Chapter 04: Predator

 

Deia left in anger, leaving behind irregularly sprawled tea on the floor that seemed to be the manifestation of her inner turmoil…

 

In the silence that was left behind after Deia's emotional storm, I cleaned up the spilled tea mechanically.

 

‘People like her have always been annoying to deal with.’

 

I sighed in frustration.

 

Even when I was in school in my past life, it was difficult to deal with people who had intense emotions or large fluctuations in mood. It felt like we were complete opposites.

 

But then again, it was uncomfortable that some of those people instead felt frustrated with me and either left or got angry with me.

 

‘It’s my fault this time, though.’

 

No, it’s Deus’ fault, not mine, but since I was in his body…

 

…it can't be helped.

 

Personally, I wanted to build a new relationship with Deia, so I'd decided to accept her complaints as much as possible, as they seemed pretty reasonable.

 

I even thought of it as relieving her resentment… the same thing I did while dealing with the ghosts.

 

‘And, she’s even family.’

 

Even with empty words, my relationship with my family in my previous life could not be described as a positive one.

 

If your maternal grandmother was a shaman and your mother despised shamanism more than anything in the world, it would undoubtedly complicate family relationships, wouldn't it?

 

And when it became clear that I could see ghosts and I had to become a shaman in order to survive, my mother's hatred towards shamanism extended to me as well and she sent me to my grandmother’s house.

 

One fortunate thing was that despite my mother's opposition, my father often came to see me.

 

I didn’t know the details, but my father worked as a manager in a large factory, and as he had some say in the factory he often used it to spend time with me. 

 

But every time he came to see me, the ghosts that appeared to be employees behind him increased one by one.

 

As a child, I didn't think much and asked about it.

 

But at my question, father ran away from me with a terrified expression on his face. And… he stopped visiting me after that.

 

It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t lonely.

 

If I didn't admit I always dreamt of having a happy family, I would be fooling myself to the point of being ridiculous.

 

“This time, maybe I can do a little better.”

 

With that promise, I was done cleaning the spilled tea and sat down again, steeling myself for the task at hand.

 

Though I didn’t have to go to work or prepare for any lectures, I was still busy.

 

‘It’s a pity that I couldn’t bring my research with me.’

 

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have used the tools provided by the academy.

 

All of the research achievements were due to academy supplies, so I had no choice but to leave them behind.

 

‘Even if it costs money, I’ll have to use my personal items.’

 

Even though I said that I wasn’t financially well-off either.

 

I resolved to use my own items if I made more money and started to conjure mana in my outstretched palm.

 

The bluish mana, which had been bubbling and popping up like bubbles, quickly turned darker.

 

The now purple mana - which was still turning darker - began to come together one by one creating a beautiful spherical shape.

 

But despite this magical sight unfolding before me, my eyes were fixated on the white orb inside the sphere that was wrapped around by black mana like sweet red bean paste around rice cakes and was the embodiment of the soul.

 

Whose soul was it?

 

Of course, mine...

 

And the reason why this black mana was wrapping around this white orb was to protect my soul.

 

In this world, it was called black magic.

 

On this continent, black magic was frowned upon, and it was a discipline that should not be learned recklessly. 

 

Unfortunately, I had no choice but to learn it. Because Deus’ body, which was devoid of talent to the point of being pitiful, wouldn't contribute in any way to prevent the catastrophe that would come to this continent.

 

No matter how hard I tried, the main character’s colleagues were highly compatible in all other areas. For example, when it comes to magic, I was nowhere near my fiancée, Erica Bright, who had the potential to become an Archmage.

 

Even financially, the Verdi family was not very special.

 

Only in the northern periphery do we live with pride, but in the eyes of the central nobility, we were nothing more than goofballs. We were treated well only because we were useful to stop the immigrants from raiding the border.

 

However, I would be able to be of use to the protagonist by using black magic, which was the only way for me to survive in this game.

 

In that regard, I was extremely gifted.

 

To be precise, although Deus Verdi lacked talent and had no relation with black magic, I, the individual named 'Kim Shin-woo', was brimming with it. 

 

'Black magic…'

 

Black magic involved countless spells that dealt with necromancy and curses, with the aim of inflicting pain, cursing them, or even causing complete destruction.

 

Since it was a study designed solely for selfishness, it was even forbidden by law in the kingdom, but it was possible to trade in secret in the city where Robern academy was located, making it not difficult to obtain its knowledge.

 

‘That's how I mastered the basics of necromancy.’

 

All people living on this continent accumulated mana in their bodies, even if it was only a small amount. This was because mana was mixed into the atmosphere.

 

If one could accumulate more mana than others and could transform it within themselves with their will, that was what made them a magician.

 

So, it was safe to say that people lived in an environment dominated by mana for their whole lives.

 

Did that mean only one's body was soaked in mana?

 

No.

 

One's soul was soaked in it too, and the necromancy I wanted to use was based on this.

 

[Khe khe khe! Verdi’s idiot! You’re back!]

 

[Look at him being cursed by his sister]

 

[Why would he not! He's a crazy bastard who wants to f*ck his sister!]

 

[Kukukukuk! It’s because I showed Deia naked in this bastard’s dream!]

 

[Does it make sense for him to ask his own sister to fu*k just because you showed her naked in his dreams!]

 

Evil spirits chatted while roaming around noisily.

 

‘I’ve always thought about it, but aren't there too many ghosts in this mansion?’

 

I didn’t know what the Verdi family did, but there were so many ghosts that it could even be called a heaven for black magicians.

 

“Whoo.”

 

Before I even showed the signs to do anything, Skram came to me in advance. He left nothing to be desired.

 

There was no need to even give a signal to this useful ghost.

 

Then an ominous-looking obsidian hand stretched out from the black sphere enveloping my soul, resting on the palm of my hand.

 

Snap!

 

It precisely snatched one of the spirits that hovered around me, laughing among themselves.

 

It was the one who claimed that it showed Deia's n*ked body in the dream.

 

[kayak! What, what!]

 

[Hey… you were caught?]

 

The other evil spirits were also surprised, but the expression on the face of the captured one was the most impressive.

 

I clenched my fist as it was held in my palm-

 

Quad-dduck!

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaa!]

 

-and a gruesome scream enveloped the entire mansion. 

 

Wasn’t it a very good soprano vocalist?

 

Although no one in the living world could hear it, it was a noise that distressed the rest of the dead.

 

“Already assembled?”

 

Ghosts that had heard screams from the walls, floors, ceilings, and other places had come. Among them, there were also earthly spirits who simply wandered around and could not leave, but unfortunately, most of the ghosts that gathered were evil spirits.

 

[Verdi! Verdi! Verdi!]

 

There were also those who just randomly called out the family name.

 

[Can't I just bite your hand once?]

 

[I-I like the tongue.]

 

There were also those who ate humans.

 

[Seriously! How dare you disturb my rest!]

 

[Hoh, Verdi’s idiot? Ha, someone without any dignity of an aristocrat has returned?]

 

There were also those who looked like nobles.

 

All spirits who were quietly resting or eagerly waiting for an opportunity gathered in the room.

 

[Did Verdi’s idiot, who only coveted women without talent, come back?]

 

[Why didn’t you tell me? How fun it is to enter this bastard’s dream!]

 

[Kel kel kel! Let’s have fun again, Deus!]

 

[Let's make him pee while sleeping!]

 

Perhaps because they were already dead, they had no sense of awareness; Can't they see the soul trapped in the swirling mass of mana now?

 

“I am not the Deus you knew.”

 

The ghosts blinked at me as if they did not expect me to answer.

 

For the three months that I lived with the family, I pretended not to see the ghosts just like in my past life.

 

But now, I didn't have to.

 

“The soul contains mana.”

 

That was the reason why the supernatural phenomenon of ghosts existed, in some cases making the soul which was supposed to rest eternally when the body died, linger in the world of the living.

 

“In other words-”

 

With a pop, the evil spirit caged in the black sphere in my palm was absorbed and disappeared. Now, only a sphere made of black mana was swirling on the top of my hand.

 

“-all of you are just a mass of mana with a will.”

 

[Ru-run away!]

 

The quick-witted spirit of an aristocrat immediately turned around, but it was too late.

 

The moment they entered this room, their future already ceased to exist.

 

The dead could only be beautiful when they remained dead.

 

With a sneer, I gave strength to my hands and declared.

 

“The wastes that were thought to be useless have at least one use.”

 

The souls began to be sucked into the sphere. They screamed and tried to escape, but they couldn't resist the suction and were sucked in the end.

 

I felt mana rising from my whole body. The dwindling power of ghosts who once dealt with mana as wizards or knights felt as sweet as gourmet food.

 

This was an action that could never be carried out on the academy’s souls.

 

“It’s not that much, though.”

 

Was it because the ghosts' mana was mixed with mine?

 

'It doesn't matter. There are more.'

 

Previously, I'd thought that all the evil spirits in the mansion had come, but that wasn't the case.

 

Rather, those who came were nothing more than babbling evil spirits.

 

“You pathetic bastards.”

 

Clenching my fists, I declared.

 

“I’ll eat you all.”