Bailonz Street 13

As I exited, I took a moment to glance around the cell. Inside, various corpses were strewn about, from skeletons to mummified bodies. Among them, I noticed someone who was still alive, but an old man stepped into my line of sight, as if to say there was no need to save everyone.

The old man waved his hand in front of a solid wall. The wall rippled and became slightly transparent.

“You can leave this way. Any obstacles outside will be taken care of. Just go back the way you came.”

“…Thank you. For saving me.”

The old man waved his hand dismissively.

“You like the sea.”

That’s right. I liked the sea. Growing up on an island in South Korea, I had a special affection for it.

As I quietly smiled, I suddenly remembered where I had met the old man before. We had met on the beach with Liam Moore!

“You were in Hisford!”

“Then…?”

The old man gently pushed my back, and before I could scream or be surprised, I found myself back in a tunnel filled with earth.

His voice lingered like an echo behind me.

“Remember the sea. That’s your way to survive.”

The tunnel closed immediately, leaving me no chance to ask the old man anything further.

＊ ＊ ＊

When Liam Moore arrived at the underground lair, he was greeted by the roar of a furious beast. As soon as he faced the uninvited guest, the underground walls began to shift and rearrange like a puzzle. When the place turned into a complete labyrinth, he looked at the changed underground maze in astonishment.

“Manipulating space to this extent?”

“Why is the barrier so poorly constructed, then?” Owen muttered.

In any case, Liam knew the most important thing was Jane Osmond waiting inside, so he moved forward without hesitation. At that moment, a huge tremor started from deep within the maze.

There was no other option.

“Owen.”

“No way. You’re not thinking what I think you are, right?”

“Correct. I’m going in alone.”

Owen grabbed Liam’s collar, his already blood-stained shirt crumpling under Owen’s grip. Liam clicked his tongue, looking at his shirt with regret, further irritating Owen.

“You were coughing up blood and acting like you were dying just now, and now you want to go in alone? Are you out of your mind? Have you gone crazy from the pain?”

“Let’s just say I’ve spun 360 degrees.”

“You don’t need to beat around the bush to say you’re out of your mind.”

Owen spat out his words bitterly and let go of his hand. Liam shrugged as he straightened his wrinkled shirt.

“You’re not a combatant, and if something happens inside, it’ll be hard to protect you too. Unless you want me to use twice my strength, it makes sense for me to go alone.”

“You only oil your tongue at times like this.”

Liam grinned mischievously. It was clear that this only happened when it involved Jane Osmond. He thought this as he prepared to enter.

After a brief struggle, Liam Moore entered the underground maze alone. Feeling the ominous wind mixed with dust, he walked forward. As soon as he stepped, the maze began to shake wildly like an earthquake, and the earth started to collapse, blocking the entrance. Owen’s panicked breaths were audible, but Liam, who had somewhat expected this, showed no reaction.

“Liam!”

Owen was flustered, breathing heavily behind the collapsed entrance.

“Dig your way out. You can manage that, can’t you?”

“Damn it! You bastard! I’m a scholar, not a digger!”

“Being a scholar doesn’t mean you don’t have hands.”

Liam, grumbling, walked inside. He could hear Owen’s protesting voice fading away with each step he took.

＊ ＊ ＊

Inside, the maze was incredibly complex. It seemed determined to block the way to Jane Osmond. Liam moved silently, avoiding the torches that occasionally illuminated his path. He had no intention of drawing attention to his location by waving a torch.

Jane. Where could Jane be?

He recalled the cave he had been trapped in before. This place was identical. Apart from the absence of strange creatures growing on the ceiling, the structure, with a sacrificial altar at the centre surrounded by symbols, was exactly the same. It was made by the same person for the same purpose.

Jane Osmond had died several times there.

Although Jane’s memories didn’t transmit the pain, Liam knew it wasn’t something an ordinary person could endure with a clear mind. No matter how strong Jane Osmond was, enduring such torture repeatedly would break anyone’s spirit. He couldn’t be sure what state Jane would be in when he found her.

“Damn it.”

His impatience made him bite his lip repeatedly. But fate didn’t allow him the luxury of indulging in his thoughts. A voice whispered around him.

‘Duck.’

Liam Moore didn’t argue and immediately ducked. A club swung menacingly over his head, covered in dried flesh and bristling with spikes.

“So, someone’s guarding the maze, huh.”

His voice was calm, a testament to his composure in the face of danger.

A beast roared. Liam recognized it. While myths and magic were alive and well, seeing the remnants of an ancient myth before his eyes was something he hadn’t anticipated.

A minotaur, half-man, half-bull, roared. Its language didn’t matter. Liam’s mind was focused solely on defeating it and reaching Jane Osmond, driven by an almost obsessive determination.

When he grabbed and pulled at the air, a glass-like sword appeared in his hand. Liam, lowering his body and planting his right hand on the ground, grinned.

The goal was clear now. There was no need to wander in search of potential threats when the guardian had shown itself directly.

As a large roar echoed, Liam Moore leapt forward.

＊ ＊ ＊

I raised an eyebrow at the strange sound coming from the end of the hallway.

It seemed like someone was destroying it. The noise was akin to swinging a giant hammer against the walls. It was definitely Clara’s hunting dog chasing me. Clara’s voice commanding something to catch me was still vivid in my memory.

Recalling that this friend was actually a dead entity, moved by a contract, made me nauseous.

But I couldn’t be angry. As Clara Barnum said, I was an outsider to them.

The image of Clara, focused on her plays at the Leximion Association, kept flashing in my mind, making me feel odd. I had Jane Osmond’s memories. Knowing how much Jane liked Clara before I took over her body made me feel bitter.

Suddenly, it was November 1870. Jane Osmond had been overtaken by me. And Clara, whose friend had changed. Both were caused by me.

But what could I do? I decided to blame everything on the game developer. In a crappy game, the most important thing is mental victory. If things don’t go well within ten minutes of starting, it’s not my fault but the fault of those who designed the character poorly. The boss doesn’t die? That’s because the dealer stopped dealing damage. Hence, the one who trapped me here is the root of all evil.

I concluded neatly. Since I wasn’t trapped here by my own will, I wouldn’t feel guilty for the things that happened because of me. Instead of wasting time on that, it was better to figure out how to survive this hellish game of psychopaths and cultists.

And then, I encountered Liam Moore, cutting the neck of a minotaur. Unfortunately, that was the scene I witnessed as I turned the corner.

Blood splattered everywhere. As the minotaur’s head flew off, blood sprayed all around. Both Liam Moore and I were drenched in fresh, warm blood.

It was not a pleasant experience. I closed my eyes tightly, and when I opened them again, my upper body looked as if I had showered in blood.

‘Just my luck today…’

I sighed and wiped my face with my sleeve. This was a lost cause. My pyjamas were already tattered and dirty from all the struggles. I might as well get a new set.

Liam didn’t look much better. After beheading the minotaur, he knelt on one knee, using his sword for support. He seemed like he wanted to rush to me, but his body betrayed him.

Feeling sorry for the staggering Liam, I ran to him. He naturally opened his arms to me.

Never mind that he had just killed someone, and the corpse was lying nearby. That wasn’t important. I clung to his neck.