< Prologue – A Difficult Wish >
It looked as if the word “ominous” had taken physical form.
The blurry black shadow surrounding it felt so strange that it seemed like only that space belonged to another world,
and the only visible form inside the wavering darkness was a pair of glowing red eyes.
The reason he decided those two red lights were eyes was simple.
The flow of the lights moved little by little along with his swaying body, making it impossible to describe them as anything other than “looking” at him.
[……@#%%$!@#?]
A ticklish voice that pierced directly into his mind.
There was nothing visible on the unknown figure floating before him that looked capable of speaking,
but he instinctively knew the voice echoing in his head came from that small darkness.
“Uh, what did you say?”
[#$%$%!@?]
“Sorry, I can’t understand a single word.”
[$#!@#, ah-. How about now?]
“Oh, I can understand that.”
The joy of communication lasted only for a moment.
“……But what exactly are ‘you’?”
[That’s not important.]
A dark cave-.
Even though the light from the angle lamp fiercely cast shadows across the ground, that pitch-black ominous shade allowed no light near it and merely looked down at him.
Toward the “thing” drawing large circles above him along with its somewhat blunt answer,
he could do nothing until the voice rang through his head again.
[First, I should thank you. I don’t even remember how long it has been since I had consciousness. You’re the one who broke the seal, right?]
“Seal……?”
The man carefully turned his head.
The lamp still burning away the rest of its life, the books scattered everywhere.
And-.
The fallen bookshelf.
“You mean that bookshelf?”
[I’m different from the others. I know gratitude. So don’t worry. I have absolutely no intention of taking over your body.]
“Wait, my body what……?”
[Now then, what do you want to become?
A legendary mercenary?
A dragon hunter like the Sherekhans?
A general who marches across the Black Desert?
Since ancient times, your race has produced many brave heroes.
If you join me, it may take time, but you too can leave your name in history like them.]
“…….”
[Now, what kind of power do you want? What weapon will you use?]
“Uh-.”
A short hesitation.
“……Not really?”
[……What?]
“I hate fighting.”
[……Whaaat?]
The confusion in the voice could be felt through the darkness.
[No, what do you mean-. Does that even make sense?]
“Why? What’s strange about it?”
[Well-.]
The dark shadow slowly descended closer.
But the ominous feeling it carried had already faded enough to be clearly noticeable.
[……You’re a ‘Giant,’ aren’t you?]
Thin and patchy hair.
A blunt nose.
Deeply sunken eyes and, in contrast, a strangely protruding jaw.
The pressure coming from his overly broad shoulders and chest
was enough to make even the small hoe in one hand seem threatening, along with his shabby work clothes.
“Yeah, I’m a Giant. So what about it?”
[No, usually-]
“I don’t know what you are or what you want from me,
but anyway, congratulations on getting your seal broken. I’m going to finish picking those mushrooms and leave, so enjoy your freedom or whatever.”
The Giant walked forward without hesitation and reached toward the truffles growing on the dry cave wall above the collapsed bookshelf.
[No, wait a second, hold on!]
The black shadow flickered around the young Giant nervously.
“Ah, what now? You’re annoying.”
[Hey, Giant. This puts me in a difficult position. I told you, I know gratitude. If I don’t repay you somehow-]
“It’s not like I was trying to save you. I just knocked over the bookshelf while trying to grab the mushrooms up there.”
[No, even so…… Ah, right. If you hate fighting, don’t you have some other wish? Something you want to become?]
“Something I want to become?”
The Giant’s hand slowed as he picked the mushrooms and placed them into his herb bag.
Perhaps,
this was the most important question in his entire life, including both his past and future.
But considering the importance of the question,
the depth of his thoughts was far too shallow.
“Hmm…… becoming rich and making lots of money?”
[……Money? Rich?]
“Yeah. Rich.”
[No…… that’s a little difficult…….]
“Oh, is that so.”
After checking the condition of the mushrooms inside the herb bag, the Giant walked indifferently toward the “collapsed stone door,” the entrance to the “secret laboratory.”
The pair of red eyes floating in the air stared at the Giant’s massive back as he walked away without a moment of hesitation.
In the end, with a sigh no one could hear, it followed after him.
