You Will Be Blessed If You Do Good Deeds¿-Chapter 88

"Well, have you all said everything you needed to?"

The village chief stroked his beard and let out a hearty laugh.

However, with the monster alert now displayed, that smile didn’t seem as comforting.

‘...Should I try to gather more information first?’

Han Jae-young boosted his mana and temporarily altered his vision.

The fairy's eyes could see through the essence of others.

Due to the large mana consumption, he didn’t use it often, but in this situation, he had no choice.

And through the fairy’s sight, the village chief appeared...

Han Jae-young quickly withdrew his mana and took a step back.

According to the system alert, the old man in front of him wasn’t human.

However, he wasn’t a monster like the ‘Dummy Fire’ from the Yeongjong Island dungeon either.

This was...

"A ghost."

Humans are made of both body and soul. The soul is the source of mana, and the body is its vessel.

But the person in front of him had no physical body.

The soul had materialized and became visible.

‘No wonder communication has been so smooth without a translator.’

Seol Mae had communication issues with language, but the person in front of him... no, the soul, seemed to speak, but it was more like telepathy than actual speech.

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"Hah, a ghost? I was told my death was near, but I didn’t think I’d be called a ghost just yet."

Hearing Han Jae-young’s words, the village chief dismissed it casually, as if thinking Han Jae-young was joking.

Han Jae-young exchanged glances with Jeong Da-on.

‘It seems like they don’t realize their state.’

‘Let’s push a little further.’

"...Sorry for the sudden intrusion. We were just wandering around and happened to find a place with people."

"I see. A traveler? An explorer?"

"No, I’m a monster hunter."

Han Jae-young carefully observed the old man’s expression.

If the village chief was aware he was a ghost, he would likely show some sign of agitation.

"A monster hunter? Now that’s... surprising."

The village chief laughed, seemingly surprised by the unexpected response.

It seemed like he was hearing something completely unrelated to himself.

"If something that dangerous is coming out around here, how could simple folks like us survive? We’re no help."

"Is that so? For being simple farmers, that castle over there looks quite impressive."

Han Jae-young pointed toward the tall, majestic castle walls of the inner fortress, still standing proudly.

It had been visible even before the villagers appeared.

"That castle isn’t ours. It can’t be."

The village chief shook his head in response.

"If you plan to go into that castle, I’d advise against it. That’s a cursed castle. Our people have never gone near it."

"Why?"

"In a small village like ours, it’s better not to ask questions about our rules. Especially if you’re an outsider who’s been threatening us."

The village chief wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

Jeong Da-on sighed next to him.

"He seemed so harmless. You should’ve threatened him, like I would’ve."

‘That seems to come naturally for you...’

Han Jae-young didn’t give up and asked another question.

"Could you tell us more about the cursed castle?"

"All I know is what’s been passed down for generations—that it’s cursed. But, what kind of magic is at work there... Sometimes, outsiders come in despite all warnings and end up heading straight for that castle."

"And what do the ones who return say?"

"No one who’s gone has ever come back. Not a single one."

The village chief said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Han Jae-young felt a shiver down his spine.

"Didn’t you just say it was a cursed castle? If you knew what it truly was, you wouldn’t call it that."

"...Let me ask just one more thing. There were countless soldier corpses outside the castle walls..."

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

The old man laughed heartily as though he hadn’t heard anything strange.

"Well, if you wander around for too long, you might start seeing things."

"So, you’ve never seen those corpses?"

"Hmm... We don’t leave the outer castle walls, nor do we go inside the inner fortress. That’s the rule of the village."

"You’ve never left your whole life?"

"That’s right."

Han Jae-young fell silent for a moment.

It seemed that the village chief didn’t realize how bizarre his words sounded.

"Well, have you asked all the questions you wanted? Honestly, our village isn’t one to be able to afford hosting outsiders. I can offer you a barn for the night, but after that, I’d appreciate it if you left."

"..."

"If you’re staying tonight, use that house. Now, I’ll be going."

Han Jae-young didn’t stop the old man as he left and entered his house.

Jax, who had been peeking through the window, immediately pulled down the curtain when their eyes met.

The village fell quiet once more, as if no one was living there.

After a long silence, Yoo Han-ul broke the quiet.

"So... what exactly is going on? Are these people really ghosts?"

Yoo Han-ul, who couldn’t understand the situation as a magician, asked the question.

Han Jae-young nodded.

"Yeah, they’re not living humans. It seems like they don’t even realize they’re dead..."

"Who could have done this to them, and for what purpose?"

"I think they’re being used as living batteries to maintain the barrier."

"Living batteries?"

While talking with the village chief, Han Jae-young had realized that a huge amount of mana was constantly being supplied to the massive illusionary barrier surrounding the castle.

And this mana was being supplied through the ghost-like figures before them.

In order to maintain such a barrier, a material is needed to anchor the mana at its center.

Like when Jeong Da-on used minerals to set up a barrier in her home.

However, this barrier was being maintained by these people, who were recognized by the system as monsters.

"Is that even possible?"

"In theory, yes."

It was possible.

Humans did have the ability to draw and store mana.

"This is madness."

The reason people don’t use humans to maintain a barrier is simple.

A normal human body couldn’t withstand the mana required to maintain such a powerful barrier.

Even if they managed to create the barrier, any surviving person would end up with their mana circuits burned out, leaving them in what is often called a ‘water balloon’ state.

Sure, a grand mage who had trained their body or achieved enlightenment might withstand it, but these people were clearly just ordinary individuals with no special abilities.

So normally, humans couldn’t act as the core of a barrier.

But there was one theoretical method.

"They got rid of the cumbersome bodies and fixed only the souls in the barrier. Human souls can survive far longer than bodies, depending on the circumstances."

In theory, without a body to suffer, it could last almost indefinitely.

Yoo Han-ul grimaced.

"...Is that really a method?"

"What do you want me to do? It’s already happening."

While it was possible to create such a barrier, using only souls to maintain it, the person or people maintaining it gained nothing.

Yoo Han-ul asked darkly.

"So, the monster we need to defeat... is the people in this village?"

"...It seems so."

"..."

"So, what do you want me to do about it? Do you want to live here forever?"

Han Jae-young didn’t really want that either.

No matter how much the system classified them as monsters, they were still speaking in front of him and looked alive.

Humans were weak to what they saw.

Even though it was logically understood that it wasn’t murder, it was hard not to feel a twinge of discomfort.

However, Han Jae-young was a rational person.

"You don’t even need to draw your sword. We just need to disrupt the barrier, even briefly."

It was an elaborate magic, but Han Jae-young was no slouch either.

Disrupting the barrier and creating a hole in it for even a moment was possible.

And they weren’t just dealing with Han Jae-young; there was also Jeong Da-on, who specialized in incantation magic with unparalleled destructive power.

If they managed to create even a small gap in the barrier, the souls bound to it would face serious problems.

"We don’t know what’s happening in Korea while we’re stuck here. We need to return as quickly as possible."

Ultimately, Han Jae-young’s duty lay not here, but in Korea, specifically with the HP Guild.

Like when he found Seol Mae in the dungeon, if he had the luxury of protection, he would have done so, but there was no time or reason to waste now.

Han Jae-young wasn’t a hero.

"And sadly, even if it’s pitiful, those souls are definitely acting against the natural order."

Even if they didn’t realize it, existing as souls in this barrier wasn’t a positive thing.

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"Look at the bodies of the dead outside this castle. The creatures around here have all been drained of life to maintain this barrier."

It had taken them days to discover this castle after arriving in this dimension.

In that large area, there were no living creatures to be found.

That meant the barrier had likely been maintained for decades, sucking the life from everything nearby.

At this point, even though these souls didn’t have perception, it was clear they couldn’t be considered flawless.

"I’m not saying this to criticize you, Han Jae-young. I understand your position... but..."

The other warrior hesitated as he spoke.

"They probably don’t realize they’re in this condition, do they?"

"Yeah, I don’t think so."

The incredibly limited scope of their actions.

Just by calling the inner fortress a cursed castle and refusing to approach it, it seemed clear that the person who created the barrier had imposed restrictions on the souls.

Yoo Han-ul stared intently at Han Jae-young.

"Han Jae-young."

"Ugh, I don’t want to hear it."

"Listen."

"I really don’t want to."

"I want to try and find another way first."

"Why?!"

Han Jae-young groaned in frustration.

"What other way is there? The fastest way is right here!"

Then, suddenly...

"Wait a minute."

Jeong Da-on, who had been silent up until now, raised her hand and intervened.

"I think I agree with Yoo Han-ul."

"What?!"

This was truly unexpected, and Han Jae-young was taken aback.

"You really don’t want to return to Earth as soon as possible? I’m sure your dear older brother is worried. I do feel bad for these souls, but..."

"Are you seriously suggesting this because of sympathy?"

Jeong Da-on snorted.

However, Han Jae-young looked at her with suspicion.

She was someone who didn’t want to admit her feelings of sympathy.

"Then what is it?"

"I’m the one who’s asking. Han Jae-young, aren’t you curious?"

"Curious about what?"

"About what’s inside that cursed castle."

Jeong Da-on pointed toward the castle walls, still standing proudly.

"I’m curious about what’s in that cursed castle."