The Master of Language - T.M.L Chapter 41 (Part 1):

On the way back to the mansion, I didn’t say a word.

Not human, he said.

Leading someone down the path of darkness.

Priest Hansis seemed to think of me as some kind of demon.

Yet, his words kept echoing in my mind. Along with them, a particular scene naturally resurfaced.

A night sky devoid of anything.

A giant sun rising in the middle.

Red Eye.

“Sigh.”

I exhaled deeply, trying to shake off the thoughts.

There’s a mountain of things to worry about right now, and thinking further won’t reveal anything new, so I just had to let it go.

Fabre briefly glanced at me as I sighed, but he quickly returned to playing with his beetles.

Eventually, we arrived at the mansion.

As soon as we stepped out of the carriage, we were greeted by a visibly furious Butler Clark.

Behind him, maids and knights were lined up.

“Master Ran!”

His voice was stern.

I looked at him calmly.

“Yes, Butler Clark?”

“I have something to discuss with you. Would you come with me?”

His stern expression was like that of a general ready for war.

“Of course. But first, I’d like to rest a bit. It’s been a long day.”

I nodded slightly and walked inside.

Part of me didn’t want to deal with him immediately, but I was also genuinely exhausted.

It had been a long time since I felt this drowsy.

Butler Clark said something loudly behind me, but I tuned him out and headed straight to my room.

Thud.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

I collapsed onto the bed without even taking off my clothes.

My eyes grew heavy, and my consciousness began to fade.

Strange.

Why am I so overwhelmingly sleepy?

[Well, because I have no other means to talk to you except in dreams.]

I turned around at the sound of the voice.

Behind me was the Red Eye.

“What? So you made me fall asleep just to summon me?”

[Something like that. I usually try not to, but this matter is serious.]

The Red Eye stared straight at me.

This eye, as massive as the sun, was more warm than hot.

“What’s this serious matter?”

The Red Eye shifted to one side.

[Your life is in imminent danger.]

I turned my head following that eye.

There was a creature that looked like a half-bird, half-human.

That creature was holding a dark red gem within itself.

Its appearance was so grotesque that I didn’t recognize it at first, but when I looked into its eyes, I knew immediately who it was.

“Merlin.”

[He failed to recover. Soon, he’ll lose his intelligence and fully become a bird. Before that happens, he’ll come to kill you for what you did.]

“I knew it. My bad premonitions always come true.”

[Take a closer look. Go closer.]

I glanced back at the Red Eye.

The Red Eye seemed to say it was okay, that it would protect me, sending me a warm look.

I nodded once and approached Merlin.

Suddenly, Merlin lifted his head and looked straight at me.

“Ran! It’s Ran! I can feel your presence. You’re right in front of me!”

Merlin’s voice was vivid, filled with a seething anger that seemed to boil from his very soul.

I looked at him for a while and then said in a low voice.

“You have no right to say anything, Senior Merlin, since you tried to kill me first.”

Merlin made a clucking sound with his half-beak mouth.

“Ran. Listen to me well. I will surely kill you. I swear it. Seven days from now, on the night when the full moon rises after sunset, I will come for you. I will come and turn you to ashes. If I fail to do so, I will surely die.”

” Senior Merlin, your foolishness is a great lesson to me. From now on, I won’t look down on my juniors just because my pride is a little hurt.”

“Your ‘from now on’ is only seven days long. I will give everything I have to kill you. In this state, I can kill someone much stronger than myself. There’s no way an apprentice like you can defeat me, no matter what means or methods you use.”

“I can just call my master.”

“Isn’t your master 40 days away across the sea? Do you think bluffing will work on me?”

“Hmm. The fact that you know that must mean Duke Balkan is indeed in cahoots with Legless Monkey.”

Clack, clack, clack.

Merlin clattered his beak furiously, unable to contain his rage.

I stepped away from him and returned to the Red Eye.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I know for sure now.”

The Red Eye looked down at me.

[You would have known anyway when he sent you the Declaration magic. I just wanted to give you some time to prepare.]

A Declaration magic.

It increases magical power by gathering will at a cost. If one stakes their life, it goes beyond simply amplifying magical power and even raises the level of the mage.

I smiled.

“Who are you? Who are you to keep appearing in my dreams?”

The Red Eye slowly closed.

[I am the Red Eye. Your old friend. Unfortunately, I must go now. I’ve overexerted myself to meet you.]

“Then? Can’t I see you again?”

Instead of answering, the pupil of the Red Eye stretched horizontally.

Was that a smile?

In a flash, the world turned upside down.

I soon woke up from my sleep.

“Haa. Haa.”

My whole body is drenched in sweat.

I looked out the window.

It’s evening, with darkness just settling in thickly.

It’s so vivid.

It’s on a completely different level of realism compared to what I saw with Jangshir’s far-seeing eyes.

Seven days from now.

Merlin is coming!

Dangun

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