Episode 47: Astaroth (2)
The secret training room was stark.
No furniture or amenities—summoners rampaging could break things, so it was kept bare.
“Wow, a place like this? Part of your company’s facilities?”
“Pretty much.”
“Money really does wonders.”
As Hyun-ah marveled at the surroundings, I steeled myself.
It was time to deliver her cruel fate.
She wouldn’t believe it easily.
First, denial.
Then, anger.
Eventually, she’d accept it.
“Hey, you still have that ticket, right?”
“Huh? The privilege ticket? Yeah, why?”
“No… timer or anything on it?”
“Nope. Just says to use it with the summoning book I got.”
Seems only Apocalypse-grade summons have timers.
Or maybe my privileges had shorter ones.
“Why do you ask?”
“You’re going to use that ticket to summon something now.”
“Oh? Nice!”
“But there’s a condition to controlling them.”
“Condition? How do you know?”
I took a deep breath, setting the mood.
I had to seem dead serious.
If Hyun-ah doubted me and summoned recklessly, it’d be trouble.
I might even have to kill her summon to protect her.
No room for jokes now.
“I got privileges too.”
“What? For real?”
“Yeah. As you probably guessed, from my gaming.”
“Right… mine were originally yours too.”
“Sorry…”
“So listen carefully from now on, okay?”
“Okay!”
Hyun-ah looked at me with a serious expression.
Half-worried, half-excited, I told her.
“To use that ticket, you have to act out your dark history.”
“…Huh?”
Her serious face melted into a blank stare.
“What do you mean, dark history?”
“The summons from your ticket follow ‘Astaroth’, a character I made based on 13-year-old you, obsessed with villainess romance novels.”
Hyun-ah froze, as if hit over the head.
No laughter, no movement, not even a blink.
“Once you summon them, you have to stand before them and prove you’re Astaroth. How? You know better than anyone—it’s your dark history.”
Her eyes darted around the training room.
“What? Is this a prank? Some SNS trend? An adventurer joke?”
As expected, she couldn’t believe it.
Wouldn’t believe it.
“No prank, no hidden camera. It’s reality.”
“…So, to use these summons, I have to act like… Astaroth? Me?”
“Yup.”
“…Should I just give up? Maybe get another summon, like Yurie from ‘White Snake’… No, I’ve got some shame. I can’t just waste your privileges… but still…”
You look conflicted, sis.
I’m proud you’ve got some conscience despite facing your dark history.
But I’ve got just the thing to motivate you.
‘Send to Hyun-ah’s messenger…’
The photos? Profile images of Astaroth’s summons, dug up from old files on my computer.
“What’s with the message?”
“Check it.”
Hyun-ah’s eyes widened at the photos.
“What… are these?”
“Your future summons.”
“Crazy!”
Her reaction says they pass her visual test.
“Can you give them up? You could meet them face-to-face.”
“…What about their abilities? They could be flawed.”
“Excluding my summons, they’re probably top-tier.”
Hyun-ah collapsed to the floor, dazed.
“Why… why this trial for me…?”
“Think carefully, Hyun-ah. You can give up. We’ll pretend the privileges never existed. But, like with mine, a timer might kick in soon. Miss it, and the ticket’s gone.”
“Gone?”
“Forever.”
“Nooo!”
Hyun-ah took a deep breath and stood.
She swept her hair to one side.
Then twisted her body dramatically.
“What are you doing?”
“Hold on. I’m channeling past me.”
It was a sight to behold.
Watching my sister’s antics made my eyes feel like they were rotting.
I told her to act like Astaroth, but why’s she puckering her lips like that?
‘Is this your best effort?’
She’s trying to exude fatal charm, but it’s just making me angry.
Family allure definitely invites fists.
Finally, Hyun-ah, trembling, opened her reluctant mouth.
“Bow your heads, filthy peasants. Your queen…”
Flop.
Unable to endure her past self, Hyun-ah collapsed.
“How… how was that? I tried my best…”
“I want to die of shame for having you as a sister.”
“You think this is a joke? I’m dying here! But you did it too, right? You actually did it?”
“Yeah, I did. I faced teenage Hyun-woo.”
“You imitated that version of you? Wow, you’re a real nutcase.”
“I’ll give you all the time you need, but don’t drag it past today.”
Hyun-ah shakily stood, resuming her act.
“Bow your heads, filthy peasants. Your queen—argh!”
A horrifying yet amusing spectacle.
Can she even summon today…?
***
《Tobias Schulz has cleared the Elf Fortress.》
Germany’s star and world rank 3, Tobias Schulz, won the Elf Fortress clear race.
Global media showered him with praise, celebrating his conquest of a dungeon even the top two rankers hadn’t cleared.
“Thank you. This victory isn’t mine alone but belongs to all German citizens who supported us.”
After a brief press talk, he returned to his guild, Schattenlegion (Shadow Legion), where a grand party with champagne awaited.
Pop!
Pop pop!
“Yoo-hoo!”
“Tobias, congrats!”
“Germany’s pride!”
Tobias responded joyfully to his guildmates’ cheers.
“Thanks, everyone! We maintained our national ranking and spread my name, all thanks to our legion!”
The party’s mood soared.
Attendees included Germany’s elite—ministers, celebrities, rival guild masters.
Their presence elevated the event’s prestige.
Among them, a diplomat, with informants in Korea’s ‘Tower of Records’, approached Schulz.
“Just got word: Spain, the US, and China cleared it too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Japan’s likely next.”
“And Korea?”
The diplomat found Schulz’s mention of Korea odd.
Wasn’t Korea a minor player in adventuring, only notable for its infrastructure?
“No progress yet, from what I hear.”
“Day three, and still nothing?”
“Yes. Why care about Korea? Oh, a dungeon break would be a headache for the Tower of Records.”
Schulz’s smile faded briefly.
“Don’t underestimate that country.”
“Pardon?”
“Especially you, in diplomacy.”
“Of course, I’d never say this publicly, but why the high expectations for Korea, Schulz?”
As the mood cooled, the diplomat’s colleague whisked him away.
“Phew…”
Schulz set down his drink and slipped to the party’s outskirts.
Staring into the void, his deputy guild master, Lucas Schäfer, approached.
“What’s wrong? Something happen in the fortress?”
“Just… something’s bugging me.”
“What? The raid seemed smooth.”
“He hasn’t shown up yet. Is he… really dead?”
Lucas knew who he meant.
The one being Tobias Schulz never defeated.
The first Legend Seven PVP tournament champion and mock battle slayer.
Astaroth.
His account clearly listed his origin: South Korea.
“We know how monstrous he is.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m sure he’s dead. If he were alive, he’d have conquered the world by now.”
Lucas understood why Tobias fixated on Astaroth.
He feared his current glory might vanish like a bubble.
So, Lucas vowed.
‘Tobias, I’ll ensure our glory stays untarnished.’