30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?!-Chapter 214: The Most Dangerous Creature in the World... (1)

..Dizzy.

This was the first thought Ihan had when he regained consciousness.

"Ughhh!"

It felt like a terrible hangover, the kind that leaves you in agony.

It felt as if his mind and body had been separated and were now reuniting...

His guess was that, based on his conversation with the [Gatekeeper], his consciousness had likely stayed trapped in that gate or whatever it was, and now he had finally returned.

That must have been why there was such a strong sense of disconnect between his mind and body.

And to confirm this hypothesis...

“...Did they die?”

“...”

“...”

“No, they’re not dead... Just in a coma.”

Maximus and Raq were lying unconscious, their eyes shut tight.

Even high-ranking knights like them didn’t react at all to Ihan’s murmurs.

They were still breathing, and their hearts were still beating, but there was no sign of the usual energy they radiated. They were likely in a comatose state.

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

In other words, their consciousness was probably trapped in the same illusionary world the Gatekeeper had mentioned.

“...It might take a bit of time.”

It was a half-hearted certainty, but Ihan was confident it would take a while for them to pass through the gate.

Ihan had unintentionally met the 'conditions' needed to break through the gate, but there was no guarantee they would be as fortunate as he was in meeting those conditions.

However, given their strength of soul, as mentioned by the Gatekeeper, they would not be easily deceived by the illusion of the gate.

So...

"Even if it takes a little longer, they will wake up... Probably."

Though unsure, Ihan was confident. Instead of worrying about them, he decided to focus on his surroundings and, less than ten seconds later...

"...I never thought I’d see something like this in my life."

He couldn’t help but be amazed.

<The Sacred Vault>.

The vault where the holy relics were kept was truly like a "picture-perfect world."

...Or more specifically,

"Maybe it’s a watercolor world?"

It felt like Ihan had become a resident of this mystical world, coated in layers of paint, and he couldn’t hide his amazement for a while.

***

If this watercolor world were to have a name, it would probably be [Museum].

It resembled the Parthenon Temple, but inside, it was more like a museum filled with various relics.

"Oh..."

Swoosh!

Even walking felt strange.

It felt as if he were walking on water, or rather, on paint, and the more he walked, the more it felt like he was sinking into a swamp.

However, as if to show that this minor sense of discomfort was nothing, Ihan quickly became overwhelmed as he entered the museum.

Woooooosh!

"...."

Countless holy relics, impossible to count, were radiating immense presences.

They were not replicas; only genuine relics.

Only true holy relics were here, and just one of them being exposed to the outside world would cause an uproar.

Yet, there were hundreds—no, thousands—of them, so it wasn’t just overwhelming. The intense pressure from them made Ihan feel like he might be crushed.

If he hadn’t been a knight who had honed his body to its limits, he would have likely burst under the pressure.

Swoosh!

"...So, they exist, but I can’t touch them."

Ihan fought through the pressure and reached out to touch one of the relics.

But when he did, instead of feeling it, it was as if his hand passed right through it, like splashing water.

Despite being a tangible object, his hand went right through it, and this phenomenon wasn’t limited to the relic he tried to touch.

"Everything is like this."

Everything in this space had a clear form, but it flowed like liquid, making it impossible to touch.

Kyoukasuiyue (鏡花水月). Like the moon reflected in water or a flower reflected in a mirror—visible, but impossible to hold.

"As expected, not easy."

The mystical vault of holy relics, full of the awe-inspiring beauty that only such relics could create.

Well, it made sense.

Even one mystery would be considered a miracle, so having hundreds or thousands of such relics was nothing short of miraculous.

Such a mystical phenomenon happening was, in some ways, almost adorable.

‘They even summoned the souls of my past enemies, so this level of mystery should be manageable.’

Ihan gave up on touching the relics, confirming that he couldn’t do anything with them at his current level.

So...

"What now?"

He was at a complete loss.

***

"Bringing the holy relics won't be easy."Actually, he had received some advice before coming here.

From whom?

"What are you talking about, old man?"From a strange kind of helper—Raphael.

He had said:

"I can't really speak freely about this because it's under a restriction, but no one can share any information about the Sacred Vault. Neither through speech nor writing—nothing can be left behind.""?""So, all I can advise is this: just 'follow your instincts.' That will lead you to the answer.""...What does that even mean?""Hehe, the Light will guide you.""...I still don’t understand."

Recalling that moment left Ihan feeling frustrated. It wasn’t something he could really use.

It only deepened his confusion.

"...Old man, there's nothing to follow, though."

Though he respected the old man, at times, it was annoying.

Couldn’t he just explain it more clearly?

"What does it even mean that the Light will guide me?"

[Don’t overthink it. The so-called ‘old man’ actually explained it quite well. If you follow where you’re being pulled, the answer will reveal itself.]

"Isn’t that just the same as saying 'believe and good things will come'?"

[Hey! Don’t be disrespectful.]

"Disrespectful? Please, I want to curse even more profusely, but I’m holding back, damn it...!"

Who am I even talking to?

Suddenly, Ihan was startled.

Something had appeared in a place he was sure was empty, so of course, he was shocked.

So shocked that, out of reflex, his fist flew, but unfortunately, it passed right through without hitting anything.

Swoosh.

To be precise, it was the sound of his punch passing through liquid, like when you try to hit water.

[Violent, aren’t you?]

"...You?"

[Yep, it’s me.]

The Gatekeeper.The owl-like figure, lifting its head proudly, introduced itself.

***

It seemed like today was going to be full of unusual experiences.

Entering the Sacred Vault, meeting old acquaintances in this strange space called the Gate, and now...

‘...And now I’m seeing a talking owl too.’

Life sure has its surprises.

[Don’t look at me like I’m a stranger. We had a conversation just 10 minutes ago, remember?]

"So, isn't it even more confusing?"

Suddenly encountering someone he thought he’d never see again was definitely disorienting.

[Oh, really?]

"Really, what are you? Aren’t you supposed to only exist in the Gate?"

Ihan was understandably confused.

This was the same figure that had exuded an air of mystery, giving him challenges and ending their previous encounter with that same mystic aura.

So, encountering it again in this situation was completely unexpected.

However,

[Should I leave then? I was going to help, but do you not need it?]

"..."

[Are you sure?]

"...No."

The owl had such a wide range of expressions for a creature like it.

Its smile was annoying, but Ihan decided not to argue and accept this unexpected meeting as a stroke of luck. He didn’t want to waste time in pointless arguments.

Still...

"But why are you showing yourself? And why in that form?"

Ihan decided to ask his questions.

[Humans like cute creatures, right? If I approach like this, people relax. I can look like a cat or a dog, should I change?]

"Wow, you really understand humans, huh? ...Forget it. There’s no time for pointless shape-shifting. Let’s have a more productive conversation."

[That rational mindset, I like it.]

The owl flapped its wings in joy, and Ihan couldn’t help but think that the Gatekeeper was quite clever.

‘It’s ridiculously cute though...’

The snow-white fur, shining with a glossy sheen, and the soft, plush body looked like something out of a doll collection—an incredibly high-end one.

It was so endearing that Ihan couldn’t help but feel affection, and he had to admit the owl knew how to play with human emotions, earning it high marks in that regard.

Then...

[It’s probably bothering you. You’re wondering why a Gatekeeper like me would reveal myself to an illegal intruder.]

"..."

The owl, with its cute appearance, exuded an eerie atmosphere, and Ihan stiffened.

He didn’t want to imagine what was coming, but the sudden appearance of the Gatekeeper and its unsettling aura had already made him uneasy.

As expected...

[It’s not what you think...]

Swish!

[Huh?! Why are you... Did I do something wrong?]

"No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It looks like someone’s coming for us."

[Ah.]

The owl didn’t seem to understand the situation at first, but after a slight delay, it must’ve sensed something. It flapped its wings widely.

Ihan didn’t even take a moment to admire it; he immediately...

BAM!

He struck the skull of the approaching enemy.

In an instant, the head and body separated, and the headless body of a Dullahan appeared, but unfortunately, this one wasn’t strong enough to earn the Dullahan title—it simply collapsed lifelessly.

However, unlike Ihan, this one seemed to have some luck with companions.

Whoosh, whoosh!

One by one, more enemies, identical to the one who had just fallen, gathered.

There were easily over fifty of them, and Ihan gazed ahead with a calm expression.

"..."

Of course, he wasn’t looking ahead because he was concerned about those enemies.

He was staring ahead because...

"Oh my, already taken care of?"

There was a presence that couldn’t be ignored, at least four of them.

[This is what I’m here for. Can you deal with them for me? I’ll make it worth your while.]

"...You don’t even have to say it."

If he didn’t deal with them, they would tear him apart.

...They’re going to die.