going in three days. I didn’t know I’d be talking so late.”
I had no choice but to climb the tower myself and not go to see Noah Park’s faith and Ellen.
[I can’t help it because I don’t have enough talent.]
At that time, the holy sword leaning against the wall next to me gave me a pin to see if he was listening to the call.
And I couldn’t argue with that.
I learned how to handle divine power skillfully from Drakan and was about to return, but I was only able to return to the dormitory today.
‘I thought he had talent…’
Just as I have some talent for magic, I thought it wouldn’t take long for me to realize my sense of dealing with divine power.
But it wasn’t. It wasn’t until dawn this morning that I was finally able to awaken that sense with the achievements.
I told Layt that I was going to be trained by Drakhan because I didn’t think I would be able to return, but I ended up being absent from the academy without permission anyway. He did not intend to carry out the request, so there was no excuse for his reason.
[-Hmm.]
For some reason, Ellen made a sound like she was struggling.
[- Shall I follow you to the basement of the tower too?]
“Thank you, but it’s okay. If you leave, the 25th floor will be in trouble.”
[-Ummm. Even so…]
It certainly helps if Ellen comes to the party.
Because of the nature of the blue flame that burns anything, the treatment of corrupted souls flocking from Hell will be resolved.
‘But the 25th floor becomes vacant.’
That’s why I couldn’t ask Ellen, who was already a hero, because of that.
Ellen Aiden, who currently serves as the manager of the 25th floor, was on a leave of absence from being a sophomore at Yoosung Academy.
Since this is a special case, it is possible to return to school immediately if the current situation is over, but he is performing a heavy duty as a manager at the tower.
‘Although there are other tower members, it’s rather troublesome.’
Most of the guys who were put in instead of the wizards were 3rd graders last year. As for me, I’m even more worried that they might have an accident or hit me.
Fortunately, there have not been any stories of the kind that they had an accident while citing their duties. I’m not sure if T.O.P’s situation is serious and he’s buying it, or he’s looking for an opportunity.
uhm. Is it correct that you are monitoring the situation rather than staying calm?
If a situation comes when Ellen is in the position of a weaker person than they are, they will also reveal their true colors. Well, Ellen isn’t stupid, so she shouldn’t have to worry about that.
“When this work is over, I will visit the tower once.”
[-···I see. In case you don’t know, call me before entering the basement of the tower. Please feel free to contact me if there is anything I can help you.]
“okay. Thank you.”
I said hello to Ellen and ended the call. what. A message had already arrived.
Ahat-san also received the item. It’s a matter related to Noah Park, so I’m glad that Roa was obediently cooperating.
‘···Come to think of it, it was around this time in the original.’
Gaju, the time when Ron Ahart occupies the 25th floor.
When I first saw Ahat here, I was worried about how to attack it in that scenario, but I never dreamed that I would become an ally.
‘What has changed is the situation of the tower…’
As Seoyeon Ryu passed by, she said that Ahart was able to work with Black Hawk because she solved the ‘problem’ that had no choice but to be tied to the tower.
Unlike the original version of Ahart, the problem has been resolved.
‘I don’t know what the ‘problem’ is, but it must have changed the situation.’
Ahat isn’t the kind of person who will stop doing what he wants to say just because the tower’s situation has become dire. Rather, they should have taken advantage of this timing to occupy the 25th floor. I don’t know what it is because I don’t explain it.
‘It must be Ahat’s weakness, well.’
Anyway, there was no need to spend a lot of money on Ahat, who became an ally, to find out. Ahat will tell you for yourself if necessary.
tiling.
그때 기다렸다는 듯이 전화가 왔다. 아르웰에게서 온 연락이었다. 병원에서 아카데미에 도착했다는 의미겠지. 아르웰도 왔으니 실전을 대비한 연습을 할 때가 되었다.
“성검. 다시 나가자.”
[알겠다.]
나는 성검을 챙기고 일어나며 전화를 받았다.
“도착했어?”
남은 기간은 3일. 그 안에 성탄聖彈의 대한 사용을 몸에 익혀야 했다.
지옥도에서 아르웰은 ‘총’으로써 나와 함께 할 것이다.
48번째 특전, ‘증폭’을 ‘신성력’ 능력치에 사용한다면 그 위력을 버틸 수 있는 건 무기 인간, 아르웰 밖에 없을 테니까.
아하트는 개인적인 볼일을 위해 거주지 쪽으로 움직이고 있었다. 마법사들 말고도 일반인들이 많이 거주하는 25층이기에, 도중에 만나는 사람이 없을 수가 없었다.
물론, 가주인 아하트를 알아보는 사람도 서로 상관하지는 않았다. 오히려 길을 돌아가거나 도망가는 것처럼 급히 자리를 피하는 등 엮이지 않으려고 애를 썼다.
1인 가주, 론 아하트에 대한 잔인한 소문들을 들은 적이 있기에 무서워하는 것이다.
‘평소 이미지가 도움이 되는군.’
아하트는 그 점에 편안함을 느끼며 자신이 거주했던 집으로 향했다. 벌컥. 문을 열자 더러워져 있는 집의 내부가 나타났다.
“···쯧.”
절로 혀를 찰 수밖에 없었다. 그사이 다른 이들이 마음대로 들어와 집을 뒤진 게 틀림없는 광경이다.
‘보나 마나 마법사들이겠군.’
이때다 싶어 가주의 집을 털 만한 용기가 있는 자들은 흔하지 않았다. 그나마 가구들이 없는 휑한 공간이기에 청소할만한 건 신발 자국들로 더러워진 바닥밖에 없는 것이 다행이었다.
‘마법은 발현되었나?’
깔아둔 마법은 이미 발현되어있었다. 보안 마법이 정상적으로 발현되었던지, 아니면 해제하는데 성공했을 터. 핏자국이 있는 걸 보아하니 전자 쪽이 더 가까웠지만 말이다.
아하트는 마나를 퍼뜨려 주변의 기척을 감지했다. 숨기거나, 설치된 장치들이 없는 것을 확인하고서야 다시 움직였다.
가장 안쪽에 있는 방에 들어간 아하트는 벽에 손을 갖다 대었다. 딱히 특별한 것이 없는 갈아입을 옷들이 보관된 옷방이었다.
우웅! 그때 아하트가 마나를 흘려보내자 숨겨져 있던 문이 천천히 나타나기 시작했다. 새롭게 나타난 문고리를 잡고 돌리자, 아까 보이던 공간과 다른 분위기의 공간이 드러났다.
중년 남성이 사용하기보단 어린아이가 지낼 법한 아기자기하게 꾸며진 방이었다.
“이건가?”
방으로 조심스레 들어간 아하트는 바닥에 놓여 있는 토끼 인형을 챙겨 품 안에 넣었다. 누구의 것인지 아하트 밖에 모르는 장난감이었다.
이제는 류서연도 알게 된 비밀이었지만 말이다.
···인형의 이름표에는 ‘사룬 아하트’라는 이름이 새겨져 있었다.
