Chapter 199: A Cultist“Luh? That’s quite a sophisticated name.”


    “Indeed, he even carries an air of nobility at a nce.”


    While the Dark Spiritualist and Han So were treating Luh, the boy who saved them, with friendliness, I couldn’t help but remain stoic.


    It was clear that the boy intentionally didn’t mention his surname, and that the other two didn’t bring it up either.


    However, I couldn’t let it slide that easily.


    Luh Luden Griffin.


    The youngest son of the Griffin Royal Family from 200 years ago.


    However, he was a son born from a different maternal line whose true identity shouldn’t be revealed lightly.


    While the name Luh was never mentioned in history books, the boy was an indispensable figure in Griffin’s history.


    He was the central figure who further fueled the suppression of Dark Mages in Griffin, pushing it to obsessive levels of abhorrence towards ck Magic.He was the Dark Mage who single-handedly led an army of corpses and souls, pushing Griffin to the brink of destruction.


    Known better as Heralhazard, this was the identity of Luh, the boy standing before us.


    Of course, it was actually a self-fabricated scenario at the behest of the Royal Family.


    Yet, it couldn’t be said that he was without guilt.


    “But, what about that magic just now?”


    The Dark Spiritualist subtly asked Luh, immediately noticing what Luh had employed was ck Magic.


    “Um, well…”


    Though he openly seemed hesitant to speak, the Dark Spiritualist didn’t back down and waited for Luh’s response.


    “Do not just stand here talking. Let us go down and have a conversation.”


    With my intervention, Luh nodded quickly and hurried down the stairs. Han So, who followed behind us, warned that he might get hurt if he ran, leaving only me and the Dark Spiritualist.


    Though I wanted to explore the third floor a bit more, I needed to go down first to assess the situation.


    As we descended the stairs, the Dark Spiritualist asked me casually.


    “You do know that was ck Magic just now, right?”


    “Yes.”


    I didn’t know much about how the boy, Luh, grew into Heralhazard.


    However, considering his talent, it didn’t seem strange for him to be able to use ck Magic at around the age of 10.


    “You’re quite nonchnt, aren’t you? Do you know who he is?”


    I hesitated for a moment at the Dark Spiritualist’s question. If she were the Dark Spiritualist who I have been with, I would have answered without much thought, but I didn’t know how the current Dark Spiritualist would react with this information.


    Revealing the truth about Heralhazard might lead her to have a different mindset about the boy.


    After all, someone might find it odd that a figure from 200 years ago was here.


    A suitable truth—I thought it would be enough if I disclosed another truth about Heralhazrd.


    “Do you know about Dante?”


    “Hmm? The lunatics screaming about saving the continent? Of course, I know them well.”


    “…”


    “I’ve only heard rumors. They’re attempting to recruit skilled Dark Mages, but they haven’t approached me yet; they clearly don’t have good judgment.”


    The Dark Spiritualist clicked her tongue with disappointment while crossing her arms. Being only 18 years old, it seemed she hadn’t reached the level of skill to receive Dante’s proposition yet.


    But there was no need to mention that she would eventually receive their invitationter.


    “He is their leader.”


    “Huh?”


    The Dark Spiritualist turned her head in surprise at the unexpected truth. Then, with a hint of suspicion, she asked.


    “Are you also with Dante?”


    “No way.”


    “But how do you know this?”


    It was because we had met countless times in the game, where I had also killed him countless times.


    Basically, that boy’s life was nothing more than a trigger for a game over.


    Though that answer lingered on my tongue, I swallowed it and remained silent as we reached the first floor.


    The Dark Spiritualist made a grimace of difort, but since I had no intention of answering, she didn’t press any further.


    As we reached the first floor, Luh and Han So were in conversation with someone.


    It was a person draped in a white robe and wore an expressionless iron mask.


    “Do you also know who that is?”


    Ignoring the Dark Spiritualist, who was asking questions as if poking at random, I approached the three.


    “That’s just how you live life. God Romuleus has taught us a lot.”


    <em>Romuleus?</em>


    It was a name I had never heard before.


    The person was tall with a skinny body.


    It wasn’t until I heard the murmuring voice from within the iron mask that I realized he was a man.


    He must be one of the Manor’s guests.


    After ncing at me and the Dark Spiritualist, he shrugged his shoulders in greeting.


    “Ah! More people have arrived! I’m delighted to be able to spread my gospel!”


    At his words, both the Dark Spiritualist and I simultaneously looked at Han So, and under our gaze, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    “He suddenly came here and said good words. I just wonder if there’s some rule we don’t know about.”


    Despite wanting to ignore him, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had some skill since he was here.


    “Haha, everyone. You probably haven’t experienced God Romuleus’ mercy yet. Pleasee to the dining hall and have a chat with me.”


    “Come to me after you take care of that duncehead.”


    The Dark Spiritualist turned her body towards the dining area, not wanting to engage in the conversation.


    Han So and Luh followed suit naturally, leaving only me and the man together.


    The man shrugged his shoulders, revealing his embarrassment.


    “Everyone is like that. When you first listen, you might think that we are just foolish people all around. But God Romuleus is close to us.”


    “I am not sure about that.”


    Since it was my first time hearing the name Romuleus, I could only give a vague answer.


    However, he seemed to interpret my response as cooperation. He sped his hands together and bowed his head as if in prayer.


    “Who is able to grasp the truth from the beginning? Come with me. I’ll tell you more about him.”


    “<em>Sigh</em>.”


    Did I misjudge something?


    The Dark Spiritualist, Han So, and even Luh.


    Seeing only prominent figures in the Dream Demon Manor, naturally, I might have mistakenly assumed that the man in front of me would also be remarkable.


    But now, the likelihood that he was a cultist devoted to a god whose name I’d never heard before was much higher.


    “Just go away.”


    Without wasting more time, I turned towards the dining hall and left him behind, hoping he wouldn’t follow and stir up unnecessary conflict.


    As my footsteps echoed through the first floor’s entrance hall, he spoke up again.


    “Why are you being so hasty?”


    His voice, low and eerie, carried a strange menace. The important thing was that the unsettling feeling I sensed on the fourth floor was simr to the feeling emanating from his threatening voice now.


    I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned my head. He was removing his mask.


    Snow-white hair fell.


    Beneath the long strands cascading down to his waist, his white eyes held a sense of purity.


    “How dare you ignore me when you bear the moniker Soul Whisperer.”


    “Do you know me?”


    Did hee from a simr timeframe as me, or perhaps, from the future?


    He had an appearance that was enough to attract not only the opposite gender but also the same sex. Perhaps if he hadn’t been wearing a mask, he wouldn’t have been rejected by others as he had been just now.


    “Ah, it is impossible not to know. You are a presence who we love and hate at the same time.”


    “Love and hate?”


    “We exist because of you, but we truly hate you.”


    “I guess you need to learn how to converse properly again.”


    Even though I scolded him, who was only saying what he wanted to say, there was no change in his expression.


    No, unlike his earlier bright voice and bubbly tone, his expression was now stained with hatred.


    “Do youe from the far future, more than me?”


    I asked because I had never heard of a god named Romuleus or encountered a fanatic wearing an iron mask like him, but he shook his head.


    “Rule No. 11: The further back the room number, the further into the future the persones from. You’re in thest numbered room, Room 110, correct? I’m in 109.”


    Well, that was news to me.


    Thus, it meant no one came from the future after me.


    Therefore, the question of whether I managed to prevent the continent’s destruction or not didn’t seem like it would be easily answered


    As he casually looked around the Dream Demon Manor, he suddenly gritted his teeth and asked.


    “Did you go to the fourth floor?”


    “Yes.”


    “It’s a truly disgusting ce, isn’t it? It’s almost like sphemy; tears of blood flowed.”


    “…You are the one who found Rule No. 27 and No. 29, are you not?”


    The man gestured with his hand, indicating it wasn’t important.


    “How dare he try to embody a god? He is truly sphemous. I will surely kill the Demon Lord Lehric.”


    “If you want to enjoy talking to yourself, then I will be on my way.”


    After all, I couldn’t get the conversation with him to go anywhere.


    Although his words were intriguing, I had no intention of letting him take my time further.


    “My name is Mul.”


    As I started heading back towards the dining hall, the man called out from behind, saying he wasn’t wrong.


    “You wille to realize that those who can trulyfort the soul are me and the believers who serve God Romuleus.”


    “…”


    “Let’s meet again outside, Kim Shinwoo.”


    “What?”


    <em>Swoosh</em>.


    <em>Stab</em>!


    I could hear the sound of flesh being pierced. When I turned my head in surprise, I saw Mul lying on the ground with a stake driven into his neck.


    With his white robe turning red, the blood sttered on the floor listed the rules, just like when Jortu was killed.


    11. The higher the room number, theter the time period the guestes from.


    15. There is no daytime in the Dream Demon Manor.


    27. Guest rooms only go up to number 110. There is no Room 111. If you find Room 111 and someone is staying in it, kill them immediately. They are an uninvited intruder.


    29. There is no fourth floor in the Dream Demon Manor.


    It felt like a storm had passed.


    He introduced himself as Mul, being a fanatic who served a god named Romuleus whom I had never heard of before.


    It was information that wasn’t in the game.


    It felt unsettling that he knew my real name; his statement, ‘We exist because of you,’ also bothered me.


    The flow of events was already quite different from the game. Findenai, the boss of a chapter, had already joined my side, Dante had already started moving, the rk Republic had copsed, and Aria had quit being a hero.


    I knew it was hard to expect things to have the same flow as the game, but with such unexpected and bizarre things popping up, it was getting confusing.


    “<em>Huff</em>.”


    This was a moment when I particrly wanted to hear the voices of the others who were in myboratory.