The two entered, boldly wafting the smell of liquor and cigarette smoke, puffing out their chests and tilting their chins up as if they owned the place.
"..."
"..."
"..."
In the uncomfortable silence that followed, Berga, who had been glaring with an ironclad expression, sneered with contempt.
"Pathetic. Enjoying booze amid all this chaos."
The chaos he referred to was probably the postwar reconstruction efforts.
Even now, faint wails and construction noises drifted in from outside the window, so the vice commander of the knight order was likely too busy to catch his breath.
"Heh heh. Isn't that the one saving grace of a wastrel like me?"
"Ha! So full of yourself! You just blabber from the sidelines and think you're something special? You're delusional! The knights and Father did all the actual fighting!"
Whether my relaxed reply irked her, Weller shrieked, but I just smirked.
"Of course I know that. Yes, I don't think it's my achievement. I'm just glad my blabbering helped somehow."
"What? Are you mocking me? You did nothing and have the nerve to question my right to call you out for blabbering?!"
I couldn't hide my astonishment at that.
"That's a huge leap. No, sis. Have you ever rolled around in politics or something? Why twist my words like that?"
"Given your usual attitude, how could I not?!"
"Ha~ You live such a tiring life. Anyway, get to the point of why you're here."
"What? You...!"
"Enough. Weller. We didn't come all this way to trade barbs."
"...Tch!"
Weller clicked her tongue and glared daggers at me.
I met her gaze head-on, took a swig of liquor, and turned to Berga.
"Starnassila Alzen. Tell me the source of your information."
"Sigh. Is this whole mess about that again?"
"...Watch your tongue, Alzen."
"Why's the source such a big deal... Geez, didn't Quino relay my message? I just knew one day."
"In other words, a god descended into your body."
"That's not... Sigh, let's say it is. Yes. Something entered my body, and I got info from it. Satisfied?"
Thinking about it, it wasn't a lie.
From Starnassila Alzen's perspective, the soul of Kang Han-gil suddenly took over his body one day.
I just didn't know where the original owner went.
"...You have no intention of explaining properly."
Seeing Berga's narrowed eyes in dissatisfaction, I waved him off dismissively.
"I don't even know what answer you're after. And honestly, does it even matter?"
"What nonsense. Depending on where and how you got it, your treatment changes."
"Heh heh. What, lock me up and torture me?"
"If necessary."
"My, my brother is so cool-headed. So, is that it? Then kindly leave now."
"No, not yet. Tell me the information you know."
"Oh? About what? From where to where?"
"Everything. From beginning to end."
"...Well, now..."
Gulp gulp!
I emptied the near-empty bottle and hurled it at Berga's head with force.
Thud.
He caught it without flinching.
"You're no brother—you're a thug."
"I didn't expect you'd cooperate willingly."
Berga pulled a strangely shaped crown from his bosom.
It looked like a wriggling earthworm, deep ink-black, with a yellow gem in the center.
"Oh. Kushto's Curse Crown? Where'd you get that?"
"...So the maker's name is Kushto."
"What? You brought it without even knowing that?"
I snickered, recalling the artifact's effects.
It wasn't for combat—something I used occasionally to seduce female characters... Ah, right.
Loss of reason, loss of judgment... and imprinting. The target answers the user's questions honestly.
If curse resistance was especially low, it could even force submission.
"Gonna use that on me? Even if there are no side effects, that's harsh."
"Wait! Berga! You never mentioned that! And a curse...? Isn't that banned?!"
Weller's shrill screech grated on my ears.
She apparently hadn't been briefed.
Berga neatly ignored the voice beside him.
"Alzen. Cooperate, and I won't need it. So, obediently..."
"Pfft hah. So greedy. But bro, you think that cheap trick will make me cooperate?"
I popped a new bottle leisurely, and Berga's face soured.
He couldn't fathom my attitude... But I had my reasons for confidence.
"..."
Murel now stood before me, staring down the pair.
"...Who're you?"
"Murel, in charge of Alzen-nim's protection and attendance."
"Protection and attendance... I see. A Shadow Knight."
"..."
"Planning to interfere?"
"If it harms Alzen-nim, I'll eliminate it with all I have."
"...Tch! Father's measures were faster than expected."
He pocketed the curse crown again and glared at me.
"Starnassila Alzen. I'll let it slide this time. Next time..."
"Heh heh. If you wanna know something, just ask. Why go the hard way? I could tell you about your first love or your academy black history."
"What's that? First I've heard! Super curious!"
Weller's red eyes sparkled with interest.
"We'll head out for today. Weller. Let's go."
"Huh? Go alone if you're going. I wanna hear it."
"...Weller."
"What! You didn't tell me about the curse crown either! I'll keep your secret, so scram!"
"..."
Berga scowled deeply and left the room with uncharacteristically slow steps.
He backed off easier than expected.
Just a warning visit?
In the now-quiet room, I shook my bottle and met eyes with Weller, who stared intently.
"So, you don't really wanna hear about bro's first love..."
"Huh? I do wanna hear that. The black history sounds fun too."
"..."
She clearly had a sharp, cunning mind, but her hot-tempered, moody nature erased any intellectual vibe.
Made her true intentions even harder to read.
Honestly, she was trickier to deal with than Berga.
"...I figured you'd ask about new inventions or magic, sis."
"You'd tell me if I did?"
"Depends on my mood."
"Tch. Trash. Figures."
"Harsh words..."
I chuckled softly and inhaled some cigarette smoke; she stared at me fixedly.
Oh, by the way, Murel had quietly prepared tea and snacks for Weller.
Her competence was almost intimidating.
"...You've changed a bit, haven't you."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Before, you'd look at everyone with inferiority-complex eyes, like a cornered rat. Now that's gone. No dark, sticky negativity either."
"..."
I exhaled smoke wordlessly and met her gaze.
"Is that from whatever entered your body too?"
"Sis. You really believe that?"
"You said so. And when you lie, you have a habit of slightly bending your right pinky. You didn't earlier."
"Puhaha! Such specific nonsense."
If Starnassila Alzen had such a tic, it'd be in the setting bible.
The Origin World devs obsessed over pointless details like that.
"Hmm... Doesn't work. But hey."
Her head tilted sideways.
"How can you be sure I'm lying? You don't know all your own habits."
...Oops, small slip-up.
"Dunno? Why do you think?"
I dropped the formality to deflect provocatively, but she didn't react.
"You've come to know 'yourself'."
"..."
Not quite right, but her sharp insight left me speechless for a moment.
"Makes sense why your attitude changed. Not bad. Reformation's something, even if it doesn't erase your past trash acts."
She smiled sweetly, but her red eyes suddenly turned menacing.
"Whatever entered your body isn't possessing and controlling it, right?"
"..."
Was she probing or certain? No clue how to respond.
Making me this exhausted just from talking—a real talent.
"Sigh... And if it was?"
"...I'd do nothing. Don't care if trash like Alzen dies or vanishes."
"Cold."
"After what you did? Obviously. But family's family, so maybe revenge as a first and last courtesy."
"Hm, that's Mom's influence."
"You're like no one."
She said words that would've made real Alzen explode, smiling brightly, then sipped her tea.
Felt like conversing with a viper.
Unsettling, stifling, creepy.
"Phew... So, when do I spill?"
"Huh?"
"Your bro's first love. And black history! Spill it! I'm dying of curiosity!"
Sudden topic shift; I tilted my head and stared.
No idea what she was thinking.
"What about revenge?"
"What bullshit?"
"You said you'd avenge if not Alzen."
"So you're saying you're someone else?"
"..."
Was this pressure?
Telling me to act like Alzen?
Or genuinely clueless?
"Ha..."
Something bubbled up, but I swallowed it with liquor.
"Phew... Really wanna hear bro's first love story?"
"Duh! Think I'm here for your ugly mug?"
"Fair enough then..."
Gulp.
"Let's dish it out proper."
Spilling Berga's embarrassing tales was fine by me, so I blabbed it all right there.
Personality aside, Weller was an excellent listener.
Sparkling interested eyes, big reactions, perfect interjections, plus juicy gossip.
Before long, we were all hyped, passing bottles back and forth until we were smashed.
A few hours later.
"Phew... That was fun today. Alzen."
She dispelled her drunkenness instantly with mana control and potions, rising gracefully.
"Khe... 'Sall good..."
"I hate looking sloppy in front of others. Later."
She glanced at my face as farewell and left.
"..."
Starnassila Weller.
More dangerous than I thought.
No clue what she made of my identity... but she's a hassle either way.
...Could I kill her?
"Murel."
"Yes, Alzen-nim."
"Would you assassinate on my order?"
"That's... Sorry. Outside my duties."
"I see."
I sighed softly and flopped onto the sofa.
That evening, Starnassila Urtega's Shadow Knight secretly delivered a 'relic'.
Relics were items from ancient dungeons or ruins, infused with lost civilization's tech and magic—superior to modern artifacts.
This relic's name: Sacred Guardian Fortress.
A necklace granting near-immunity to all mental resistances—not just for the wearer, but the whole party.
"..."
First legendary-grade relic I'd seen since entering this world; I was stunned.