Abilities are sealed within the community.
Therefore, the lie detection that had given me so much trouble outside wouldn’t work here.
Of course, even if he could use it, I had Auril Gabis’s gift to counter it.
But that wasn’t the point.
‘…Is he testing me?’
There were two possibilities.
One, Lee Baekho didn’t know whether I was telling the truth or not, so he was pretending to be serious to verify my claim.
And the second possibility…
Thump!
‘Damn it.’
My heart pounded.
Maybe I had underestimated him.
He had survived in this harsh world for over a decade. He couldn’t be a fool just because he didn’t have a lie detection skill.
In fact, he might be even more perceptive without it.
He must have encountered countless liars and learned their patterns thanks to that skill.
‘It’s unlikely that he’s just testing me.’
I quickly made a judgment.
‘It’s better to admit my mistake and apologize than to try and make excuses.’
But Lee Baekho spoke first.
“Hyung.”
“…Yeah?”
“Sorry, but I can’t return Meowmeow.”
“What…?”
He smirked at my question.
“Did you lose your hearing too while living as a barbarian?”
He was mocking me.
I had never heard such a condescending tone from him when I was Lee Hansu.
He then spoke clearly.
“I can’t return her.”
“…..”
“Meowmeow, the one you care so much about.”
My mind went blank.
“You do care about her, don’t you? She’s much more useful to me than you are. You just want to live in this world.”
“…..”
“Ah, of course, don’t worry.”
I wasn’t angry.
“I’ll return her to you once I’m done with her.”
I just laughed.
I didn’t even know why.
“Baekho, you…”
I knew it was a provocation, that I should try to de-escalate the situation…
But the words just came out.
“You’re a real piece of work.”
I didn’t even regret it.
“Wow, showing your true colors now? You’re always so cunning in front of me.”
Lee Baekho chuckled.
“You’re one to talk.”
I smirked.
We were both smiling.
But…
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
The air between us was cold, despite the warmth of the fireplace.
“This is interesting.”
“Yeah, it is.”
We both mumbled, and then he spoke.
“But I don’t understand. Why am I a piece of work?”
He had dropped the honorifics.
“You’re the one who’s messed up.”
“…..”
“You could go back to your old life, but you’re choosing to stay here with those NPCs.”
His words were accurate.
An objective observer would definitely say the same.
But it didn’t matter if it was true or not.
“Ugh, you’re going to thank Auril Gabis someday—”
He’s so talkative.
That’s not how you win a keyboard battle.
“You seem angry, Baekho.”
I tried to maintain my composure.
It was my turn to attack.
I didn’t need a long speech.
“I understand. You’re the one who got dumped.”
“…Dumped?”
He looked confused.
I explained.
“Don’t play dumb. Everyone knows that the women you liked all ran away after finding out you were an evil spirit.”
“…Huh.”
“Is that why you’re so desperate to go back?”
He’s acting like a child.
I muttered softly, but he overheard me.
“…….”
His face contorted with anger.
But only for a moment.
“Haha! Hahaha! Keuh, hahaha!”
He burst into laughter, as if I had told him a funny joke.
It was a classic coping mechanism.
He was laughing because he couldn’t accept the truth.
I just stared at him, and he eventually stopped laughing.
“Hyung.”
“What.”
“Meowmeow… what if I just kill her?”
Damn it.
“She’s more useful to me if she’s dead, isn’t she? You want to stay in this world, right?”
My heart clenched with each word.
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ll return her to you once I’m done with her.”
He smiled.
It was a bright, cheerful smile that didn’t suit the situation.
I instinctively felt a chill run down my spine.
But…
“Baekho.”
There was a stronger emotion.
“Yes?”
Killing intent.
The desire to kill.
“If you keep doing this…”
I didn’t need to control my mind like I did at the Round Table.
I just had to let it out.
The killing intent that had been building up inside me.
“I’ll have to kill you.”
“…!”
Lee Baekho flinched as he felt my killing intent.
But only for a moment.
He then spoke, his words different from anyone I had met before.
No apologies.
No resentment.
No pleas for mercy.
In that suffocating aura that would have made the Corpse Collector crawl on the ground and whimper…
“Wow…”
…he let out a genuine gasp of admiration.
“You’re insane… The others would be terrified.”
He cracked his neck and approached me.
“Hyung.”
One step.
“Don’t you remember?”
Two steps.
“I taught you this.”
Three steps.
“Killing intent.”
He was within arm’s reach.
And I felt it.
“…!”
His killing intent.
______________________
Killing intent.
A veteran’s trick to intimidate newbies.
I had used it countless times at the Round Table, but I had rarely been on the receiving end.
Only once, to be precise.
When I first joined the Round Table, I was hit by Fox’s killing intent.
It’s a strange feeling.
The same feeling I had back then.
My skin tingled, and my heart pounded.
And that was it.
“Now…”
But Lee Baekho’s killing intent was different.
The density, the intensity…
It was overwhelming.
I finally understood why the Corpse Collector had been so terrified.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
My heart pounded so hard that I thought it might burst.
Cold sweat dripped down my face.
I couldn’t breathe, even though I didn’t need to.
My head throbbed.
But…
“What? I’ll have to kill you?”
I wasn’t completely overwhelmed, unlike the Corpse Collector or Fox.
It was difficult, but I could endure it.
I wanted to run away, to leave the chat room and escape this suffocating aura…
But I knew.
“…Huh?”
I took a step forward, forcing myself to move.
And…
Step.
I looked down at him.
“Not really.”
I whispered.
“I think I can do it.”
It wasn’t a bluff.
[You cleared the 10x version, right?]
I was confident.
[Maybe you’ll be as strong as me in 10 years.]
I might be weaker than him now…
[I’ve already reached my limit…]
But if I was given enough time…
‘You cocky bastard.’
I could surpass him.
And he sensed it.
Lee Baekho, who had been staring at me with a serious expression, forced a smile.
“…This is interesting.”
Damn it, interesting?
“That’s rude.”
I repeated his words from earlier.
“Why are you lying?”
He tilted his head, pretending not to understand, and I continued.
“You’re not…”
“…..”
“…having fun at all.”
Otherwise, why would he be backing away—
“…Whoa, whoa! That’s enough!”
He raised his hands defensively and took three steps back.
“Ah! Come on, hyung! You can’t even take a joke?”
His expression and tone had changed completely.
He was back to his usual playful self.
“Why would I kill Meowmeow? I have nothing to gain from it.”
He was right, logically speaking.
He would lose his Ice Dual Swordsman and make an enemy out of me.
It wasn’t a rational choice.
But…
“If you had succeeded, you could have used it to control me.”
I shuddered at the thought.
Our conversation would have been completely different if I had lost the battle of nerves.
‘So this is his Plan B?’
I stared at him, and he spoke cautiously.
“I’m not going to ask you to come back with me. I understand how you feel now.”
“Get to the point.”
“But we can still cooperate, can’t we?”
He paused and looked at me with a suggestive gaze.
I wasn’t interested.
“…Continue.”
“You know your situation better than anyone, right?”
Well, I’m definitely more aware of it than you are.
It’s not good. There are countless problems.
It’s like walking on thin ice every day.
“So?”
“I’ll help you. I’ll make sure you survive. I’ll support you, in every way possible. In exchange, you help me reach the 10th floor.”
His offer was tempting.
Unlike me, he had no restrictions.
He could even assassinate the Marquis for me.
But…
“Baekho.”
“…Yes?”
“There’s something you should do first.”
“…..”
I didn’t elaborate.
I didn’t understand why he was so obsessed with me, but…
“Bring me Misha. We’ll talk after that.”
“…….”
“Answer me.”
He remained silent.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
Well, if he returned Misha, he would lose one of his bargaining chips—
“Hyung.”
He finally spoke.
“We’re both a bit agitated today. Let’s call it a day.”
He was postponing the decision.
“What…?”
“Don’t you agree? I can’t think straight right now. Let’s talk again next time. I’ll think about Meowmeow. Okay?”
Okay?
“Okay—”
—No way.
“Hyung, you said okay?”
“…What?”
“Then I’ll be going!”
“Wait! Hold on—”
I reached out, but there was nothing I could do in this spiritual space.
Thud.
The moment my hand touched his body…
“Poof!”
…he disappeared into particles of light.