**#047. Where Malice Gathers (4)**
—
*Wooong──!*
Small gemstones, barely the size of fingernails, radiated a piercing light visible even from dozens of meters away.
An ominous aura hung heavily in the air.
Kedrick felt an overwhelming sense of intimidation, leaving him agape and speechless.
*What is this, exactly?*
*How are they floating in midair?*
Without a doubt, it was magic—just as Ray had described and demonstrated before.
*‘This looks dangerous.’*
The sinister atmosphere ignited a primal urge to flee. Instinctively, he turned to look at Ray.
“……”
Ray’s face was as impassive as ever.
In that moment, Kedrick felt a surge of reverence.
*How does he remain so calm and composed at every moment?*
Even after spending considerable time with him, Kedrick was convinced that Ray was far beyond the norm for a street boy. His pale, emotionless eyes seemed almost magical, calming anyone who met his gaze.
Somewhat reassured, Kedrick cautiously asked, “May I ask… what these are?”
“Keuk-keuk. No need to be so frightened,” the man said with a wide grin. “These are the same type of gemstones embedded in the ring I gave you. They suppress ailments and bolster vitality.”
The man’s smile widened.
“It’s only fitting to provide this much support to the talents who will shape the future of our organization—even if this isn’t a place you’ll stay for long.”
“I see. Thank you for your consideration, sir!”
“Indeed, you should be grateful. But don’t, under any circumstances, touch the gemstones. Not that you could, with the barrier preventing access anyway.”
“Yes! Understood!”
After inspecting the magic pattern and surveying more of the abandoned factory, the man walked toward the exit. Pausing at the door, he turned to look back at Kedrick and Ray.
“I’ll be leaving now. I still have a letter to draft for the boss. And as for that ring…”
The man’s gaze fell on the ring on Kedrick’s finger.
“Never lose it. Treat it as precious as your life—especially for the next three days, until I return.”
His cold glare and low voice felt more like a warning than a request.
Startled, Kedrick flinched and nodded quickly.
When the man left, silence filled the factory.
Kedrick glanced at Ray, who was still staring intently at the distant gemstones, and asked, “What now? What’s that guy trying to do?”
“We’ll find out soon. For now, return to the hotel. I’ll investigate these and follow you later.”
“All right.”
*Creak──! Clang!*
Left alone, Ray slowly approached the nearest gemstone.
The gemstone spewed crimson mana in a fountain-like spray.
The mana dripped down and soaked into the edges of the intricate markings on the floor. From there, it spread across the entire factory floor, flowing through connected patterns.
In turn, ambient mana from the surroundings seeped into the gemstone, refilling its depleted storage.
*‘So, this is another way to use a mana stone.’*
The patterns on the floor and the floating gemstones resembled an infinite energy engine, endlessly fueled.
Ray observed quietly but refrained from touching the gemstones or the patterns. A transparent spherical barrier surrounded each gemstone, and without knowing exactly what the device was, he judged it unwise to interfere.
He ascended the stairs, walking along the second-floor walkway to find a spot with the clearest view of the patterns.
Looking down, he saw that the markings, spanning the entire factory floor, were glowing with a vivid red hue.
“……”
**What could this be?**
It was undoubtedly something related to magic, but Ray lacked the knowledge to deduce further.
Fortunately, someone who might know about the device before him came to mind.
*Rustle.*
Ray took out a notebook and a pen.
Flipping past a page where he had been practicing writing, he began to replicate the pattern on the ground.
Although he could memorize it mentally, drawing it out was better for showing others.
Once he had completed a reduced sketch of the pattern, Ray descended the stairs.
He gazed briefly at the red-glowing pattern on the ground before leaving the abandoned factory.
—
—
**The next morning.**
The old man, who had taken the notebook, studied its contents silently for a moment before speaking.
“Is this related to the man who claimed to be a official of Murcred?”
“…….”
Ray was intrigued.
How could the old man pinpoint the situation so accurately without any prior conversation?
Was it magic, perhaps?
The world of magic was boundless—maybe there existed a spell capable of reading minds.
*”If I get the chance, I should ask him about it. Not now, though; there’s no time.”*
Thinking this, Ray opened his mouth.
“Yes, it is. That man came to our new hideout, drew a pattern using mana, and installed red gemstones—or, rather, charged stones—at each corner.”
The old man closed his eyes thoughtfully, as if organizing his thoughts.
After several seconds, he reopened them and spoke.
“If my assumption is correct, you’ve gotten yourself tangled in something far more dangerous than you realize. This is a *magic circle.*”
“A magic circle?”
“Yes. It’s a type of technique that dramatically amplifies the power and range of magic using the same amount of mana. Constructing one requires highly precise knowledge—it’s not something just anyone can attempt.”
The old man paused, then continued.
“And this one… is flawless. At least, from the pattern you’ve drawn. For it to be this precise, the elemental composition and placement of the charged stones must also be perfect.”
As he explained, the old man felt a sense of amazement toward Ray.
Magic circles inherently held dense concentrations of mana in confined spaces.
Reproducing one on-site without any errors was nearly impossible. It was akin to separating strands of densely tangled thread with one’s fingers.
*”Unless he already knew the design of the circle….”*
But the boy had no prior knowledge of magic circles—or of magic in general. This was something the old man had already confirmed.
So, was this another aspect of the boy’s natural talent?
The shape Ray had drawn was so perfect, it was as if he could see the mana forming the magic circle.
*”…As if he can see mana itself ?”*
Before the old man could reach a conclusion, Ray’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“So, does every type of magic have a corresponding magic circle?”
“Ah, yes. Theoretically. But because of their difficulty and inefficiency, only certain types of magic are typically used in conjunction with them.”
“Then this magic circle is…?”
“A *extraction spell.* The same kind as the one embedded in the ring you showed me.”
“So, it has a much greater range and power?”
“Exactly.”
The old man elaborated.
Once the magic circle is activated, all living beings within it would perish, their life force converted into mana.
“The resulting mana is far more concentrated than that found in the atmosphere. But it’s not the type of mana humans can use.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t concentrated mana be better?”
“The exact reason is unknown, but mana derived from life force is highly toxic. Using it carelessly would almost certainly lead to mana poisoning.”
Ray contemplated this and found the explanation logical.
*”Humans live by experiencing emotions.”*
*Emotions.*
In Ray’s view, human life was driven by emotion.
It was the force that made people laugh, cry, or get angry. Every action, at its core, was influenced by emotion.
Emotions were, in essence, a kind of poison—one that could be used as medicine but was inherently dangerous.
*”If I didn’t feel emotions, I could live unaffected by my surroundings.”*
Although Ray was now working to broaden his emotional capacity, he once believed this.
And he still felt that being less emotional often made survival easier.
Human life left traces of emotions behind like imprints on a vessel.
Thus, when humans became raw material for mana, it was no wonder the result was harmful and toxic.
“Mana extracted through such means can’t be purified into usable forms. It’s often repurposed for other uses—fueling creatures or enhancing magical tools.”
“Would that include mana stones?”
The old man realized Ray was on the same page as him.
“In theory, yes. Though enhancing basic tools like mana stones is unusual, it’s not impossible.”
“…….”
“But for items like that ring we saw, it might be a different story.”
Ray recalled the man’s instructions to Kedrick the day before.
*”Make sure you don’t lose the ring. Especially for the next three days, until I return.”*
The conclusion was clear.
The man’s goal was to sacrifice the street children as offerings to strengthen his blood stone.
“So, how do you plan to handle this?”
A heavy silence followed.
Ray, organizing his thoughts, asked, “If someone stands on the magic circle, does it kill them instantly?”
—
—
**That early afternoon.**
Inside an abandoned factory in the northern junkyard.
About twenty boys were walking around, carrying welding equipment and large iron plates.
“Ray, should we cover all the windows here as well?”
“Seal every single one. Leave only the iron door as the way out.”
*Crackle─! Zzzzt─!*
Sparks flew around the edges of the iron plates placed over the windows.
As the light filtering into the room steadily diminished, Ray recalled events from about two hours prior.
*”Get me welding tools and iron plates.”*
Philip had been remarkably efficient. He had secured all the necessary equipment and manpower within just two hours.
Of course, welding was a specialized skill, and even among the boys working at the hotel, only a few had experience with it.
At present, only four of them could handle the welding. The rest of the boys, Ray’s subordinates, were assisting with the work.
“Lift it a bit higher!”
“Can you hand me that over there?”
If Philip had come to see the scene himself, he would have chuckled.
*”I can’t believe it. Those hulking guys are patiently waiting for instructions from hotel kids. I never thought I’d see something like this in my lifetime. Life never ceases to surprise.”*
Ray climbed the scaffolding on the second floor, inspecting the progress.
“This is too complicated!”
A shout came from below.
Not far from the first floor stood a red-haired girl, glaring intensely at the ground.
Ray descended to the first floor, approaching Veronica, who was hunched over with the pained expression of a scholar deep in thought.
“How many different elements are used in this? Seriously…”
She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Ray approaching.
*“She won’t hear me if I just talk.”*
Ray closed the gap a bit more and raised his voice slightly.
“If it’s too hard, you can just give up.”
“Ahhh!”
Startled, Veronica spun around toward Ray, losing her balance in the process.
Her crimson hair swayed as her body tipped backward.
Without time to react, she was about to fall flat on her rear when—
*Whoosh──*
A gust of wind gently cushioned her from behind, lifting her back upright.
She steadied herself, visibly relieved.
“Oh, oh, thank you. I almost fell!”
Veronica sighed in relief, marveling at Ray’s ever-improving mastery of magic.
How could he use magic so quickly and accurately?
Assuming they used the same amount of mana, Ray’s magical abilities had already surpassed even her grandfather’s.
“It’s not that big of a deal.”
“…If you sneak up and talk like a ghost, anyone would get startled and fall!”
She hesitated briefly, unsure whether she should feel grateful to the person who caused her to stumble but also saved her.
*“Wait, I fell because I got startled… startled?”*
A spark of realization lit up in Veronica’s eyes as a mischievous grin spread across her face.
“Did you prank me just now? Are we that close now?”
“…….”
Not at all. His only intention was to make sure his words reached her.
Pranks were among the many incomprehensible human behaviors in Ray’s mind.
“That’s not really…”
“I didn’t think you were the type to play pranks at all!”
“That’s not what…”
“Now I’ll have to stay alert! Who knows when you’ll try again?”
“……”
Ray mentally jotted down a note about Veronica.
*”The bookstore girl only hears what she wants to hear during conversations.”*
“Oh, right. What did you say earlier?”
“About analyzing the magic circle. I said it’s okay to give up if it’s too hard.”
“I’m not struggling at all! No way I’d ever give up!”
Veronica had been analyzing the magic circle for about an hour since arriving at the abandoned factory.
Ray thought back to his conversation with the old man at the bookstore that morning.
*”The basic structure is clearly an extraction spell. However, the activation conditions and specifics depend on the person who created the circle, so you’ll need to examine it on-site to figure that out.”*
*”But as you can see, I’m not in a condition to go out and investigate myself.”*
*”Take Veronica with you. She’s inherited nearly all of my knowledge, so she’ll be of help.”*
The suggestion aligned perfectly with Ray’s own plan, as he had intended to ask Veronica for assistance.
*”Hmm… Grandpa’s asleep, right? Oh… You want me to analyze a magic circle? Really? Alright, I’ll be ready by the time you come back.”*
While Ray’s request played a role, her intellectual curiosity was an equally significant motivator.
When Ray returned after giving Philip his instructions, he handed Veronica a wad of cash.
“What’s this for?”
“Your fee.”
Veronica stared at the money before raising her gaze to meet his.
“Trying to solve everything with money isn’t a good habit. I’m helping because we’re friends.”
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Through the mana around her, Ray could sense a mix of mild annoyance and hurt feelings.
Ray didn’t understand.
It was a moment where one of his fundamental assumptions about the world was challenged.
“Money isn’t necessary. I can’t take this much.”
Why not? Why did both Philip and now Veronica reject money?
From his experience, no one disliked money or turned it down unless it was suspiciously obtained.
Ah, maybe that was the issue.
“It’s not dangerous money. You can take it.”
“It’s fine, really. I don’t need it.”
“……”
To Ray, debts—whether favors or retaliation—had to be repaid.
“I’d really like you to accept it.”
“There’s probably no one as stubborn as you.”
You’re just as stubborn, Ray thought.
After a minor tug-of-war, Veronica realized Ray’s insistence on paying her was less about generosity and more about a compulsive need to balance the scales.
After some thought, Veronica proposed, “Hmm… How about this, then?”
