ALL NOVEL Chapter 259
Chapter 259: Maz
“Cough! You were hiding here?”
“What are you saying?”
“Your expression is a bit strange.”
The commanders of the Knight Order took refuge in the shelter under the pretense of protecting the Rulers.
While some may have genuinely believed that, those who had fought directly against the doll and Desa were feeling quite dissatisfied.
Kruger, the commander of the Steel Knight Order, stepped forward and glared at Desa.
“That guy is a sinner who disturbed Maz.”
“And so?”
“Is it uncomfortable for you to kill him? If so, hand him over. I’ll execute the sinner who attacked Maz myself…!”
“Not a chance.”
A swift response.
Yoo Ji-han’s instant rejection without a moment’s hesitation made Kruger’s expression grow serious.
“Why do you want to keep him alive?”
“To treat the afflicted.”
“You mean the people who were turned into dolls and then freed?”
“Well, yes.”
“In that case… after treating them, it’s okay to kill them, right?”
Kruger took a step back as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Having observed the situation from the opaque windows of the shelter, he was well aware of the great achievements of the Pig’s Soup Mercenary Corps.
Perhaps that man in the kimono had also made quite the impact in other regions of Maz.
So, allowing a brief moment to heal the unconscious would not be an issue.
“Hey, Kruger! Are you serious about that?”
“Are you really saying you’ll just let that filthy sinner live?”
“They fought hard for Maz. If we can’t even extend small courtesies, how can we call ourselves the proud knights of Maz?”
“Hmm…”
The other commanders seemed to be swayed slightly by Kruger’s words.
The atmosphere shifted to one where granting Desa a moment of time appeared to be acceptable.
‘What are they even talking about?’
However, Kruger was no different in totally disregarding the intentions of the heroes.
Yoo Ji-han quietly observed the whispering knights and spoke up.
“That’s not good enough.”
“What do you mean…!”
“Desa is going to take us back to our hometown.”
“To that uncivilized continent you came from?”
“There are people afflicted similarly over there. We will treat them.”
“Are you seriously saying that right now?!”
“Absolutely not allowed!”
The knights were growing more agitated, raising their voices.
Even some were moving to draw their weapons.
Yoo Ji-han frowned and stomped one foot down hard.
Kwahhhh!!
A massive crack spread out from where his foot landed.
The crack grew larger, halting mere inches from the knights.
At the same time, a chilling and sharp wind brushed against their skin.
The sense that their opponent’s killing intent was palpable made the knights fall silent.
“Looks like you’re all seriously mistaken.”
“…!”
“Permission? Why should I seek permission from you?”
Instead of feeling gratitude for saving Maz from crisis, the knights only listed their demands.
Yoo Ji-han halted the preparations for a counterattack by his companions.
Then he firmly grasped Desa’s fallen body and moved forward.
“Lead the way.”
“Uh, where to…?”
“Where do you think?”
Naturally, they should go see the most esteemed individuals here.
*
“So….”
“You want to take him back to your hometown?”
“Correct.”
Yoo Ji-han continued his conversation with the Rulers, leaving Desa, who was completely bound and could hardly lift his head.
“This incident will be recorded as a lifetime event in the history of Maz.”
“Will you not yield him?”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t accept that.”
All requests from the Rulers to yield Desa were flatly rejected.
Their unshakeable attitude puzzled the Rulers.
Although the assault by the dolls ceased with Desa’s defeat, chaos reigned throughout Maz.
Except for those gathered here, hardly anyone knew that this incident had come to an end.
For the sake of calming the turmoil, it was necessary to widely announce that the incident had been resolved.
“By the way… how about the west, where that Watanabe is in charge?”
“Let’s connect it right away.”
Yoo Ji-han immediately took out the Dimension Phone and dialed Watanabe.
—This is Watanabe.
“Watanabe! The situation here is mostly wrapped up now. How is it on your end?”
—…We have a major problem.
Watanabe’s voice was slightly dark as he spoke.
—I stepped away for a moment, and the Rulers who were gathered in the shelter have all vanished.
“What? Such…!”
“What did you say?”
“All the Rulers disappeared?”
—Not a single one is left; they’ve all vanished.
“……!!”
The news that all the Rulers in the opposite region had disappeared made the gathered Rulers beside Yoo Ji-han gasp.
—The knights and mages are searching with all their might, but we can’t find any trace of them.
“Ah… That’s quite unfortunate.”
—I’ll search a bit more, and if there’s no particular result, I’ll return to your location.
“Understood.”
The call ended shortly.
However, the information received was alarming.
Essentially, about half of Maz’s Rulers had vanished all at once.
“You, you bastard!”
“Where have you hidden the Rulers?!”
“Umpf? Umpf?!”
The knights of Maz snarled as they interrogated Desa with menacing voices.
Yet the gagged Desa could only shake his head.
‘What’s going on now?’
‘The owners of the western mines have disappeared.’
‘So, does that mean we could…?’
‘Maybe we could split up the mines the western ones ruled over?’
Amidst Kruba and the other Rulers whispering to each other.
As they waited for Desa’s answer, the gag he was holding in his mouth fell away.
“I—I don’t know anything!”
“This bastard really…!”
“I swear I don’t know!!”
“How long do you plan on lying?!”
Even after the gag was removed, Desa continued to deny any wrongdoing.
The furious knights pressed him relentlessly, threatening him.
“Wait!”
“Stop it!”
At that moment, the Rulers called the knights back with grave voices.
In the now quiet conference room, the Rulers spoke.
“Desa. Was it really not your doing?”
“I truly don’t know.”
“Hmm…”
“While I don’t know the details, it seems to be a truly unfortunate and coincidental ‘accident.’”
“An accident? This is…!”
“Hey! You lot, stay quiet!”
One Ruler shot a sharp glance at the knights, silencing their protests.
It was a warning not to recklessly interrupt this conversation.
“If the Rulers disappear, many mines will fall into trouble.”
“It can’t be helped! We must step in ourselves.”
“Right, when times are tough, we should help one another.”
The Rulers began a small discussion about how to share the mines that had lost their owners.
Only then did the knights realize the atmosphere of the conversation and fell completely silent.
‘Is this enough?’
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-han was passively observing the Rulers.
*
Separated from the fervent discussion among the Rulers, Yoo Ji-han’s party moved to the shelter where Park Jae-kyung and Team 2 were staying.
“Hey, shouldn’t you check this out too?”
“…….”
Even at Yoon Do-ha’s call, Desa, who couldn’t even lift his head due to the recent incident, remained firmly held by Yoo Ji-han.
As the topic of claiming the abandoned mines came up, the attention of the Rulers of Maz significantly diverted from Desa.
“Oh? The second full moon has risen?”
“Already?”
Outside the gradually darkening window, the sky was fully illuminated by the red moon alongside the yellow moon.
‘Isn’t that a bit quick?’
The yellow moon rose at a pace far faster than usual.
The reason why Kim Si-hu was able to summon a wooden giant twice and still not collapse was because of the magic overflowing in the atmosphere due to the full moon.
‘The signs of doom during the day were the same.’
Even while capturing Desa, the signs of doom did not vanish from the sun.
Yoo Ji-han was puzzled by the strange environment of Kallem.
However, what was important right now was not those things.
“Treat those people.”
“…….”
“You don’t have the option to refuse or say you can’t. It’s something you must do.”
Yoon Do-ha, barely maintaining consciousness while lying down due to Magic Discoloration Syndrome.
The heroes of Team 2, who were panting without even regaining consciousness.
While Yoo Ji-han pointed at them with his hand, Desa immediately did not respond.
Instead, he directed a question toward Yoo Ji-han.
“Can I ask one thing?”
“Go ahead.”
“Did you have a hand in this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Making the Rulers of the west disappear.”
“Well, I don’t know.”
An ambiguous answer that was neither denial nor confirmation.
Desa, interpreting that as an affirmation, snorted mockingly.
“What a ridiculous guy you are.”
“As if you are any better.”
“What’s your purpose? Do you have some grudge against Maz?”
“Just focus on healing.”
Smack!
Yoo Ji-han slapped the back of Desa’s head and demanded the treatment for Magic Discoloration Syndrome again.
‘He’s quite perceptive.’
As expected, the plan to make the Rulers disappear was something that Yoo Ji-han orchestrated.
Watanabe simply acted in accordance with that plan and exchanged manipulated calls.
When Yoo Ji-han glanced at Kim Si-hu, he subtly nodded.
——I hope the different races live in a better environment.
‘Since it’s the Guild Master’s request.’
The reason for creating such a spectacle was due to Kim Si-hu’s opinion on wanting to improve the treatment of dwarves residing in Maz.
Although there was still a process left to improve the treatment.
Reducing the number of squabbling Rulers was an exceptional choice.
Now, he only needed to sweet-talk the familiar Rulers.
By the time the disappeared Rulers reappeared, their seats would perhaps no longer be there.
“So, how do you treat them?”
Min Yu-ri’s eyes sparkled as she asked Desa.
At this moment, she was the most nervous and excited among anyone in the shelter.
“Healing, huh… You guys keep referring to that as if it were an illness from earlier.”
“Yeah?”
“That’s not an illness; it’s a curse.”
“A curse, you say?”
Desa referred to the affliction that had failed to find a cure on Earth as a curse.
Then Kim Si-hu interjected into the conversation.
“I just want to confirm, but disease and curse are completely different terms, right?”
“Why are you asking something so obvious?”
Kim Si-hu nodded in response to Desa’s answer.
In Kallem’s linguistic framework, ‘disease’ and ‘curse’ were not used interchangeably.
“Could it be that you don’t even know that a curse is a type of magic?”
“We don’t have that kind of magic in our world.”
“Despite wielding such powerful magic, you know so little.”
“…If you know something, could you teach me?”
“…….”
While briefly looking at the ground, Desa walked over to Yoon Do-ha.
Yoon Do-ha, lying on the floor, was looking up at Desa with a grin.
“O, great being. Promise me just one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Swear you won’t kill me after I’m freed from the curse.”
“Well, that’s a simple promise…”
Desa looked at Yoon Do-ha with uncertainty as he casually answered.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to raise any objections if Yoon Do-ha’s hands ended up killing him.
‘I might die in a few seconds.’
After all, the once-in-a-lifetime plan was doomed to fail.
Resigned, he grasped Yoon Do-ha’s right hand with trembling fingers.
And in that moment, as everyone widened their eyes in watchfulness.
Wiggle!
As Yoon Do-ha’s palm turned black with speed.
The hand that had been slack began to move little by little.
“Oooh!”
“Is it moving?!”
Yoon Do-ha’s body gradually regained movement starting from his hands and wrists.
The magic being breathed into him by Desa slowly spread throughout his entire body.
Eventually, when Yoon Do-ha regained movement in both of his legs, the skin that had darkened returned to a healthy flesh tone.
“Wow! So this is what it feels like to move my body?”
Slowly raising himself, Yoon Do-ha looked at his arms and legs with a face full of wonder.
But just then.
“…Ah.”
Mi-a, who had accidentally glanced out the window, spotted the blue moon shining in the night sky.
If it had been just that, it wouldn’t have been a problem.
‘What’s going on?’
The blue moon, which was the only one close to being half-full among three moons.
Was rapidly swelling in real-time, approaching the full moon stage.