A Horror Novel’s Supporting Character Wants to Live as a Human

Chapter 294

Chapter 294

Teleportation magic. Magic that had to erase humans from the material world and then regenerate them at different coordinates.

This type of magic extremely increased the convenience of movement, but at the same time, the consumption of magical power was severe.

Therefore, materials containing magical power were essential, and even then, auxiliary magical power other than the caster was needed.

But what about Aphoom-Zhah? A god who had mastered what humans called magic.

And what about him? The source of magical power that made Aphoom-Zhah exist on this earth.

In other words, he was a large-capacity magical power auxiliary battery, a magical power tank, living magical power made of magical power down to every strand of hair.

They had overflowing magical power. How much was overflowing? He couldn't know for certain, but it was enough to use lavishly right now.

Therefore, the method of movement he could propose.

That was precisely."Even if we don't know coordinates well, we should be able to move to spaces that come within our field of vision."

[So you're telling this body to keep moving to the farthest place I can see right now?]

"Right. You understood well."

[And the believer thinks that will work?]

"It should work?"

[Believer. This body likes it when the believer goes crazy, but I didn't mean for you to go crazy like this.]

"But if not now, it's absolutely impossible. Even if I'm talking like I'm insane, you can do it."

[Why do you think so?]

Why? That was obviously because.

"You're the greatest god among the gods I've met."

At the words containing some flattery and sincerity, Aphoom-Zhah began to laugh.

Not just laughing, but starting to laugh happily and then wiped away tears that weren't even coming out.

After laughing like that for a while, Aphoom-Zhah looked up at him with an amused expression.

[I see. Believer, this body is your god and thus your strength.]

Aphoom-Zhah gestured for him to come over.

When he approached closely, Aphoom-Zhah lowered his own body and had him sit on one shoulder.

Fortunately, he who had taken Leandros's appearance didn't seem greatly affected by human weight.

When he straightened his body, he swayed too, but it was fine because Aphoom-Zhah was holding his legs.

[Believer, be careful not to vomit afterward. Even for this body, twice won't do.]

The moment Aphoom-Zhah who said that took a step,

The unpleasant sensation of his body sinking downward came.

After that, it was almost a series of soul-draining teleportation magic.

Aphoom-Zhah wielded magic as if walking,

And each time, he had to suffer the sensation of his organs being reconstructed inside his body without even being able to think about suppressing nausea.

It was closer to the feeling of jumping on a trampoline with bones and flesh disappearing and only complete organs remaining.

After suffering like that for quite a while, Aphoom-Zhah threw him down.

He barely managed to lie face down on the ground and calm his churning stomach.

His eyes rolled back on their own and he felt like he would lose consciousness, but he forced himself to endure it.

If he collapsed here, nothing would work out.

He forced himself to stand with trembling legs and was supporting himself on his knees when Aphoom-Zhah spoke proudly.

[Believer. We've come to the place you mentioned. Coming in this direction, that troublesome deity can certainly be felt well.]

"Th...at's, fortunate... How clo-, ugh, urgh."

[How close is it? Well. At least close enough to burn that village over there.]

Village?

He jerked his head up.

Though it was still a distant place, black smoke was billowing up from a place that had become close enough to put in his field of vision.

But that wasn't what was important - if his memory wasn't wrong, that place was.

[Believer?]

Aphoom-Zhah called, but he couldn't hear.

Even after escaping the Leng Plateau, they couldn't go far with injured people.

Therefore, they had to choose a small village with an inn that was as inconspicuous as possible to rest.

But that decision was coming back like this now?

What about Cellinne? What about Eva, Valter? What about Dardin?

All the people who had been there didn't know about the existence called Shub-Niggurath.

There was no way humans could know about things he had caught and eliminated long ago from ancient times.

If they had died because an unpredictable god descended,

What would Yurik think when he returned?

Would Yurik declare war on him then?

Would things return to the original story?

No. That couldn't happen. Finding humans, finding things that could replace them again was-

[Believer. Come to your senses. What are you trying to do now?]

"Ah."

A cold hand grabbed his face and forcibly turned his head.

Looking into the white Aphoom-Zhah's pupils, he reached his hand toward him.

He felt a cool coldness from the solid, white skin.

"...Preparation to fight a god again."

[The price?]

"Take it. Whatever memories you want."

Things he couldn't even remember well now.

The reason he hadn't gone insane while living for such a long time that could be called eternity,

Was surely because the memories of the human 'Yu Yesung' who had lived in Korea had faded.

It didn't matter at all. Whatever was fine.

Aphoom-Zhah asked while gripping his face tightly with one hand.

[Whatever? You've been carelessly selling chunks of memories like a store owner. Today it's severe.]

"Whatever doesn't matter. Hurry up!"

He didn't want to waste time on such trivial matters when a village was burning over there right now.

Aphoom-Zhah's eyes curved.

[Are all memories useless to the believer? Then this body may take memories that this body particularly values.]

"Don't waste time and speak properly. What is it?"

[Memories from 5 years ago. Now, foolish and dull believer. Let's make a deal. As you said, time won't wait.]

His blood vessels began to freeze. Entrusting his body to the familiar sensation and pain, he continued thinking.

Even if it was 5 years ago, wasn't that when he was rotting with Shub-Niggurath?

His head was so full of various things that he couldn't remember immediately. No. What Aphoom-Zhah wanted wasn't such memories.

5 years ago. When he had been in Korea.

What had happened 5 years before he came to this damned world...

No way.

"No. If you take that, I'll-"

No, give it back, he hadn't permitted such a thing.

"That's not allowed, I don't care about anything else but that time!"

[As the price for borrowing this body's power, this body shall take the believer's memory. As long as the believer continues to make this body exist- this body shall be the believer's strength for eternity.]

No, he said it wasn't allowed!

Even before he could shout like that and push away his hand,

Merciless ice climbing up from his spinal cord paralyzed him. The price of a promise made long ago was devouring his body.

Painful memories shattered into pieces,

And wicked white flames filled that place completely.

* * *

Clatter. Clatter.

Cellinne blinked and straightened her drooping hair.

She saw pink hair that only reached her chest,

And younger siblings wearing traditional Rom ethnic clothing.

She felt like she had just had some dream. What had it been?

She couldn't remember, but it seemed like a very exciting dream. Cellinne resolved to make this feeling into a dance later.

It was just when Cellinne had received ninety-six stories and fifteen dances.

She had a mother who was graceful like a willow branch and danced well,

And a father who made people's hearts race with powerful drum sounds.

Below were six younger siblings, and above was one eldest sister.

For a Rom family wandering the world, it was quite a large group.

Because of this, Cellinne's family was sitting in a temporary carriage with shade over a cart, crossing the border,

But unfortunately that day, the guard unit managing the border checkpoint was particularly on edge.

-Stop! Stop the carriage and cart. Your identity is unclear, so we'll conduct an inspection!

The soldier who struck the carriage body with his spear and gave orders soon brought a large guard captain.

Surprise inspections were always happening, so it wasn't particularly new.

But that day in particular, mother began nervously pulling down the carriage covering tightly.

Watching this, Cellinne listened to the sounds outside.

-What ethnic group? Rom?

-Yes, Captain. They don't belong to the kingdom.

-If they're Rom, they're people who wander everywhere. We can't let such suspicious people in.

Suddenly her vision became bright and she unconsciously frowned.

The guard captain had removed the carriage covering without warning.

Because of this, the young siblings were startled and burrowed into Cellinne and her eldest sister's arms.

-Filthy. As always, those of lowly birth are dirty.

His gaze wandered over the carriage and settled on the fourth sibling that Cellinne was holding.

She reflexively pulled her sibling closer and turned her body. The gaze was unpleasant.

She was nervous that something might happen, but eventually the guard captain moved away from the carriage and declared indifferently.

-How dare you try to cross into Aquilonia. What big dreams.

With that one sentence, Cellinne and her family were stopped just before crossing into Aquilonia.

Cellinne's family, who ended up staying near the border area, began using their influence to investigate various things.

There were several small villages for the border guards and the silver and copper coins they consumed, and they could get a lot of useful information there especially.

Things like they'd let you pass if you handed over some gold, or they'd become generous if you bought expensive gifts or alcohol.

Cellinne's parents tried every method to win over the border guard captain,

But the guard captain kept his mouth shut tight like a clam.

In that situation, all Cellinne could do was take care of her siblings,

And learn dances from her eldest sister instead of mother, or study stories passed down to the Rom.

Then one night. When even the moon had hidden behind clouds.

-Sister. Sister.

-Mmm... what's wrong?

-Fourth is missing.

Cellinne's sleepy eyes shot open.

When she sat up abruptly, her parents hadn't returned from the guard post yet, and her eldest sister was sleeping in the corner.

When she counted her siblings with trembling hands, there were only five.

-Since when?

-I just woke up because I needed to pee and she wasn't there.

-Sister will look for her. You stay here. If anything happens, you have to wake up big sister. Got it?

She hastily put on clothes and got out of the carriage.

She wasn't behind the bushes where the siblings relieved themselves.

Nor could that child have gone to the village alone in the middle of the night.

Where could she have gone? Cellinne was still young and not mature enough to handle such a situation alone.

She turned her steps toward the guard post to find her mother and father who would be there.

The road to the guard post was about half an hour on foot. If it was dark, she might wander a bit more.

Fortunately, Cellinne who had particularly good night vision walked straight along the path.

But.

-Walk straight!

-I want to go, I want to go to my sisters!

-This brat, can't even cover her mouth.

The closer she got to the guard post dormitory, the stranger things became.

A familiar voice, low shouts scolding it.

Cellinne's steps quickened, and eventually she could see shadows struggling near the guard post dormitory.

One was her fourth sibling. The person grabbing fourth's wrist and forcibly dragging her was definitely the one who had knocked on their carriage...

-Let go of this!

The man wearing the guard uniform immediately let go when Cellinne ran up and scratched him.

Cellinne, who hid fourth behind her back, spoke sharply. But she couldn't hide her trembling voice.

-Why is my sibling here? W-we're going back.

-Ha, really. Rom bitches have no sense. The mother's like that and the father's like that, is it inherited?

-...What?

-Coming every day begging to let you cross the border, we're also burdened and annoyed. So we're kindly trying to solve the problem for you.

-Bringing my sibling here is solving the problem?

-Yeah. Don't you see the guard captain? After wandering around like that, huh? You should have noticed and quickly offered tribute. Coming here whining with useless stuff like alcohol was so noisy.

No. Her mother and father were clever and skilled at reading others' intentions.

The fact that such people had persistently come to persuade the guard captain,

They must have already known.

Cellinne stepped back.

-It doesn't matter. We're going back.

-Where are you trying to go? Your parents already went back.

-Let go of this!

-The guard captain's taste is really hard to understand. But maybe it's because Rom are famous for being pretty. Seeing that kid made me feel tense too. But my taste is still women. How about it? If you come instead of that kid, I can speak well to him.

-You dirty, vile bastard, Rom don't do such things!

-Since I'm the guard captain's right hand, it won't be a losing business. If you just listen to me well, you might be able to go to Aquilonia. Your sharp tongue is also quite decent...

Cellinne hated this person. Not just hate, but he was terribly disgusting and revolting.

Yet she couldn't shake off his rough hands and was being dragged.

That was the moment. With a 'crack!' sound, the guard suddenly grabbed his own forehead.

-Wh...at is this.

A thin stream of blood was flowing down from his forehead.

Cellinne hid her throbbing wrist and looked back. Her sibling was pale, holding a stone in her hand.

-L-let go of sister! We're going back. Wh-when mom and dad come,

-This brat!

Before the stammering words could finish, the guard pushed Cellinne aside and charged.

Even while falling, she could see the guard's hand moving toward the dagger sheath at his waist.

Of course, he might have just been trying to scare them. Or it might have ended with just a beating.

But Cellinne's thoughts didn't reach that far. What dominated her at that moment was overwhelming fear and violence.

Cellinne grabbed whatever was within reach, stood up, and swung it.

-Die, die! Just die!

Go away. Don't come. Leave my sibling and me alone. Let us go!

Blood splattered in all directions. The broken but still sharp spear tip stabbed the motionless corpse several times.

-S-sister.

What stopped her was her sibling's crying.

Looking at her sibling who was pinned under the corpse, struggling and crying, Cellinne's hands lost strength.

Her heart was pounding. Sweat was pouring down. Her vision flashed red and then white.

What to do.

She had killed a guard.

The laws might differ by country, but one thing was certain - there was no mercy for wanderers who killed kingdom citizens.

She would be tied up and dragged away like a mangy dog. And she would be stoned in front of everyone and hanged.

For daring to 'murder a guard protecting the border.'

Cellinne muttered.

-Run away.

-Sister?

-Get up. Run away. That bastard said earlier that mom and dad went back. Run now and tell them we have to escape. Don't worry about me.

-Sister!

-Get up! We have to leave right now. Got it? The whole family can't be caught because of me. Get up quickly! I'll draw attention here!

It was an extreme method for a girl of that age to think of.

But there was no other way.

She was a proud member of the Rom people.

She could swear she hadn't done anything to disgrace Rom's honor.

But her family getting involved was a completely different story.

After sending away her sibling, even hitting her bottom, she collapsed on the spot as soon as her sibling disappeared.

Watching the sticky blood that flowed from the corpse pool and seep into the ground, Cellinne quietly composed herself.

Until dawn broke and the guards came out to discover the corpse and Cellinne, she thought everything would be alright.

She believed so even when locked in the dirty temporary prison of the guard post.

She only hoped her family had crossed the border before dawn.

However, that evening before the moon even rose,

Cellinne went insane upon seeing the nine heads thrown before her.