Chapter 221

As Xiao Chen had warned, once night fell, a sinister energy began to overflow within the mansion.

‘This is definitely not normal.’

Beyond just a feeling, a prickling Yin Energy palpable enough to raise goosebumps was seeping in from all directions.

As the group tensed up, strange sounds soon echoed forth, filling the corridor behind them.

Kihihi.

Kihihihi.

It sounded like human laughter, yet also like the cry of a beast.

What revealed itself moments later were bizarre creatures that could only be described as utterly grotesque.

“…Ugh, what is that?”

“That’s a form even calling a ‘ghost’ feels insufficient for.”

Parts of their bodies were transparent, and they were brimming with Yin Energy, traits characteristic of ghosts, but their outward appearance was almost too much to bear looking at directly.

They were closer to monsters than actual ghosts.

‘Moreover, the power I sense from them…’

Each one is vicious beyond compare.

Compared to these, the ghosts people commonly imagine would be nothing more than cute little imps.

“It’s best we don’t get separated. Let’s calmly engage and assess the situation.”

Using the Appraisal function, I couldn’t see any particularly lethal abilities, but their numbers were overwhelming and their basic specs were high.

We didn’t overextend ourselves, dividing roles appropriately as we dealt with them.

Squeaaak!

Zzzeeong—!

Kihiiik—!

Spiritual Power and Yin Energy swirled everywhere, and with each completed Art Formula, the ghosts’ screams echoed.

However, after this state persisted for about an hour, everyone, without exception, realized something strange.

“The numbers… they’re not decreasing at all…”

“Oppa, this is…”

As everyone thought, despite having defeated so many, the number of ghosts hadn’t changed significantly.

If anything, it seemed even more densely packed than before.

‘I clearly saw them vanish. So, does that mean they’re being reproduced continuously, even at this very moment?’

Seeing such powerful ghosts being churned out continuously suggests there must be a core part to it, but even with my knowledge, I couldn’t get a grasp on it.

‘Practically, it’s a Cursed Technique from a future point beyond what I knew…’

Blind Mountain was a region in the work where only hints were abundant, so the point of its official reveal would have been much later.

So, in a way, it was natural my knowledge didn’t apply.

‘It’s more troublesome than I thought.’

However, I had naturally anticipated that level of difficulty. If things have come to this, we simply change our course of action accordingly.

“Enduring until morning is too difficult with attacks this fierce. How about heading for the marked location right now?”

“A forced breakthrough? That doesn’t sound bad!”

Shin Noeul was the first to voice agreement, and the remaining members gradually nodded as well.

They realized that maintaining the current situation wouldn’t change anything anyway.

“Yeon Jaki and Xiao Chen will take the 1st floor, Seoa and the Unit Leader the 2nd floor, and I and Sophia will handle the 3rd floor.”

Thus, on the signal, we immediately scattered and headed for our destinations, breaking through the ghosts.

‘…The Unit Leader’s side is a bit lacking.’

In terms of pure combat power, it would have been more appropriate to swap either Yeon Jaki or Xiao Chen with Seoa, but while Yeon Jaki is one thing, Xiao Chen’s true intentions are still unknown.

Rather than creating unnecessary uncertainty, it’s better to pair the two who were from the same Night School.

Swoosh.

Fwoosh—!

“Keuseundae, I’m counting on you.”

[…Grooaaan.]

So, I sent Keuseundae, capable of facing even S-Rank Specters, along to the 2nd floor. It showed a displeased expression but began following behind Shin Noeul.

I can’t be certain, but this should probably be fine.

As I started running forward again, Sophia spoke up.

“You know, right? The energy we felt before entering this place.”

“Of course.”

These ghosts are probably just an appetizer. To overcome the current predicament, it’s highly likely we’ll have to face an even more powerful enemy.

‘Though there probably aren’t many enemies of that caliber…’

Perhaps such a formidable foe exists on one of these three floors.

Tensing up further at the thought, Sophia and I finally reached the unopenable door Xiao Chen had mentioned.

Clunk.

Clunk clunk.

“Hmm. It really won’t open.”

Xiao Chen seemed to have guessed the door would open if we came instead of her, who had lost her qualification, but looking at the situation, it seems some additional condition is needed.

Sophia tried the door a few more times, clicked her tongue, and stepped back, then began deploying a Cursed Technique to block the ghosts swarming in again.

Whoosh.

Zzzeeong!

“What do we do?”

“Let me check.”

I also thought there likely wasn’t any special method, but I couldn’t just stand there doing nothing.

‘I don’t see anything like a keyhole either…’

With that thought, I tried the doorknob. Suddenly, a sound of something engaging was heard, and the locked door began to move.

“…It opened.”

“Huh? That can’t be?”

Sophia, flustered, hurriedly followed me inside.

And as soon as she closed the door behind us, strangely, the ghosts that had been attacking us through walls or the ceiling retreated elsewhere, unable to do anything.

It seems we’ve indeed found the right place.

“K-Kangyoon?”

“What’s wrong?”

Turning my head at the completely stiffened voice, I saw Sophia pointing a finger somewhere with a panicked expression.

Following her gaze, I saw a single skeleton sitting on a chair placed among small, cramped studies.

The skeleton was merely placed there, but I, like Sophia, found myself somehow unable to look away.

And on a whim, I checked with the Appraisal function, immediately realizing the identity of that sense of déjà vu.

【Robert de Normandie】

▶Level 71

‘…Damn it all.’

Because a clearly defined Status Window was floating above a skeleton that should have died ages ago.

“…The eerie feeling, it’s growing.”

As she said, a sinister, murderous aura had begun to swirl and howl through the room at some point.

Soon, the eye sockets of the skeleton sitting limply on the chair began to glow, and it slowly started to move.

Crick.

Crick crack.

The eerie sound of bones clashing and its body bending in grotesque forms.

Soon, the skeleton picked up an elegant garment from the table in front of it, draped it over itself, rose from its seat, and spoke to us.

“Greetings. It’s my first time welcoming guests.”

It was an extremely composed and calm greeting, but we standing before it felt a pressure that made it hard to even breathe.

Because, to be sure, a Level 71 is a level even we in our current state cannot easily gauge.

The skeleton, observing our frozen state, casually brushed the dust off its garment and continued leisurely.

“My name is Robert. In life, I lived as the beloved Lady Verdi’s librarian and Retainer.”

Despite the potentially ridiculous sight of a skeleton, an undeniable dignity emanated from its actions.

“Don’t be so tense. After all, the current me is merely an empty shell prepared for the trial. I simply carry out the task she assigned.”

Finishing his words softly, Robert picked up the wind-up doll on the table, rewound it by hand, and left us with just one statement.

Click.

Whirr.

Whirr.

“The time limit shall be until this doll stops.”

Tap!

The doll placed on the table, with its tiny body, began to tremble and rotate little by little, starting to dance.

“Try to find the most false thing in this space. The hint is immersed within the experiences you’ve had in this place thus far. If you cannot discern it, you have no qualification to proceed to the next location.”

“What if we can’t find the answer?”

“You too will become like them and wander this place.”

Where Robert pointed with the tip of his finger bone was outside the room, where the ghosts were roaming.

‘…So, if we don’t pass, we die.’

It’s better than simply fighting. But that doesn’t make it any less troublesome.

“Ugh, ugh. So what does that mean?”

Sophia rolled her eyes with a blank expression, as if she had no clue at all.

I knew it, but she’s weak in this kind of knowledge. In the end, I had to figure it out myself.

‘The hint is in the experiences here, he said.’

The Synthetic Beasts of the invisible witch, the village of peace and rest, and so on.

The lesson we’ve learned from the situations experienced so far is one: what’s visible is not everything.

‘…The inside of the room isn’t that spacious.’

Its overall size and the items arranged within are all visible at a glance.

To me, that felt like a kind of indicator.

‘Whatever it is, the answer must be inside here.’

The first things that catch the eye are the portraits of various figures displayed on the wall and the old bookcase occupying one side of the room.

Glancing over them, the portraits contained quite familiar faces.

‘Weren’t these also in the Black Forest?’

They are the ancestors of the witch clan, particularly those who made a name and reputation for themselves.

Among them were faces I didn’t know, but ultimately, I thought they were of the same kind.

‘However, the most important person is missing.’

Verdi.

The last witch of her era, who received the most love from the stars, and the one who created this labyrinth.

Given that, her absence alone is hard to see as a coincidence.

It must be related to the answer Robert mentioned.

“If you notice anything while looking around the room, let me know.”

Just in case, I asked Sophia for help too, then headed towards the remaining location, the bookcase, and began examining its contents.

‘The time the wind-up doll operates probably isn’t very long. Therefore, the answer should also be the type that yields a conclusion quickly if you pinpoint the exact key point…’

With time short, my anxious mind refused to settle.

There were many factors to consider, while my body and mind were only one.

No matter how I thought about it, it was an unreasonable condition.

But that thought was brief, as I soon noticed a very subtle sense of incongruity.

And letting out a hollow laugh, I put down the book I was holding, moved, and walked straight towards Robert.

“Have you found the answer?”

Yes. From the start, this wasn’t a problem that required considering many factors and solving complexly.

Leaving Sophia’s worried gaze behind, I pointed at Robert and muttered softly.

“Isn’t the most false thing in this place your very existence itself?”