Chapter 221

〈Chapter 221〉 Part 1, Chapter 10, Section 24

Penril of Gale.

As the first officer to be taken down by the protagonist’s group, Penril visits Korea to check on Rusalka of Seoyea, an officer who hasn’t been active recently, but ends up losing her powers after an accident and becomes an ally of the protagonist’s group.

Believing herself to be a cat, Penril can’t get enough of mint chocolate, and her strange way of speaking leaves quite the impression.

But nothing could compare to how troubling the words she had just spoken were.

Twenty years.

Penril had clearly said twenty years. I maintained my composure as best I could and continued the conversation.

“So, it’s been twenty years since we last saw each other. Are you doing well in your duties as a Dark Legion officer?”

“Did you really come all this way just to confirm that? After burning the food this body loves most and filling the air with its smell?”

“Because I didn’t know where you were. Hehehe.”

“……”

Penril’s eyes sharpened, as if trying to pierce through me.

“What’s your jurisdiction? Ah. Now that I think about it, did you come here seeking this body’s help because you couldn’t take over America alone?”

“No, I came because I wondered what you were up to.”

“This body is handling things just fine on its own. Hmm, yes, handling them fine.”

“Hmm. Can I learn some tips from you?”

I steered the conversation, pretending to be an officer. As I took a lower stance, Penril suspiciously scrutinized me.

“There’s something strange about your scent, kitty.”

“It’s nothing much. Trying to blend in among humans means covering up other scents.”

“Not just one or two. Kikikik. I smell fire, water, and something… off.”

Of course, with her wolf origins, her sense of smell is incredible.

“It’s a disguise. I’ve only awakened recently.”

I felt continuing the conversation might expose traces of my spirit nature, so I wanted to first confirm Penril’s movements.

“So, where are you now and what are you doing? I’m putting up with these strange smells after all.”

“Nothing much. I’ve lived as a cat for twenty years.”

“Huh?”

What kind of random statement was that? Confused, I asked again, and Penril shook her head as if she didn’t understand either.

“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you tell us not to sleep but to live among humans?”

“……”

I don’t remember saying that. Simultaneously, this situation contradicted the original story I remembered.

“…Did I? Sorry. I’ve only been awake for a short while.”

“Heh, figured as much. You were rambling like a crazy woman when you gathered everyone before we fell asleep.”

“……”

It doesn’t make sense. But I needed to keep the conversation calm. Right now, I must speak as a Dark Legion officer.

“Calling someone a crazy woman is harsh. Do you want to burn?”

“Oh ho, the phoenix temper hasn’t changed. That fiery disposition of yours is still intact. Cough. Understood. Wait a moment.”

Penril fiddled with her neck and coughed a few times.

“Hmph. So why did you seek me out?”

“Why such a tone all of a sudden?”

“Living in the royal tombs of England for twenty years does that.”

“The royal tombs of England?”

So Penril wasn’t sleeping somewhere in Northern Europe; she’d been living in England? The more we talked, the more mysterious her background seemed.

“That’s right. This body is Sir Cattish, a member of the English royal family and knighted as a cat, having spent twenty years behaving like one. It feels more natural now, so I’ll talk this way.”

“…Can you explain in detail?”

I requested an account of her past from Penril. However, she smirked and wagged her finger at me.

“You’re not asking nicely. And I don’t feel like explaining anyway.”

“If I burned your mint chocolate?”

“That’s maybe ten percent of it. Ninety percent is another reason.”

Penril’s body was enveloped in wind. She transformed into a monster and pointed sharp claws at me. Her black armor bore the form of a wolf, contrasting with my phoenix form.

[There’s a spirit presence emanating from you. Indeed, it’s the kind of spirit that Dark Legion officers must eliminate.]

“…Must be a mistake.”

[Mistake? Foolish creature. If you truly were Blazing Phoenix, you wouldn’t have politely asked me for explanations.]

“And why would I?”

[You would’ve grabbed me by the collar and demanded answers outright! What nonsense is this? ‘Could you explain?’ Act properly if you’re going to pretend!]

Penril dissolved her barrier. I quickly shifted into monster form.

[Whatever trickery you used to mimic Blazing Phoenix, impersonating one of the leading officers under the Great One is a grave offense.]

[Hmm.]

Just as I had been probing Penril to uncover her identity, Penril seemed to have gauged whether I was the real thing through our exchange.

[Terran spirits were supposed to be extinct, yet somehow you survived and even managed to possess the phoenix’s body. Regardless, challenging me was your fatal mistake! Nameless spirit!]

And then I made the first mistake. I truly became curious about what the Original had done to the spirits.

[I guessed it might be bad, but I never imagined Blazing Phoenix could be this incompetent.]

[Ha ha ha! Exposing your true colors, are you? Now, return my comrade immediately!]

[Hmm.]

Perhaps because she was also an officer and a spirit, or due to her animal-like senses, Penril came closer than any heroine in this world to the truth—that I had possessed Blazing Phoenix’s body.

[Unfortunately, now that you know my identity.]

I can’t let you go around telling others. Slowly, I began gathering my magic power.

[Since I came prepared to fight anyway. Bring it on, mongrel.]

[Insolent wretch! This body is—!]

Penril’s barrier completely disappeared. The sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the night’s darkness began to spread.

[A cat!]

Penril leapt through the air with her claws extended. I stretched out my hand toward her.

[You’re a wolf, dummy.]

The blue flames erupting from my hand covered the sky.

* * *

At the moment Phoenix and Penril exchanged blows above England,

an unexpected visitor appeared in a garden in Beijing, China.

“What brings you here unexpectedly, oh Round Table?”

Bonghyo was flustered by the sudden visit of the platinum-blond woman, Vladimir ‘Rusalka’ Anastasha.

“There’s nowhere I cannot go.”

Mo Taegyeong’s estate was unknown to anyone, certainly not a place the Round Table could teleport to.

“Miss, stop the pleasantries and call your master. I already know everything.”

“……My Lord is currently resting, Lady Undine. Even for the Round Table, this—”

“Long time no see, Sister Lu.”

A gray-haired girl appeared at the end of the estate’s corridor.

The illusion magic spirit, <Dragon>, who had emerged from Mo Taegyeong’s body, greeted Undine dressed in celestial attire.

“……”

Rusalka greeted Dragon with a complicated expression. Upon seeing the Rusalka within Anastasha, Dragon teared up.

“You still call me that?”

“Returning the favor. Isn’t that right? Our names are… Bonghyo. There’s something I need to discuss privately with you. Could you excuse us for a moment?”

“……Understood.”

Bonghyo left the area. Only the chirping of cicadas filled the estate as the two spirits sat across from each other at a table.

“I knew it the moment I saw you, Sister Lu.”

“Indeed. You’ve grown good at recognizing souls. Yes, it’s me. ■■. Nice to meet you, ■■.”

“……Sister Lu seems the same too. Hmm. Yes. Yes. Now I understand. Everyone ended up this way, huh. Finally makes sense.”

Dragon finally nodded as if everything clicked. Rusalka frowned and pressed Dragon.

“Don’t act like you understand everything without explaining. Surely you know why I’m here, right?”

“Yeah. It’s because of Phoenix. More specifically, that….”

Dragon hesitated to continue. Rusalka stood up, grabbed Dragon’s face, and glared.

“Speak now. Or answer my question.”

Rusalka took a deep breath and continued.

“Blazing Phoenix, is she really herself?”

Based on the déjà vu Rusalka felt upon their first meeting in the Plain of Dandong and the unease she sensed in their subsequent interactions, she explained her hypothesis.

“She doesn’t seem like herself at all. Falling in love with a human? No matter how adorable my daughter may be, there’s no way she’d ever fall for a human, right?”

“I agree with that. But… but…”

Even with Rusalka’s impatient behavior, Dragon hesitated, swallowing hard.

“……If I tell the truth, I’ll die.”

“To whom?”

Dragon answered with a terrified face.

“……■, no, Blazing.”

“……???”

“…Forget it, eh. Anyway, it’s not like I’m gonna live long. I’ll explain.”

It took Rusalka quite a while to fully grasp what Dragon was saying.

* * *

The battlefield that started above London gradually moved southeast.

“Trying to escape?”

I chased Penril, dodging the gusts of wind she threw behind her. Despite her running while I flew, her speed was just enough to keep me close.

“Missing while boasting!”

Whenever she got a chance, Penril unleashed bursts of magical energy from behind, sending sharp winds my way. To conserve my strength, I narrowly avoided them without slowing down.

Clang!

An invisible slash grazed my shoulder. Though it didn’t cut through, it left a thin scratch on my armor.

Flare.

Flames erupted, repairing the minor damage to my armor. Penril, fast but lacking in raw power, failed to deal significant damage and kept fleeing southeast.

“Certainly a lure.”

There are two possible reasons for luring me. Either she wants to avoid causing damage to London by fighting elsewhere, or she’s inviting me to a battlefield where she can unleash her full potential—or both.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

“Taking advantage despite being countered by attribute.”

We had already broken through Central Europe after crossing the North Sea. Several times, I almost caught her by the scruff, but Penril skillfully evaded capture.

“Running around like a rat.”

“Not running, strategic retreat!”

“Let’s see where you’re heading.”

I can chase her to the ends of the earth. Unless she plans to play tag around the globe dozens of times, she’ll eventually stop somewhere.

“Looks like the intention was to change the battlefield.”

Penril dashed downward as if descending a slope. I spread my wings wide and glided after her. In the middle of a vast lake—so large it could pass for a sea—Penril landed on a small island and reverted to her human form.

“Hm?”

Why did she revert to human form? With a smug look, arms crossed, Penril waited for me to land.

“Can’t fight on British soil!”

“Anyway, it wouldn’t matter much if we fought in the air…”

Using the magical gear inside my armor, I checked our location. We had flown over 4,000 km and arrived at an island in the middle of the Caspian Sea.

“Hehe, hehehe.”

Penril was taunting me with laughter. By reverting to human form, it seemed she wanted to talk before fighting.

“Alright.”

I folded my wings and disengaged my transformation. Penril clapped her hands with a grin.

“Pretty good use of someone else’s body!”

“Do you plan to explain how you noticed?”

“Not unless you thought changing forms would fool me.”

“…”

If you waste time thinking, I’ll just knock you out and awaken you as a spirit. Preparing to drive blazing flames into Penril’s stomach if she says anything absurd, I waited for her explanation.

“Well… nothing major. Heard something from everyone except Chaos Dragon and Seoyea’s Rusalka.”

“What did you hear?”

“A prophecy.”

“Prophecy…?”

I thought it referred to Oracle’s ability, but decided further delay was unnecessary.

“Alright. I’ll consider that and decide how far to push you. Speak.”

“[I don’t know when I’ll awaken, but it may not be me.]”

“…”

Penril pointed at me with a twisted smile.

“Need I say who said it?”

“…Ah. Should’ve talked earlier.”

Regret always comes too late. But it’s not too late now.

“Alright. Let me knock you out first and interrogate later.”

“Will you really be able to against us?”

“…Seriously.”

I transformed into monster form, spreading my wings and ascending into the sky.

However.

It was a trap.

“Ohoohooho! Perfect, you dumb chicken head!”

“…Stick to the ground if you don’t want to die.”

“Come down here, kitty!”

Darkness above.

Earth below.

Wind between.

[1:3 ratio.]

Apparently, I wasn’t the only officer to awaken early.

[Could this include Gaechonkwang awakening?]

Ah.

Really.

“If I ever meet Blazing, I won’t let her off easy. Really.”

In that moment, I understood Baek Hee-a’s sentiment perfectly.