Chapter 709

<Chapter 709> Part 2, Chapter 5, Section 3

Spirits are made of magic power.

Commanders are also made of magic power.

The difference between a commander and a spirit? The fundamental distinction is that commanders are tainted with Tera’s corrupted magic.

It’s like the difference between someone who loves mint chocolate and someone who hates it – starkly different, but both can still taste the flavor of mint chocolate.

Thus, under the right conditions, even commanders can possess others.

Just as Phoenix once possessed Chang-yeom’s body, other commanders can similarly invade and control human bodies.

Take ‘Penril Park’ standing beside me now – a prime example where <Penril of Gale>, an entity of wind attribute, possesses Park Ra-on.

This mechanism differs slightly from Chaos Dragon possession.

When an ability user obtains the core of a deceased commander to gain its power, conversely, a commander can inhabit a human core, suppress their spirit, and take over the body.

Though Penril prefers existing in his own magically crafted form, possessing a human body isn’t entirely impossible.

Condition one: The commander must not intend harm to the human.

Condition two: The human must willingly surrender complete control of their body.

Condition three: There must be some unchanging commonality between them.

In the past, when Phoenix dealt with the Aruel-Penril combo, a commander could possess a human. Park Ra-on offered her body to Penril, allowing him to guard me using her physical form.

“This is what you call killing two birds with one stone.”

Spiritually devouring Penril while physically consuming Park Ra-on. The thrilling sensation of violating Penril through Park Ra-on filled me completely.

“Here I am!”

As soon as Park-Penril disembarked from the plane, she spread her arms wide, reveling in the London air. Despite the city’s smoggy atmosphere, Park-Penril twitched her nose, detecting faint traces of mint chocolate.

London.

Famous for its monstrous cuisine, this place was renowned even in the world of Death Dinas with its blue skies. The prevalence of pilchard pies here made reality seem tame by comparison.

And at the pinnacle lies mint chocolate.

In this world, mint chocolate serves as both the key to conquering Kim Penril and as a device promoting disdain for British food, acting as a mechanism for global destruction.

“Penril. If you could make any wish, how about a world where all food tastes only of mint chocolate?”

A world where chicken, kimchi, and mint chocolate all taste solely of mint chocolate.

Someone used a Cube to create such a world, wishing for this reality. Eventually, humanity, overwhelmed by despair at the fixed taste of mint chocolate, met its demise.

Not only those who dislike mint chocolate were affected, but even those with mild aversions succumbed to disillusionment with reality.

“Mint chocolate everywhere…?”

Even those who adore mint chocolate to the point of being called “mint chocolate lovers”…

“That would be such a terrible world, nya… Aaah.”

They grew tired of a world where nothing but mint chocolate existed.

“It’s precisely because there are diverse flavors in this world that mint chocolate has value, nya!”

“Penril, your original speech pattern is showing?”

“…I mean, yeah.”

Park-Penril was trying hard to maintain the image of a “cool and composed bodyguard,” adjusting her tone carefully.

Even though we’re in England where few understand Korean, the magical gear on people’s wrists might translate her cat-like speech into something strange, making her appear odd.

“Hmph. No matter how much I love mint chocolate, eating only that gets tiresome eventually. Sometimes you need to cleanse your palate with other flavors to truly appreciate taste.”

“I agree.”

While extolling our favorite foods together, Penril and I entered the hotel without raising suspicion.

A Caucasian man accompanied by an East Asian female aide wasn’t particularly unusual. We quietly slipped into our room after chatting.

“Release!”

As soon as Penril Park lay down on the bed, she released the possession. Park Ra-on closed her eyes and collapsed onto the bed, while a green-eared maid girl popped out of Penril’s body.

“Still, this feels more comfortable, nya.”

“Don’t you think there’s no reason to release the possession since we’ll have to go back outside anyway?”

“It’s like walking around the house in your underwear, nya.”

Penril pressed Ra-on’s body with her gloved hands. Ra-on showed no signs of waking, and Penril infused every corner of her body with her magic.

“So, why did we come to England, nya?”

“Our purpose? The Hero Association sent us here to find a commander, so naturally, I had to come.”

“Hmph, are you really telling me you came all the way to England just for that? You left your team behind in the studio for such a trivial reason, nya?”

Indeed, Penril remained sharp. But I decided to probe further.

“You’re going to handle my bed duties for a week, so what’s the problem?”

“That’s appreciated and expected, but don’t change the subject, nya. If that were the case, you’d have brought Yuna, not asked me to possess Ra-on just to bring me here, nya.”

“Kim Penril is exceptional, isn’t she?”

She’s a genius at slacking off; she clearly understood the situation.

“Isn’t there some big danger lurking? Something requiring an SS+ level ability user, where even Seok Harang’s help wouldn’t suffice?”

“You’re right. It’s about the Dimensional Gate.”

There are signs that a Dimensional Gate will open in England. While these gates are usually irregular, sometimes they follow specific patterns.

“In two days, it seems a Wind Gate will open in Manchester.”

“Ugh… I hate those guys.”

Penril openly disliked the Wind Gates.

“That makes sense.”

Monsters emerging from the Wind Gates were once spirits under Jeolpung’s command. Among them, the Wind Dragon is considered a failed replication of Jeolpung himself.

Certainly rooted in self-loathing, it can also be seen as originating from Penril’s fundamental hatred of Jeolpung.

“It’s annoying. Why do they always show up wherever I go, nya?”

“This time is different. We’ve come specifically to the location where the Wind Gate will open.”

It’s not like the sudden dimensional gates caused by commanders or spirits. This one follows its usual predictable pattern.

“The troublesome dimensional gate and the Wind Dragon should be cleaned up by the kids, and we can just sightsee in England.”

“What do you mean by that, nya?”

“We rarely get a chance to go overseas on a date, so I can’t let work bother us.”

With one hand, I tapped on the virtual keyboard of my magical gear, sending real-time strategy updates to the British Hero Association.

“You know England is the birthplace of mint chocolate, right?”

“Of course. That’s why I followed, nya.”

“But listen…”

I reinserted Penril into the sleeping Ra-on.

“Hey, the desserts in England are quite delicious.”

Given its royal history and traditions, the cakes and desserts consumed by the royal family are unparalleled.

– Mint chocolate itself originated as a special menu item presented to the royal family, or something like that.

* * *

<At that moment, London International Airport, England.>

“When is the VVVIP arriving?”

Richard, the head of the British Hero Association, had been waiting at the airport for quite some time. Journalists who caught wind of the event surrounded the entire airport, drooling at the prospect of capturing the commander’s face.

“Damn, I feel ashamed before Her Majesty.”

“Boss, what about asking Sir Gawein?”

“No.”

Richard couldn’t bear to admit even Gawein didn’t know.

Ever since 2025, the commander began living a life completely different from before, cutting off contact with everyone except Oracle and the Round Table.

The scheduled arrival time passed long ago, yet there was no sign of them. Richard worried the commander might have refused aid due to some grudge against Britain.

“Could he be mad about the official letter?”

Had he developed such attachment to Korea in just three short months? Richard nervously bit his nails.

“Where on earth could they be…?”

Beeep!

Richard’s magical gear started flashing. A private message arrived through a channel known only to him, causing him to shiver.

“Could it be hacked?”

Checking the text discreetly, Richard felt chills run down his spine.

– <Wind Gate Combat Manual>.

Before he could ask how, another call came in from his subordinate, leaving Richard utterly deflated.

[Boss, we found them. The commander and their bodyguard are currently strolling around central London.]

“How? Didn’t they board the flight we were monitoring?”

[We were fooled by forged passports. The person traveling under the name ‘C.W.H.’ was fake.]

“…Do we really need such elaborate subterfuge?”

Though deceiving the Hero Association seemed unnecessary, receiving the highly sought-after data on the Wind Gate satisfied Richard somewhat.

“What are they doing now? Inspecting the area?”

[…Kind of.]

The subordinate’s voice quivered as he continued.

[They’re visiting famous dessert shops, sampling one shortcake and one mint chocolate cake at each.]

“…”

Richard genuinely felt goosebumps.

“Surely they didn’t come here just for dessert tourism…?”