Chapter 175

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍sun in Gangwon-do began to set.

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍because the land had been tainted by the Broom of Gluttony, even the sunset was emitting a mysterious light.

Of ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, it must have had nothing to do with the sun in space, but it seemed that the light had been distorted by the environmental mana permeating everywhere.

"It's ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍about time for them to appear. Senior, you stay back. Bruno, you stand by to shoot nearby."

"Do ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not give me orders. I will take care of it myself."

"Then ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do as you please."

The mercenaries went back outside the barrier.

We stood guard as planned and lay in ambush near the clues we had found earlier.

I wondered how much time had passed.

When the darkness had fully descended upon the earth, I was able to feel a cautious presence.

That presence was a human shadow that appeared to be a male.

The moment he approached the marks on the outer wall, I revealed myself.

"You don't look like a guard. Who are you?"

"……!"

The male was startled by my question and tried to quickly descend the outer wall.

However, my shadow binding his movement came first.

"It would be better to answer while I'm being nice. I'm not in a situation where I can be lenient."

"Damn it."

The figure seen through the Demonic Eye was about my age.

He was dressed like a free mercenary, but the color of mana that Catalina’s boss had was clearly visible in his chest.

In other words, he was a doll.

The fact that his identity was a doll meant there was a power device nearby…….

"I, I haven't done anything."

"You're doing something blatantly suspicious, yet you haven't done anything?"

"I was simply curious!"

He was curious?

At that moment, Bruno revealed himself from the darkness.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pressed the muzzle of his gun against the male's temple.

"Let's end the useless talk here. Guide us to your headquarters."

I immediately stopped him.

"Wait a moment. There's no need to be so aggressive."

"Hm? Is there a better method than this?"

I threw another question to the male.

"What do you mean by being curious?"

"Naturally, about you people outside the barrier!"

"Are you saying you were spying? For what reason?"

"Because you people are trying to trample upon our home!"

"……."

It was the sense of alienage I had been feeling.

At first, I thought that doll was acting as an intermediary for the inside and outside of the barrier.

However, if that were the case, he would not have climbed the outer wall every night like this, but would have lived with the mercenaries while going outside the barrier.

Furthermore, those words about how we were going to trample upon their home.

Did he simply refer to the free mercenaries crossing the barrier and hunting monsters?

No, there was no way.

This was clearly a misunderstanding.

A misunderstanding that must have been created by the alchemist.

"So, what is the conclusion? You must have found something out while spying several times. Does it really seem like we're trying to trample upon your home?"

"That's……."

He could not continue his words.

He was probably recognizing that it was subtly different from the truth he had known.

The only thing that weighed on my mind was who was performing the role of transporting the corpse outside the barrier.

"That person said so clearly! That the humans outside the barrier would set fire to our home! I do not doubt his words!"

"By that person, do you mean the alchemist?"

"H-How did you know?"

"How could I not? Ironically, we have business with that man. You could say we're guests?"

"You expect me to believe that?"

I gave a signal to Bruno with my eyes and released the binding.

He took my hint and lowered the boss's corpse he had been carrying on his back.

As the male fixed his gaze on the corpse, I spoke as if I were feeling sorry for him.

"We crossed the barrier to hand over your comrade, who has fallen asleep, to the alchemist."

"What?"

In the original work, the dolls refer to collapsing because they cannot obtain mana power as falling asleep.

That is because they live and move perfectly fine again once mana is injected.

The male also realized the meaning of those words and began to carefully examine the state of the corpse.

"She really has fallen asleep. ……Then are you the ones the teacher is supposed to meet?"

Teacher? And those ones?

In the context of the conversation, 'teacher' must refer to that alchemist, and 'those ones' would be the mafia members who transported the corpse to the vicinity of the barrier.

Therefore, it meant the alchemist was outside the barrier to receive the corpse.

"Right. But there was a setback in the plan, and we missed each other. I'm glad to have met you like this."

"……I see."

"But why have you been coming in and out of this place?"

"I simply came near the barrier while following him. The teacher is kind, but he has almost no combat ability."

"Which means you were waiting until the alchemist came."

"I'm sorry, but could you keep this a secret? He would be very angry if he knew I had contact with humans outside the barrier."

Now I could understand the situation.

The dolls thought they were another group of humans inside the barrier, and the alchemist was acting as a teacher for them while conducting various experiments.

After all, there would be no place better than Gangwon-do for researching alchemy.

Furthermore, the dolls even protected him from monsters, so it would be perfect.

I barely managed to hold back a cynical laugh.

"It seems we've settled our respective positions, so why don't you guide us?"

"I have something to confirm before that."

"……?"

Momentarily, his eyes narrowed.

A face full of suspicion.

"What is the relationship between this man and you?"

It was an unexpected question.

However, Bruno replied without any particular emotion.

"An old friend."

"Old…… friend? What is that?"

I cut in.

"It means a relationship where you can trust and rely on each other. Even with your lives, if possible."

"It means you're family, then."

"Something like that, but……."

Did he know the concept of family?

As he put on a face suggesting he fully understood, I asked this time.

"But what is your name?"

"I am Hyeon Jinseok. I woke up in Gangneung."

***

On the outskirts of Seoul.

The alchemist Victor shouted irritably.

"I clearly told you! To recover it without fail!"

The place where he was shouting was the 'large house,' the headquarters of Camellia.

Naturally, the person he was facing was Ooyama Jiro, who was Gen in disguise.

"I have nothing to say about the fact that the work was ruined. We are mobilizing various methods to search for it, so wait."

"Wait? Damn it! I don't have the luxury of spending time on this kind of work! Dammit! I should have listened to Baek Dojin when he told me not to move hastily!"

Victor expressed his anger and turned his steps toward the outside of the building.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going back inside the barrier! Unlike you people, I have to spend my finite life even a little more valuably. I'll come back in fifteen days. Find that child by then!"

"I'll do my best. ……But why exactly are you trying to find that corpse?"

"A corpse? That child is merely broken for a moment. To begin with, my precious daughter, whom I provided for the plan of you and Baek Dojin, has disappeared. Do I need to explain the reason any further?"

"……."

"You had better not get on my nerves anymore. Otherwise, your magic tools won't be safe either."

Victor left the building.

Gen murmured slowly once his presence had completely vanished.

"Raising the dead and then having affection for them……. Sometimes humans are as disgusting as we are."

***

We moved while following Hyeon Jinseok.

According to him, there were ten people, including himself, who had moved near the barrier with the alchemist Victor.

Since they probably selected those who could move freely in Gangwon-do, they would be people with excellent combat power.

The traces of a group that the free mercenary saw must also be their traces.

Bruno still did not let go of his suspicion and moved as close to Hyeon Jinseok as possible.

He was just short of holding a gun; it was a distance from which he could suppress the opponent at any moment.

Thanks to that, Park Chaeshin and I followed while maintaining a certain distance, and Park Chaeshin also repeatedly expressed his doubts while looking at Hyeon Jinseok’s back.

"No matter how much I think about it, I don't understand? If he's a Hyeon, he's your bloodline, right? Is a doll impersonating him or something?"

Currently, this path was a place where shadows were cast thick due to the lush trees.

As long as I was controlling the shadows in the vicinity, there was no possibility that the conversation would be heard by Hyeon Jinseok.

"There's no way. I know you've already noticed, Senior."

"Hm, so you're having the same thought as me. That they made dolls using living humans as ingredients."

It was an undeniable truth.

A moment ago, Hyeon Jinseok said he had spent ten years inside the barrier with Victor.

Furthermore, with other dolls who were expressed as villagers.

In terms of timing, it was very closely related to the Gangneung incident thirteen years ago.

Clearly, the humans who were sacrificed at that time must have been made into dolls.

This part was different from the original work.

According to the settings, the time Victor began to refine dolls was much later.

The location was not Gangwon-do, but Gyeonggi-do.

Anyway, if there were no other variables, the doll introduced as Hyeon Jinseok would truly be my bloodline.

While the influence of a name was as good as non-existent from the moment one became a doll…….

How should I describe it?

For some reason, a small pain throbbed in a corner of my chest.

To think that I, who had merely possessed this body in this world, would feel sympathy for a doll with whom I would have no connection…….

"But does that mean that fellow can also use the Demonic Eye?"

"No, dolls cannot use mana proactively. Instead, their physical abilities are superior."

"It means they have far fewer physical restrictions than humans. More importantly, what are you going to do now?"

"About what?"

"Your original plan was to destroy everything, whether it's an alchemist or a doll. But if that doll was your bloodline when he was alive……."

"That doesn't matter. Not only do I have no memory of meeting him, but it's foolish to have lingering feelings for the dead. However."

"However?"

I indirectly gazed at Bruno’s back.

Park Chaeshin nodded as if he understood and continued his words.

"You're saying the demonic being hunter’s will is important."

"Yes, because the only reason I got involved in this incident was for the sake of Catalina’s boss."

Bruno had probably noticed as well.

That the dolls were made using those who were dead.

Thanks to having asked him a few questions, I had learned that he had left Gangwon-do before the Gangneung incident occurred thirteen years ago.

The time he met Catalina’s boss was also clearly the same period.

Therefore, he must be confused.

Because he had to accept that she had been a doll since before he even met her.

And of course, the fact that he had been thoroughly used by Manyeong.

"What exactly does that man want to do?"

"Either revenge……. or bringing back an old friend. It'll be one of the two."

"What bothers me is this. He might change his mind and side with the alchemist. If that happens, our plan will be exposed in no time."

"Well, we'll have to wait and see……. If it comes to that, I'll have no choice. I'll have to kill him."

"Clear and simple. It's so much so that I can't even deny it's the best way."

Park Chaeshin continued speaking.

"But the fact that that guy Hyeon Jinseok has been hanging around the outpost. If he were waiting to escort the alchemist, there would be no need to reveal himself to humans. What he said earlier about spying is also strange."

"You're right, Senior. Spying is laughable when they don't have the troops to face the humans beyond the barrier. Furthermore, sneaking in while even leaving traces is suspicious."

"What do you think? What purpose do you think he moved for?"

"Maybe the truth is exactly what he said earlier."

"The thing about being curious?"

"Yes, he might have truly been curious about us. Should I say he's not a doll foolish enough to be tied to a closed group where even the word 'friend' is not used?"

"A frog that jumped out of the well, then. He's a very dangerous fellow."

"Dangerous?"

"In human history, there's only one emotion that has caused more deaths than curiosity."

"What is it?"

"Love."

"……."

"Why the sour face? It's not a lie, is it?"

"……."

"Hey, wait! Go together! This is a place where monsters come out!"