Chapter 115
It took a lot of effort to tame the Cubes.
Taming the first Cube, which I named *Square*, wasn’t too difficult, but the difficulty level spiked exponentially with the second one.
[Affinity Increased!]
[Affinity Increased!]
[Affinity: 1.5%]
[Affinity: 1.8%]
With Basilus, Kloshti, and now *Square*, I had already surpassed the level that any ordinary tamer could control.
If it weren’t for my innate affinity, I would have failed long ago. It was clear that taming the remaining two Cubes would require a significant investment of time.
If it’s even possible.
The Cubes contain more magic than a dragon.
Although many restrictions prevent me from fully harnessing that magic, it’s still an opportunity to boost my power to an incomparable level.
The Cube in front of me was glowing with a radiant golden light.
The Void Cube.
Despite its unremarkable appearance, this Cube holds the mysterious ability to manipulate space—an ability that had been covered by dark mages for years.
In the original story, only the protagonist, Lee Han, was able to use the Cube’s abilities.
I wasn’t sure if I could tame it like *Square*, but I was determined to try.
“Hmm.”
It seemed safer to leave *Square* hidden here… I looked down at the yellow Cube in my hand and called for Basilus.
“It’s probably better if I take this one with me.”
“Quu?”
Carrying the Cube around would help increase affinity. That was one reason, but honestly, I was more concerned about it being stolen.
Now that the Crusader episode had been triggered, I had to consider the possibility that this location might be discovered.
I patted Basilus’ head and lifted the Cube.
“Diversification, or something like that. If one gets messed up, at least the others will survive.”
I needed to avoid the worst-case scenario of losing all the Cubes.
Although the idea of diversification brought back memories of failed investments, I couldn’t let the enemy get their hands on all the Cubes.
The dark mages would never expect me to be walking around with one of the precious Cubes out in the open.
But putting a Cube overflowing with magic into a subspace bag would be a terrible idea, so I needed Basilus’ help.
[Basic Polymorph]
That’s right. Basilus had recently unlocked a new spell—Polymorph.
I didn’t see it happen, as I was unconscious at the time, but it seemed like a spell perfect for situations like this.
“So, you can’t change your shape… but you can change the color?”
“Quuu!”
“So you can’t alter the shape much… but can you make adjustments to the jawline?”
“Quuuuu!”
I almost got mad, thinking, “What kind of Polymorph is that?” A red dragon turning into a blue one? It felt like a basic spell that would be useless in battle—a talent more suited for running a cosmetic surgery clinic in the 21st century. But when it came to the Cube, things were different.
“Well, it’s just a rock, after all. You see it that way too, right?”
“…”
“And you’re supposed to be good at adjusting shapes, right?”
Basilus blinked as he looked up at the Cube emitting a soft blue glow.
“Quuu…”
He scratched his head with a paw, as if anticipating my next request.
“Give it a try. Make it rounder.”
All I needed was for it not to scream, “I’m a Cube!”
* * *
[Affinity: 2.1%]
The rate at which affinity increased was slowing down.
Still, carrying the Cube around for a few days had steadily increased it.
Oh, and this one’s name is *Round*.
I even laid out some padding, thinking a rock would appreciate a comfy sofa.
“Round.”
“Come on, say something.”
“Wow, you roll around so well.”
“How do you roll so perfectly?”
There’s a pseudoscientific belief that if you speak kindly to something, it’ll turn out better, so I praised it day and night.
There had been times when I’d nurtured something with great care in the dorms before, like the Ptera egg, but that was a living creature. This was just a rock, so I probably looked even crazier.
Won offered his brief assessment.
“You’re insane.”
Yeah, I’m insane. I couldn’t deny it. If I admitted that I had tamed a rock, I’d definitely be treated like a lunatic, so I kept my mouth shut.
And now, I was about to be treated even more like a lunatic as I headed to the theology lecture hall.
“Han Siha?”
Yoon Haul turned her head, her black hair swaying, as she looked at me in surprise.
I had never directly visited her class before, so she seemed taken aback.
“What brings you here?”
Instead of answering, I handed her *Round*. Yoon Haul took the Cube, her expression puzzled.
I had used magic to minimize the amount of magic leaking from the Cube.
Even skilled dark mages would have trouble sensing it from a distance. But I knew Yoon Haul would notice.
I was confident she’d sense something.
A mage’s intuition and a seer’s intuition are different things.
“…”
Without a word, she held the round Cube in her hands.
She blinked, tilting her head as if asking what this was about, then suddenly froze.
“What is this?”
Though it was a rhetorical question, she must have sensed something strange.
She hadn’t guessed exactly what it was, of course.
That was natural. Yoon Haul had probably seen the future related to this Cube.
She must have noticed the faint but ominous energy it held.
“It’s what *he* tried to take it.”
And with that, her expression turned cold as if she had just pieced together a puzzle.
I wondered what to say next.
After a brief pause, I decided to be honest.
“I intend to protect it.”
“It’s dangerous, isn’t it?”
Yoon Haul’s voice trembled slightly, something uncharacteristic of her.
I had come to her for help.
There was no point in denying it.
If I was going to ask her to risk everything and help me, I had to lay all my cards on the table.
What this thing was.
Why *he* was after it.
How it was used.
I planned to explain everything in a safe place, slowly and thoroughly.
If she chose to refuse after hearing it all, I would respect that decision.
Of course, I was confident she wouldn’t refuse.
In the original story, Yoon Haul had leaped in without hesitation when she learned the truth about the Cube.
She was a character designed to do so.
Even though she seemed indifferent to the world.
Even though she appeared to live lazily, relying on overwhelming power.
When given a purpose, she was someone who would give it her all.
Even if it meant risking her life.
That’s why I trusted her so much…
“I’m not doing it!”
What?
I hadn’t even explained anything yet.
“If you’re going to die, die alone.”
“Uh?”
“No, I mean, I’m not cursing you! I want you to live… and me too… uh…”
What is she even talking about?
Seriously.
“Anyway, I’m not dying with you!”
“What are you talking about? Who said anything about dying together?”
At my question, Yoon Haul’s eyelids trembled.
“I… I don’t know…”
After swallowing nervously and darting her eyes around, Yoon Haul suddenly turned and started running away.
“Wait, what?”
“Yoon Haul!”
Hurried footsteps echoed as Yoon Haul bolted down the hallway, leaving me behind.
Had she already guessed the rest after just hearing about the Cube?
It’s possible, given her abilities as a seer. But still, I thought the story would at least pique her interest enough for her to listen. I never expected her to run off before hearing the details.
“What just happened?”
I thought she’d be the easiest to convince.
This reaction was completely unexpected.
* * *
Bang!
“Ugh…!”
Yoon Haul slammed her head down onto the library desk.
The pain was sharp enough to bring tears to her eyes, but it didn’t clear her mind of the confusion.
“Finally lost it, huh?”
Philic, her only friend in the theology department and no stranger to her eccentric behavior, just clicked his tongue, unfazed by her actions.
Bang!
Yoon Haul slammed her head down again.
“Idiot.”
“Who? You?”
“Uh… yeah, I think so.”
“You’re only realizing that now? That’s the real surprise.”
When Yoon Haul’s sharp glare returned, Philic immediately shut his mouth.
For someone who usually seemed detached from the world, Yoon Haul was clearly beating herself up over something.
Philic, now slightly concerned, asked, “What happened? Come on, tell me.”
Yoon Haul stared blankly ahead, mumbling under her breath.
She was recalling the brief future she had seen—a future of nothingness.
“What does it feel like to die with someone you care about?”
Philic’s face turned pale.
So that’s what it feels like.
Just as Yoon Haul was about to lower her head in despair, Philic blurted out something that startled her.
“You’re already thinking that far ahead?”
“Huh?”
“You’re already thinking about dying together when you’re not even dating yet? You’ve really jumped the gun.”
Crack.
Yoon Haul’s expression turned icy, but Philic continued chattering, oblivious to her mood.
“But hey, if you’re planning to spend your whole life together until death, shouldn’t you consider the other person too?”
“…”
“Oh, poor guy. He’ll have to live with you for a hundred years, getting smacked around.”
Wait a minute.
Something about Philic’s words seemed off to Yoon Haul.
“What do you mean by that?”
“What, about you being good at hitting people?”
No, that’s not it.
Yoon Haul replayed Philic’s words in her head.
“Not that. The part about a hundred years…?”
“You were talking about dying together, right?”
“But isn’t dying together kind of… grim?”
Philic tilted his head, confused by Yoon Haul’s perspective.
“Why do you always think of the worst-case scenario?”
“Uh…?”
“It could be natural causes.”
It felt like a slap to the face.
Yoon Haul stared at Philic in shock.
“…You’re a genius.”
Why had she only considered the possibility of an untimely death?
As the realization dawned on her, Yoon Haul’s eyes sparkled with new possibilities.
If the future she couldn’t see was actually a far-off one…
If it was a peaceful, natural death a hundred years from now…
If they could live through those years in tranquility, without any incidents or accidents…
One word came to Yoon Haul’s mind.
Growing old together…
With that thought, her imagination began to run wild.
“That wouldn’t be so bad.”
Yoon Haul whispered, her eyes gleaming.
“Hehe…”
Now she was giggling to herself.
Philic shivered slightly.
He wasn’t sure what hint he had accidentally given her, but it seemed like he had said something terribly wrong.
“What’s with that scary look in your eyes?”
Philic shuddered at Yoon Haul’s sinister grin.
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