Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 78

Valerie seemed shocked, her spirit completely gone.

But soon, she chuckled in disbelief and muttered,

“No way……”

Her body slumped.

“How did you figure out if my words were true or not? You said you didn’t know anything about me… Could it be the power of that Evil Eye?”

I said with an indifferent expression.

“You know I didn’t use the Evil Eye. I didn’t use any special power. It’s just that if it shows on your face every time you answer, anyone would notice.”

“Shows, shows on my face?”

“You underestimated the observation skills of a warrior too much.”

In fact, her expressions were quite diverse, so if you concentrated, you could easily tell.

Of course, it also helped that unexpected questions shook her enough that she couldn’t maintain her poker face.

“But, but when I looked with my Evil Eye, your answers were definitely lies.”

“Conversely, it’s quite easy for a warrior to move subtle muscles. Just as magicians train their minds to the limit, warriors train their bodies to the limit.”

“Huh.”

Valerie let out a sigh of exhaustion.

This must be her first time experiencing something like this.

Until now, during the Three Question Duel, she would unilaterally use psychological warfare on her opponent, and deal with the opponent’s psychological warfare with her Evil Eye.

“I lost.”

Valerie readily admitted defeat.

She never imagined she would face this kind of defeat.

It wasn’t overcome by using some special power, but just simple psychological warfare.

‘I know I underestimated him, but how could I lose to this little kid?’

She felt a slight blow to her pride.

“If you don’t mind, can you tell me from what moment it was your calculation?”

I looked at her for a moment.

‘She’s similar to my aunt in that she’s self-centered… but she feels a bit more cold-hearted.’

Valerie seemed to have her pride hurt, but after that, she tried to judge her own mistakes first.

“From the beginning. Would that sound too arrogant?”

“From the beginning. From the beginning… Haha, I see. No, I was too arrogant. Maybe it was inevitable that you won.”

Valerie gave a self-deprecating smile.

I felt a slight prick in my chest at her smile.

‘I feel a little sorry. It’s not that I lied, but it was a battle I couldn’t help but win.’

Soon, Valerie sighed deeply and then composed herself.

With a slightly sluggish movement, she took out another cigarette and put it in her mouth without a mouthpiece.

“…I’ll answer your questions first, as promised.”

The magic hasn’t ended yet.

This game ends when she gives a reasonable answer to all the questions.

“First, there’s no need to say much. I was curious. All magicians are like that, but I can’t stand not knowing. And the Evil Eye is a rare and mysterious power that can’t be researched.”

I couldn’t help but make a sullen expression.

Of course, it is true that all magicians have a high desire for knowledge.

But that doesn’t mean everyone is as reckless as Valerie.

‘Let’s not point it out.’

My hunch, gained from years of being with an aunt similar to Valerie, was telling me.

That it would be annoying if I pointed it out.

“Do you know why the Evil Eye is so unique among the many abilities?”

Whoosh-.

Valerie’s cigarette smoke mixed with magical power, turning into a more murky color.

I calmly replied.

“Because it has something absolute.”

This is why the Evil Eye is so great.

The mind-reading eye that reads minds, the foresight eye that reads the future, the death eye that sees death, and Valerie’s analysis eye that interprets everything.

The range and effect of the Evil Eye vary depending on how the owner handles and completes it.

And most of all, what makes the Evil Eye great is that, regardless of the difference in utilization, it is absolutely impossible to resist.

“Yes, no other ability is like this. That’s why it’s even called the Evil Eye. As one of those with such an Evil Eye, I am researching the Evil Eye. But I was having difficulties because there was a lack of research data and it wasn’t easy to get cooperation. Then I met you.”

In fact, the first answer would have been enough, but perhaps because of the effect of the Three Question Duel, she continued in detail.

Immediately after that answer was finished, some of the magic power filling the space dissipated.

“And the second……”

She opened and closed her mouth with a slightly frowning expression, as if she was reluctant to speak.

“The, the second… I mean……”

I stared at Valerie, who was stuttering.

About unique magic.

It will be quite well known in the future, but at this point, there will be few people who know about the Three Question Duel.

Magic has a strong academic tendency, so information sharing is active, but unique magic is literally one’s own, so she must be hesitant to tell me.

Woong!

And at that moment, the magic power floating in the air reacted around Valerie as if urging her.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to open her mouth.

But I cut her off and spoke first.

“You don’t have to say it if it’s difficult.”

Valerie raised her head sharply.

“Really, is that okay?”

“Please grant me one more favor instead.”

Come to think of it, there was a bet that I had to grant a favor.

And ‘one more’.

Valerie was in a terrible mood.

“What are you going to ask me to do!”

Valerie glared at me, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

I frowned.

“Ah, no, it’s just a joke, you don’t have to make that kind of expression……”

“……No. It’s just that you remind me of someone who often talks nonsense like you.”

“O-okay……”

“So, what are you going to do?”

Valerie dragged out her words hesitantly.

“Wait, can you give me a moment to think about it?”

Valerie licked her parched lips once with her tongue and fell into thought.

‘Rather than granting a favor… should I just say it? After all, he only asked how complete it was… No, because of the nature of magic, I have to answer in detail, so I have to explain the magic. Maybe I’ll even end up explaining the lacking parts or the completed parts.’

The Three Question Duel exerts an absolute effect, so it was also a magic with various restrictions for that purpose.

Besides, as long as it is still incomplete, I might have to give more answers than necessary.

‘If I just say it and it spreads… No. Absolutely. But taking one more favor is also…….’

This was a concern, and that was a concern.

But in the end, I had to make a choice.

“What kind of favor are you thinking of asking?”

It seemed like it would be easier to make a decision if I knew what he was going to ask for.

“I’m not thinking of asking for an unreasonable favor. I’m thinking of asking you to interpret a certain object.”

“……Interpret?”

“But you must keep the interpretation secret.”

Valerie had a puzzled expression.

Come to think of it, when I came here, I was carrying a large golf bag and a hard case bag.

Could it be that the object that needs interpretation is in there?

“Wait.”

Valerie’s eyes changed.

“You, you came to find me on purpose, didn’t you?”

At those words full of conviction, I closed my mouth for a moment.

“From the beginning, you came to me to interpret that object.”

Valerie frowned and muttered.

“But you definitely said you didn’t know me at first. There was no problem with the magic, so that’s true. What the hell……”

I felt a chill down my spine without realizing it.

Valerie looked different again.

‘Oh my.’

I felt like I had been hit by her momentary insight.

I might have underestimated her a bit because the situation was going according to plan.

But after all, she was one of the great archmages of the future.

There was no way such a person would only think in a simple-minded way.

“…You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“Yes, the Three Question Duel is over.”

“Tsk.”

Valerie clicked her tongue lightly.

The Three Question Duel started with a light heart, believing that she would win unconditionally, and with a personal desire for knowledge about the Evil Eye… but somehow, she ended up granting two favors.

‘Is this what they call being robbed with your eyes open in this country?’

Valerie recalled her teacher’s words.

The words she had repeatedly told her before leaving for Korea.

Clearly, her teacher told her to be careful of the martial power of Soongmoo Lee’s family, but what she really had to be careful of was not the sword, but the mouth and tongue.

She chuckled.

“Okay. I don’t know how you created that contradiction, but it doesn’t seem like I can refuse anyway.”

I clenched my fist under the table.

‘It went according to plan. I was lucky.’

In fact, when I came to Gyeongju and met her, I was planning to drag her into the Three Question Duel.

I had thought about various situations to solve the Three Question Duel according to my intentions, but it went better than I imagined.

“With this, the game is over.”

At Valerie’s words, which sounded low as if declaring it.

Whoosh!

As if to announce that the Three Question Duel was over, the scattered magic power was absorbed into her.

Perhaps because of the magical oath, some of the magic power was divided into two and absorbed.

That will be a restriction on her. Now she has to grant the favors.

“Haa.”

Valerie let out a sigh of exhaustion.

And I smiled.

* * *

I was guided inside Valerie’s workshop.

When I opened the door of the cafe, another strange sensation spread along with a long passage.

“Don’t touch anything else unnecessarily, just follow me closely.”

I looked around the workshop’s passage, which had a linoleum floor and walls painted with clean white paint.

When ordinary people hear the words ‘magician’s workshop,’ they often imagine strange images because of the mysterious nuance of the word.

A dark room, with an unidentified liquid boiling in an iron pot on one side, bookshelves packed with hardcover books, and all sorts of magic circles densely filling the walls.

In fact, there are hardly any such workshops these days. Technology has developed this much, so there is no reason to use such an old-fashioned method.

It is safer and more comfortable to view books in digital form, and it is better to use state-of-the-art precision machines rather than iron pots for research.

“This is the center of my workshop. Make yourself comfortable.”

And in fact, her room, which I entered with Valerie’s guidance, was not a dark and messy space, but a bright and clean laboratory atmosphere.

Moreover, next to the room, there was even a clean room and a space for an air shower.

I sat comfortably on the sofa in the center of the laboratory.

“Weren’t magicians originally never supposed to let outsiders into their workshops?”

“Well, that’s true. If someone who hasn’t even learned magic accidentally touches a barrier or magic circle, it would be a nuisance.”

Valerie sat on the sofa opposite me and rested her chin on her hand in an arrogant posture.

“But I’m quite capable, you know. If there’s a slight flaw in the workshop, I can fix it right away.”

A confident attitude.

She has the skills to say those words.

Even in the future, she was teased for being eccentric, but no one denied her abilities.

‘Unlike the cafe, this place is like a magician’s workshop.’

I glanced around the workshop once.

A magic circle with geometric patterns was drawn on the floor, and sparkling jewels and antiques were piled up on the desk.

‘……Even this is similar to my aunt.’

It was a more organized atmosphere than my aunt’s, but I couldn’t understand why people of this type don’t neatly organize such collectibles.

At that time, a brief silence fell, and Valerie, who seemed to be itching to speak, couldn’t stand the silence and opened her mouth.

“By the way. Tell me how you did it earlier.”

“What do you mean earlier?”

“You came to me first, but you said you didn’t know about me? What kind of contradiction is that? It doesn’t make sense. The magic wasn’t wrong, and if you didn’t use any other tricks, tell me what the hell happened.”

A strange heat flowed from Valerie’s eyes.

I pondered for a moment, chuckled, and said.

“Would that be okay?”

“What do you mean, would that be okay?”

“I’m asking if Valerie would be satisfied if I said it myself.”

Valerie blinked her big eyes.

“You…….”

“It would be much more meaningful for you to find out yourself. In the first place, the game is already over, so I have no intention of telling you.”

“Ha, so that’s how it is?”

Valerie scoffed and twirled the mouthpiece in her hand.

“Okay, fine. I’ll find out myself. You don’t know that underestimating a magician’s curiosity can be annoying.”

A strange heat surged in Valerie’s eyes.