Chapter 29

* * *

A short while later, all the guardians had finished putting on their bracelets.

I couldn’t help but let out a silent chuckle when I saw that bastard Usher had worn his properly.

Of course, he had no clue about the trick. His abilities must’ve been reduced to less than half by now.

‘Well, that’s one small win.’

Professor Stein, showing off the Order’s “kindness,” even gave us time to visit the restroom.

No doubt it was because I’d thrown in that line about needing to pee earlier.

I only said it to help that one kid, but…

‘Getting your candidacy revoked? That’s the kind of thing that leads to outcomes these kids can’t even imagine.’

Having done every possible route, I knew for certain it was not the one to recommend.

Plus, when a candidate is disqualified, sometimes the guardian gets… discarded too.

…No, I’m not going there. I’m not thinking that far.

“Everyone ready? Then… let the test begin!”

A black marble appeared in Professor Stein’s hand.

He dropped it to the ground.

The moment it hit, a massive hole opened up beneath us, and the professor quickly stepped back.

“Hohoho, good luck to you all!”

…What kind of test starts with good luck?

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“You’ll be alright.”

It was my dad’s low, blunt voice as he held me in his arms.

I nodded.

“Yeah.”

That’s right. I’ll make it alright.

When I opened my eyes, a brilliant white space stretched before me.

Pure white.

Empty.

Except for one thing—

“A statue?”

A white angel statue stood there.

It was one of the other candidates’ guardians who muttered that.

A familiar face.

It was the woman priest who’d been guarding the boy I’d helped earlier.

Along with her, the short-haired girl who’d asked if we were really going to fight monsters—she was here too, with a knight who seemed to be her guardian.

And finally—

“Looks like there’s only a statue here…”

“Really? I can’t see anything from here.”

A boy with glasses, and behind him, a priest whose eyes were wrapped in bandages.

[Faction: Royal Spies]

‘Ugh.’

Of course the royal spies had to land here too.

Just my luck.

‘Better stay clear.’

I tugged on Dad’s shirt to pull us away from the boy with the glasses, slipping into the background.

The rest of the group had started approaching the angel statue.

Tsk. I really hope this goes smoothly…

‘Yeah, not happening.’

I had that same sick feeling in my stomach that people probably get before a disaster strikes.

But the boy, seeming relieved that there weren’t any monsters, stepped forward.

“Mom, what’s this thing?”

“Lord Kael, please don’t touch—!”

The moment the child crossed a certain point, the statue began to move.

Thud.

The plaster encasing the angel cracked open like an eggshell—

— “Have the test subjects arrived?”

A golden-haired angel stepped out.

Massive wings. Skin white as marble.

But the angel had no pupils. Just empty, white eyes.

‘Oh no… it’s this thing. The egg ghost…’

From the back, I stared up at it with the most unamused face I could muster.

Its pupil-less eyes seemed to scan the two nearest children.

The boy who had stepped closest, and the girl a bit farther behind him.

— “Choose. Who will step forward first?”

Both children froze stiff.

Still, maybe because they were candidates who made it this far, they each seemed to grasp the situation quickly.

Dad whispered to me.

“Should I step in?”

“Mm-mm.”

I shook my head.

“That one’s… not dangerous.”

Not yet, anyway.

“…Not dangerous?”

“Yeah. Just watch.”

The two guardians stepped up protectively, standing between their children and the angel.

‘They don’t really need to do that. Not yet.’

This angel statue chooses a target on its own if no one answers in 30 seconds.

And just like that—

The girl, who stood a little farther away, was chosen.

A circle formed beneath her feet, trapping her in place.

— “The interrogation shall begin.”

“Wh-what?”

— “Prove yourself.”

The girl swallowed hard.

A starving mother steals to feed her child. A bored youth steals for amusement. Which of them is more sinful?

“U-uh… What?”

The girl fumbled for words. She looked to be around ten or eleven—just old enough to make value judgments.

And that angel statue… judged based on those.

Game Category [Post][Strategy Guide]

[Monster Encyclopedia #24]
~Paranormal Class~

“The Angel’s Interview”

◆ Class: Safe

◆ A massive angel statue that judges a person’s values through interview (interrogation).

No matter the answer, it judges based on personal values. So it’s generally considered safe.

But be warned: it may randomly deliver “punishment.” Don’t joke around—just answer seriously.

The real danger… is if you see this thing, just run.

Though… it’s probably too late by then.

The unspoken word in the angel’s question was “morality.”

It doesn’t do anything beyond evaluating moral stances.

Occasionally, it punishes those with wicked answers—but that’s avoidable if you watch what you say.

‘So those two sweet kids should be fine. No problem there.’

This test is clearly about defeating that angel. And honestly? It’s an easy one.

“Dad.”

I glanced toward the royal spy team, still just standing around like it was none of their business, and whispered.

“Get ready.”

Then I held my breath.

— “Wait.”

Even when I’d faced fanatics in the underground cell… I hadn’t been this tense.

“We’re gonna teleport one more time.”

Dad held me tightly. I thought back to the rest of the strategy post.

Game Category [Post][Strategy Guide]

[Monster Encyclopedia #24]

◆ “The Angel’s Interview” is extremely easy to beat.

Just ask the angel a question in return—it’ll vanish.

But the problem is…

If there’s even one fanatic inside the interview chamber…

RIP, new players.

The difficulty skyrockets.

A new paranormal phenomenon will be triggered.

That’s why the first test is so hard.

If even one fanatic gets in—boom. It’s over.

‘Usher, you goddamn bastard!’

And guess what? There’s always one.

That’s because the ten recommended guardians from the Order include at least one fanatic.

This was a trap from the beginning.

And it was inescapable.

— “How dare you enter.”

Thud. Thud.

The angel stomped its feet.

— “Filthy thing! Do not defile my domain!”

Blood tears spilled from its eyes.

Rumble.

The pristine white space began to collapse.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Lady Lynn!”

“Kael, hold on to me!”

Screams erupted in chaos.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I wanted to hear Dad’s voice again, telling me it’d be okay…

‘Dammit, this cursed RNG!’

Just like the twenty people had been split among different angel statues…

Now we were all being scattered and reshuffled again.

When I opened my eyes, Dad was gone.

And unlike the white space before, I now stood in a pitch-black area.

Darkness.

Only the glowing blue stones offered any light.

I looked down at the floor, catching my breath.

‘It’s okay. I can still summon Dad anytime.’

Unless it was a really extreme distance…

It should work.

But then I looked up and thought—

‘Seriously? My luck is this bad?’

I instantly knew.

It had to be Tosher’s Curse.

“Oh my.”

A familiar face stood in this space with me.

Usher smiled as if he were genuinely happy to see me.

“Hello, Candidate.”

He even smiled with his eyes.

“All alone, I see?”
 

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Translator: Japchae