ALL NOVEL Chapter 250
Chapter 250: Invitation
“Si-hu. Is there any problem with contracting multiple spirits?”
“Well, I’ve never heard of another spirit contacting a contractor who already has one.”
A situation attempting something unprecedented.
Yoo Ji-han sat down on the ground as requested by Mumu.
“Hold on.”
Mumu climbed onto his lap and soon brought her face close to Yoo Ji-han’s forehead.
It was a form of the spirit contract ritual, where the human’s brain—playing a crucial role among human organs—would come into contact with her body.
—Wooo…!
The Sylph floating in the air observed them with a very anxious expression.
Thunk!
Mumu lightly touched her forehead to his and closed her eyes.
Moments later, a yellow light flashed from Mumu’s body.
It was a signal that the contract had been successful.
“Is it over?”
“The contracting process was rather bland.”
—It’s done, right? Get away quickly!
Recognizing the contract’s completion, the Sylph interjected between Yoo Ji-han and Mumu, widening the gap between them.
At that moment, Yoo Ji-han was experiencing a curious sensation without saying a word.
‘Comfortable.’
Even though he was sitting on the bare ground and not a chair, it felt as if he were on a soft cushion.
The dirt and sand touching his palms felt like a blanket, and even the hard stones didn’t bother him at all.
Everything existing on the ground was strangely familiar to him.
‘It feels like being loved by the vast earth.’
Kugugugu!
Soil erupted from the ground, forming a rose shape in just one second.
Without using his hands, but merely by thinking with his mind, the ground moved according to his intent.
With such abilities, causing earthquakes would be a piece of cake.
Yoo Ji-han gulped.
If Yoon Do-ha had harbored evil intentions in the past, all the buildings in Seoul would have already collapsed.
“Hmm?!”
Mumu could see the Thread of Truth extending from Yoon Do-ha’s hair as she had hoped.
And this was provided by Yoo Ji-han’s Unique Skill.
“This is…”
“Shh.”
Yoo Ji-han raised his index finger to his lips.
It was a signal to not speak.
—Get a clue.
As even the Sylph applied subtle pressure, Mumu promptly shut her mouth.
Yoo Ji-han, rising from his seat, looked around and said,
“Everyone stay still.”
“Cheep cheep?!”
Kugugugu!
As soon as he finished speaking, the ground everyone was standing on began to sink downwards.
Leaving behind his slightly bewildered companions, Yoo Ji-han stretched his arms.
Kugugugu!
Everyone’s bodies, standing on their feet, moved in the desired direction.
They were able to shift to the exit of the Space Distortion, including Team 2 and those suffering from Magic Discoloration Syndrome, as if they were boarding a large elevator.
Watching him manipulate his magic freely, Mumu said with a hint of amazement,
“You’re doing better than I expected.”
“I’ve got experience.”
Yoo Ji-han was becoming familiar with the Sylph at a speed faster than any known Spirit Master.
The newly contracted high-level spirit, Mumu, had already opened her heart to him.
Following Yoon Do-ha, whom she often watched, was a simple matter.
*
Having escaped the Space Distortion, Yoo Ji-han and his group slipped out of the mine, avoiding the eyes of the surveillance personnel.
They left all the Magic Discoloration Syndrome patients, except for Team 2, in front of the guards and moved to the Yogo Guild’s branch, which was their gathering point.
“We can’t just leave these people here.”
The heroes of Team 2, unable to awaken due to Magic Discoloration Syndrome.
While it would be nice to chase after Desa, they couldn’t act rashly with the incapacitated Team 2 left behind.
After a brief moment of thought, Yoo Ji-han said,
“I’ll leave Team 2 in Leron’s care and pursue Desa.”
“Got it.”
Although he didn’t know specifically where Desa was headed, among the many threads of the Thread of Truth, there would surely be one connecting to Yoon Do-ha, the main body of the puppets.
Yoo Ji-han wanted to secure Team 2’s safety first and then retrieve Yoon Do-ha.
Watanabe was still looking at the dark sky outside and asked,
“Are we moving in the morning?”
“Let’s go right now.”
But then it happened.
The door to the Yogo Guild branch, which had been tightly shut, swung open wide.
Kim Si-hu, who was near the open door, said with a puzzled face,
“Who are you?”
Strangers barged in through the door in the middle of the night.
Among them, someone fully armored and armed stepped forward.
“Apologies for the intrusion. Are you the Pig’s Soup?”
“Pig’s Soup? That’s correct, but…”
“I am Kruger, the captain of the Steel Knight Order.”
“……?”
Yoo Ji-han tilted his head in confusion.
The Steel Knight Order was an elite group of knights under the rulers of Maz.
They were individuals receiving generous treatment from the rulers under the mission of protecting Maz.
In terms of Leron and Kabuum, they could be seen as similar to the royal knights.
But why were they looking for them?
“You were completely absent during the day, so I came looking at this hour.”
“What’s going on?”
“……I heard you ignored the summons of the ruler during the day.”
Kruger glared at the heroes on the spot.
He was expressing dissatisfaction that they had refused the meeting request from the ruler, who could be considered his direct superior.
At that moment, Watanabe stroked his chin and said,
“So you’ve been watching the place?”
It was clear to deduce that the Steel Knight Order had been keeping an eye on the Yogo Guild as soon as they returned to the branch.
In response, Kruger readily acknowledged it.
“It couldn’t be helped. Didn’t you ignore the ruler’s request first?”
“We’re not part of Maz like you. We don’t have to comply with every single request from some human ruler.”
“You’re quite rude, considering you’ve stepped into Maz.”
“Don’t you think your tone and actions are even ruder?”
Watanabe engaged in a battle of wits with Kruger, wearing a face that exuded a sense of leisure.
‘These guys…!’
Even facing the Steel Knight Order, which could be regarded as elite in Maz, the heroes continued the conversation without any sign of tension.
Swallowing his anger inwardly, Kruger intuited that this conversation wouldn’t clear up so easily.
Yoo Ji-han addressed Kruger.
“Tell them I’m busy right now and will meet later.”
“I can’t allow that! Do you dare ignore the request of the great ruler twice?!”
Paah!
Kruger raised his voice and summoned magic power within him.
The magic power spilling out from his slightly agitated emotions also thrashed violently.
The subordinate knights standing behind Kruger tensed their expressions in response.
“Cheep cheep! Stay back!”
Sensing the threat, Chilla held out her shield toward the direction Kruger stood.
From behind Chilla, Yoo Ji-han watched Kruger.
‘He’s a strong one from Kallem.’
The magic he possessed felt more solid than soft, like steel.
As he measured the opponent’s level, Yoo Ji-han narrowed his eyes.
It seemed Kruger did not casually acquire the title of captain of the knight order.
The magic he emanated was considerably high compared to others from Kallem.
‘Are there quite a few like him in Maz?’
There were at least 15 elite knight orders in Maz.
If all of them were at a similar level to the Steel Knight Order, the military force held by Maz wouldn’t be viewed as bad at all.
“This is your final warning. Come with us.”
“Sure.”
“……What?”
“……?”
Kruger, who had spoken with a very serious expression in a warning tone, seemed dumbfounded when Yoo Ji-han gave an unwavering response.
Kim Si-hu and the others had a similar reaction.
“Just give us five minutes. We’ll prepare to leave.”
“Uh? Uh oh….”
“Let’s hurry since the ruler is waiting.”
Yoo Ji-han not only readily agreed but urged to move.
The Steel Knight Order led by Kruger exited the door to prepare for departure.
Then, Lee Mi-a opened her mouth.
“What are you thinking?”
“I think we should meet the rulers.”
Considering the situation at the Yogo Guild, it wasn’t very wise to turn against the rulers.
Moreover, the power held by those governing Maz could become a useful means to resolve the current affairs.
“Lee Mi-a.”
“Why?”
“Does Maz have an information guild?”
“Yes, I saw it on the way here.”
“Information guilds generally accept most requests if you pay.”
“That’s right.”
“I think we’ll need to send a request to that place.”
Yoo Ji-han took the pen himself and began writing a note in the language of Kallem.
*
“Wait until morning.”
Upon arriving at the ruler’s mansion, Yoo Ji-han and his party had to wait in the reception room until daybreak.
It turned out that the ruler, who commanded the Steel Knight Order, had dozed off in the meantime.
“What is this?”
“The paintings are moving!”
“How fascinating.”
Inside the ruler’s mansion, there were various attractions.
Items such as paintings that moved as if people were alive and statues that blinked drew people’s attention.
“Looks like expensive liquor.”
“Don’t tell me you’re not thinking of touching it?”
“What do you take me for!”
Watanabe was peering at the whiskey displayed behind the glass with interest.
His party members were worried that Watanabe might actually touch the liquor.
“Controlling it without seeing it is a bit difficult.”
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-han sat on the sofa, manipulating Mumu’s power.
Park Jae-kyung and Team 2 were being stored underground using Mumu’s strength.
Creating and maintaining the space where they could be buried without visually confirming them required significant concentration.
“Mhm! This is quite good.”
Mumu sincerely praised Yoo Ji-han.
The level of skill he displayed seemed unbelievable for his first day of contracting with a spirit.
Had it not been for his experience handling the Sylph, it would have been utterly impossible.
—Hmph! I could do something like that too…
Although the Sylph showed signs of discontent.
She didn’t interfere with Mumu’s power handling.
“All the items here just look expensive.”
“Indeed.”
“Do superiors have similar tastes…”
The luxurious carpets and sofas, which felt unnecessarily apologetic every time they stepped on them.
Names of unknown jewels lodged within the eyes of various statues.
Even the freckles on the faces of the statues were adorned with tiny jewels.
The grandeur of the reception room was not at all inferior to where the King of Kabuum resided.
‘This is all the result of exploiting dwarves.’
It was a scene portrayed against the dwarves, who couldn’t enjoy even a decent meal.
And after a few hours of resting,
Thud!
The firmly shut door opened, and someone entered the reception room.
“So you’re the Pig’s Soup?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I am Kruba.”
A person whose whole body was plump with flesh.
He was Kruba, one of the rulers of Maz.
‘He changed the names of the knights to be similar to his own.’
Originally, the knights of the Steel Knight Order had completely different names.
It was said that after entering the order, they had to change their names under Kruba’s command.
According to what he had asked Captain Kruger, there were names like Krukoko, Krutouaze, Kruposi…
All of them containing the syllable ‘Kru.’
“Hmm.”
Stepping forward to converse with Kruba was Yoo Ji-han.
However, Kruba, rather than taking notice of Yoo Ji-han right in front of him, was openly eyeing Min Yu-ri and Lee Mi-a, the only women in the group.
“Oho…!”
With a rather satisfied exclamation and a smile, the sight of Kruba nearly caused Yoo Ji-han to stifle a chuckle.
‘This guy is insane.’
His actions didn’t consider the mood of others at all.
Not to mention changing the names of the knights entirely.
All in all, he didn’t seem like a normal person.
“Are you the Yoo Ji-han they speak of?”
“Yes. I heard the ruler has been looking for us.”
“Exactly! When I called, you should have come right away.”
Kruba rolled his eyes and scrutinized Yoo Ji-han from head to toe,
Doubting whether he was truly as capable a mercenary as rumored.
Then, he lifted one side of his mouth and said,
“I’ll be direct. You all will become my people!”
“I’d rather not.”
“……Huh?”
“Oh.”
Oops.
The thought in his mind blurted out without filters.