ALL NOVEL Chapter 23.2
“He’s The Sage? I didn’t expect him to be a bard.”
“Ah, well… The Sage can use all kinds of skills. And also…”
As the melody ended, some villagers approached cautiously, their suspicion momentarily eased.
A hunter with bandaged arms and legs came forward, his injuries evident. The bard greeted him with a smile and extended his hand.
Veronica and the paladins could hardly believe their eyes.
“Heal.”
Healing magic? While it was a spell any priest could use, it was entirely impossible for anyone who wasn’t a priest. Yet, the man known as The Sage had just cast it effortlessly.
Before the astonished Veronica and her companions could voice their disbelief, more villagers approached the man.
“What is that man doing?”
“Ah… That’s just how The Sage always is.”
He was always helping others, whether it was repairing broken tools in the village or handling small tasks.
Hearing this, Veronica looked at The Sage with a sense of intrigue. As if sensing her gaze, the man stood up and walked toward her.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Hyun Woo, The Sage. Feel free to call me by name.”
“Oh, I’m—”
“I know.”
He was a curious man.
As though he already knew who she was, he extended his hand and said:
“Cardinal Veronica.”
—
“Snap out of it!”
-TWANG!!
A sharp cry and the piercing sound of a lute brought Veronica back to her senses.
What just happened?
Lifting her heavy head, she glanced around.
“Dieee! I’ll kill you! Kieeeeek!!”
The cacophonous wails of Rack’s maddening performance filled the air, creating a soundwave attack that kept the countless writhing tentacles from advancing further.
“Wow, look at those tentacles! There are so many! Do you think we could eat them? Oh! In my village, we even cook monsters! They’re really unique! Tentacle dishes like that can become gourmet meals depending on the recipe! You should visit sometime! The chewy texture is amazing, and… huh? What’s that? Sage! Sage! Look over here!”
“When the darkness falls! Oooh yeahhh~ The wings of chaos call for blooddd!! Kieeeeeek! Oh yeahhh~ I’ll kill youuuu~!”
“Whew, almost got hit there! But a werewolf like me is too quick to catch! Whoa, check out that eye! Sage! Should I throw a Shadow Spear at it? Oh! It blinked! Same pattern as before…”
Veronica felt her mind clouding again. Perhaps the flashback from earlier had been triggered by the incessant chatter and the deranged performance echoing through the air.
“I understand how you feel, but that’s not the reason. In fact, thanks to them, you snapped out of it quickly.”
“Ah… Is that so?”
Sitting on the ground, Veronica stared blankly at the large hand extended toward her.
A rough hand. A strong hand.
The sight of it made her tightly close her eyes.
Yes.
Back then, it had been a hand like this, too.
“You’ve been marked by the Pale Moon. Every time you use a skill, your mind will shift between past and present.”
“…I see.”
Hyun Woo had warned her earlier, as they were passing through the corridor. The Pale Moon targets those with the strongest divine power, launching a mental assault with every use of a divine skill, dragging their minds between past and present.
Realizing she had been affected, Veronica bit her lip in frustration.
“…To think I fell for it.”
“It’s fine. It happens.”
“…Are you not disappointed in me?”
Since it was an unavoidable penalty in the game, Hyun Woo wasn’t particularly concerned. But Veronica couldn’t remain as composed.
The fact that she had been affected, despite being forewarned, and that she had needed his help to regain her senses wounded her pride deeply.
Hyun Woo, noticing her crestfallen state, chuckled.
He always thought this world’s people had surprisingly fragile minds.
In that sense, the carefree adventurers causing havoc in the background might be better off.
“Yeeaaahhh!!”
“Yahoo!”
Wilkes, endlessly chattering as if his mouth had a motor, and Rack, screaming his lungs out in his insane performance.
Watching them, Hyun Woo slowly shook his head.
“Am I losing my mind because of their noise? How do they actually seem competent?”
“Anyway, like I said earlier, you can’t avoid this. Just remember what you need to do.”
“What I need to do…”
Veronica opened her eyes and looked at Hyun Woo. Her gaze was shaky—a clear sign her confidence had been shaken by the mental attack. Yet Hyun Woo wasn’t worried.
He had experienced this countless times, both in the game and in this world, and knew exactly how to handle it.
“Who are you?”
“Veronica. Veronica Elraith.”
“And?”
“…A cardinal of the church and an inquisitor.”
“Then, what should you do in the face of that monster, the object of the White Moon Cult’s worship, and the symbol of heresy and darkness seeking to rule the world?”
Amidst the chaotic noise of bizarre music, chants, and the Pale Moon’s writhing tentacles, Hyun Woo’s skill, Psychological Counseling, worked its magic.
It was enough to restore her spirit, even in this maddening environment.
Unconsciously, Veronica smiled.
He was always like this.
Always.
Effortlessly healing hearts and lifting spirits.
“I fight.”
“Good.”
Determination firmed in their clasped hands. Despite being under the Pale Moon’s mental assault, the need to fight remained unchanged.
“Let there be light!”
Veronica raised her Divine Mark. Her prayer and divine power combined, creating a radiant shield that began healing the wounds of her three companions.
At that moment, Hyun Woo shouted:
“Don’t look at me like that, you bastard!”
With that, The Sage charged toward the monstrous, incomprehensible entity before them.
Watching him, Veronica thought to herself:
You haven’t changed.
Just like back then.
When you charged headfirst into the nightmare of Baekun Village, a nightmare I thought even I couldn’t overcome.
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