Hermit Wizard

Chapter 35

The Forgotten Race (4)

The boy shouted, telling her not to talk nonsense.

“I can see clearly! Humans cannot have such a mighty and great soul! He’s just an elderly person who has lived for a long time beyond the wall…!”

“My brother, it can’t cheat my nose. The original wasn’t hidden because of the human body odor, but he originally smelled human!”

“What?!” Garam rumbled.

“You, can you take responsibility for that? I know you’re very good at smelling, but just because of that…”

Mrs. Pearl stopped talking to the boy.

“Apart from the talents, I have lived with a human man on a blanket for forty years. I am the best expert in this area!”

“No, that’s true, but…”

“Both his smell and taste, I’m sure of it!”

The boy blushed and coughed. However, Mrs. Pearl looked at Garam with a straight and clear gaze as if she had said something that couldn’t be said.

“If you say so…”

The boy’s expression was distorted and reflected an ounce of respectful shame, and then he stared at me.

“You must be human!” The boy suddenly exclaimed.

I sent it back to him.

“That’s right! It’s annoying for me that you got it wrong in the first place!”

Garam’s eyes became more ferocious.

“Not only did I serve the wrong person like an elder, but I also gave you valuable things! What the hell are you? How did you get into this barrier that couldn’t be approached except by Beast Spirits? And the power you have…wait!”

Garam tapped his knee as if he had a clue about the current situation.

“I have never seen or heard a human as powerful as you. And, this barrier exceeds the power of ordinary humans. Also, it wouldn’t be a coincidence to encounter you in front of the barrier.”

His eyes widened as if he finally found the correct answer.

“That barrier surrounding the crack in space, what is its connection with you? No, it must be the barrier you made?”

I replied nervously because I didn’t think they’d believe me even if I denied it now.

“That’s right! Why?!”

And a long tug-of-war between those two and me began.

***

Garam and Mrs. Pearl, who now knew that I was the Mok-dong Barrier’s creator, asked me to let them in. Since they were on duty placed on them by their village, it seemed like they had to check the Channel’s status with their own eyes. They came out so strongly. Under the condition that they should only observe, I finally brought them inside. I guided them to the Mapo Bridge Channel.

It was a barrier set to prevent the invasion of other foreign races. Still, honestly, there was no reason to prevent them from entering. I didn’t want to have a meaningless fight with these peaceful beings, with whom I had a gentle conversation. As I felt right now, it would take some work even if something happened, but I thought I would be able to suppress them if it ever came down to that. Even so, I couldn’t start a big fight without knowing my opponent’s abilities. There might be eyewitnesses who might be watching too.

I needed to be attentive and careful.

***

Although the Korean Military was tightly surrounding the Channel, we proceeded without hesitation and approached the Channel’s front. The reason I accompanied them so far was, of course, for surveillance. I was wondering if these beings would do weird things inside the barrier or near the Channel. I still couldn’t trust them entirely. While looking at the Channel which laid in front of their eyes, their mouths were left gaping.

“Oh, finally…we’re here!”

Mrs. Pearl muttered, clenching her fists; she seemed full of emotions. It turned out that both of them were dressed like beggars, but how the hell did they get all the way from Jeju Island? That was the real question. Garam, who stood next to her, also looked up at the huge Channel as he responded.

“I didn’t feel good after listening to the prophecy, but when I looked at it with my own two eyes, the expression of a crack in space was perfect.”

Channels that weren’t active were shaped like a long crack, and blue light flashed out from the opening.

“But…is there another barrier here?”

Perhaps because of his intensive observation, Garam quickly noticed the different types of barriers that covered the Channel. In case the human wizards who developed their skills later discovered it and did something wrong, I covered it up just as a preventative measure.

“Oh, really. Did you make that barrier, too?”

I nodded to the woman whose expression became serious as if she found it one beat late.

“Are you making a living by creating a barrier? Or is it a hobby? How many barriers are there around here?”

Garam’s question was absurd, so I responded.

“Make a living what? I’ve been volunteering for free. For the safety and peace of Seoul’s citizens.”

This country wasn’t really good enough to reward me. Strictly speaking, I was doing the work of the state. However, I was volunteering because I was anxious to leave it entirely to the military.

‘So, in recognition of my services, stop sending active enlistment texts to my number!’

I wondered to myself with a bitter feeling in my gut. But since I couldn’t tell them who I was, this kind of fuss didn’t mean anything.

“Tsk.”

“What else is this barrier for?”

“It’s a device that prevents humans from passing over to the world that lies beyond the channel.”

I had created barriers around the Channel on both dimensions that were now connected.

“For what reason?”

“Do you watch TV? Have you seen these guys?”

Asking so, I showed them a video projected on the surface of the Han River, a feat that only wizards or those with an affinity for magic could observe. Mixing with the night’s colors, the Ashpim Giant’s shape, shaking with black waves, appeared. It was an illusion created by leaning on my memory. When he saw it, he nodded as if he wasn’t familiar.

“I’ve rarely seen TV, but we know it. These are things that once appeared in human dreams.”

Come to think of it, was that guy a dreamer? I don’t know the principle, but I think he was good at using mental magic.

“Yes, these guys crossed over on this Channel several times. People are suffering. If they ever touch the wall over there and the monsters start to come over in earnest, I don’t think I can handle it. There are quite a few more than I thought. And their temper is dirty.”

The barriers in this world were intended to prevent the Korean government from sending troops to the other side. The problem grew complicated if they wandered around and came in contact with the barrier I had made in that world. No matter how well I covered it up, there was no answer if they blow up a bomb or something. Detonating a bomb in Yeouido may be a matter of reconsideration. Still, there were concerns that the world on the other side could use tough retaliatory measures.

I even explained the story that I had been to the world over there, yet Garam’s expression remained a bit stiff. What was it, I wondered.

“Break it out.”

“What?”

“It sounds good, but…as I listen to it, it feels like I’ve been drinking water with a lid.”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you do that? Take a risk, go to the other world, strike a barrier, and create an additional barrier to prevent human access.”

“Ultimately, it’s also for my safety. To stop them from harming people.”

I didn’t even talk about the Channel in my chest and the Truth-Seeker. As for the motives of my exploration of the other world, I just said that it was to avoid future dangers. It wasn’t even a lie because my house was very close to this Channel. However, Garam’s strange expression couldn’t be resolved easily.

“Even though you are human, you have basically blocked access to this channel without telling other humans.”

“…Well, in the end, that is correct.”

However, I couldn’t appear in front of the government and explain this situation in detail. It would reveal who I was, after all.

“For now, I understand your story. However, it is difficult for us now to fully grasp the identity of this barrier. In conclusion, we have checked the condition of the crack. Still, we have a random variable…we need to report the situation to the elders of the village, Mrs. Pearl.”

“Yes.”

“And human, if all you say is true. If that barrier is just to prevent other humans from approaching…”

“Ah, but it’s true.”

“Yes, if that’s right…that’s also a bit weird. I think it’s going to be another thing I don’t understand.”

“Huh?”

“…Just because it seems a little different from the way people I know think.” The boy said, tilting his head a little.

“The idea of ??controlling the entire human race without giving any information rather than the idea that the same human would do…yes. It seems a bit similar to what the Dragon did in the past.”

He mumbled like that and then shook his head.

“Well, it would be a useless idea.”

I couldn’t comprehend what he was trying to say.

***

Parvache argued as if it was an absurdly ridiculous move.

[So that’s why you brought them home? Do you think I believe that?]

I shrugged apologetically.

“No, it was too late, and they kept holding on to me and asking this and that, but I have no reason to kick those guys out…and I also want to ask them a lot of questions.”

At the same time, I glanced at the two sitting at the dining table in my living room. With their abilities, they couldn’t directly grasp exactly how the barriers surrounding the Channel worked. However, they seemed to believe the information I gave them. In the end, they concluded that it was a problem that they couldn’t make judgments about. They decided to report the current situation to the elders in their village and receive follow-up instructions on what they had to do in the future.

Thanks to that, the story continued longer than expected, and it was nighttime before we realized it. When I asked if they wanted to eat after paying attention to their beggar-like behavior, both faces were noticeably brighter. It seemed that they were walking around without being able to get a proper meal. After bringing them home, a minor problem was discovered, and it was their diet.

When Mrs. Pearl said she wanted to eat fresh raw beef liver, I was confused. There couldn’t be anything like raw meat in my refrigerator. However, it wasn’t difficult to get it as the butcher shop in the apartment complex was still open. But when the little boy asked me to for iron and copper, I couldn’t digest his answer easily.

Eventually, when I took some iron and copper plates collected from the warehouse on the third floor, surprisingly, Garam took them in his hand and melted them as if eating ice cream. While looking at the strange appearance of the metal melting down like mud, I wondered what his saliva was made of. Anxiety began to creep up in the corner of my mind as the materials disappeared so vainly.

“Well, when you’re done, ask again quickly.”

When I saw the meal was finished, I approached them.

“Wait a minute.”

Garam poured the remaining piece of iron in his mouth and closed his eyes, chewing. And after a while, he spoke.

“Hmm, we’ve finally connected to a human. What time is it now? They’re already asleep…even though Mrs. Pearl and I are having such a hard time on land, we’re so lucky.”