If the first layer had a green theme, the second layer had a yellow theme, and the third layer had a purple theme, then the highly anticipated forbidden fourth layer had a pink theme.

Baek Yu-Seol took a moment to appreciate the scenery of the fourth layer.

Of course, it wasn't an emotional appreciation of the landscape but rather aligning the map and terrain through his spectacles.

"I have a general idea of the path, but..."

Squeak!

As a headache struck, he took off his specs and pressed his temple.

Perhaps wearing glasses for two days straight had drained his mental energy to the point of severe headaches.

Even his senses didn't seem to function properly. While other mages solved everything by expending mana, all he had left was mental energy, and that was currently at rock bottom.

When mental energy gets depleted, the head continues to throb, severe headaches limit the control of spells, and even sensory activation are restricted.

'Should I take a short break...'

The third layer’s familiars had mostly reacted favorably to him, but he wondered if that would hold true on the fourth layer.

He would begrateful if they didn't blindly initiate attacks.

After comfortably seating, he closed his eyes and regulated his breath.

Like mages who meditate, he too could experience some degree of fatigue recovery or increased mana circulation through meditation.

In this case, he aimed to restore his mental energy.

"Phew."

After resting for about an hour, the headache eased. The time was ample, so there was no need to rush, but since the fourth layer could be somewhat dangerous, it would be better to quickly acquire a heart and escape.

There was no sense of direction in the fourth layer.

Whether it was intentional or due to an unfinished space, an ordinary person would likely get lost and wander here.

That was why he took out the Hanbarum Flower that he had asked Edna to bring in advance.

Thanks to its unique trait of providing an absolute sense of direction, this flower had been used as a substitute for a compass in various places from ancient times to the present.

Unlike a compass that malfunctioned in areas with strong electromagnetic fields, the Hanbarum Flower always faced east no matter when or where.

Activating the Argento Sword, he proceeded cautiously, and various familiars caught his eye.

Some had the appearance of giant tortoise shells, others were massive whales swimming through the air, and there was even a deer with sparkling eyes that glared at him before disappearing somewhere.

Unlike the translucent familiars below the Grade 5, those from the Grade 4 and above had distinct forms.

Wooohhhh...!!

A sound resembling the distant rumbling of a ship spread through the sky.

It was eerie, but there was a mysterious atmosphere that even evoked a sense of reverence.

While moving with heightened sensitivity, his senses responded to something.

Tingle!

"... "

Coincidentally, it was the direction he was heading towards.

As Baek Yu-Seol slowly approached that place, the dense forest parted, and a woman appeared sitting on a rock, humming a tune.

In an instant, it seemed like cherry blossoms fluttered in all directions.

The whole world was dyed pink, and he felt a dizzying sense of lightness as if he were flying in the azure sky.

There was a floating castle in the sky, surrounded by cherry blossoms, enveloped in a deep shade of red.

In the midst of it all, the woman was seated. She wore a white robe, had white hair, and even had pointed fox ears attached to her head.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes tightly.

'Not human... Not a mythical creature either. That is the first target I've been searching for. The Twelfth-god, Yeonhong Chunsamwol.’

{TN:- "Yeonhong Chunsamwol" is a Korean name, and directly translating it to English would be "Crimson Spring March." Alternate names for "Yeonhong Chunsamwol" can be: "Scarlet March"

Let me know if you want me to retain the korean name or you would prefer the english one instead in the comments.}

{TN:- The correct translation for "십이신월" would be "Twelve Divine Months" or "Twelve Divine Lunar Months" rather than "Twelfth God." It refers to the twelve most powerful entities in the game world, and is associated with the lunar calendar or lunar months in korean calender. Each entity represents a different month and possesses great strength and significance within the game's lore. Let me know if you have a better suggestion.}

It wasn't exactly her true form, but it was one of the nine avatars she possessed.

Focusing his mind, the world returned to normal. She approached him as if nothing had happened and spoke.

"Hmm? A human, huh? Did you come here for some business?"

With a light step, the woman walked towards him barefoot as if she was dancing. Her smiling face closely resembled the ideal figure in his mind, almost making his heart race, but he managed to regain control.

That figure in front of him was not human.

He must not be captivated.

He had prepared for this moment.

'Shoop...!'

Baek Yu-Seol closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The mana in the air penetrated deep into his body, igniting the 'Enchanting Power' within him.

As a human who had Mana Leakage, he could push out all the mana planted within him in one go.

Zzzt!

Baek Yu-Seol’s senses flashed, and the woman's form momentarily transformed into that of a fox.

"Oh-ho?"

Of course, he couldn't completely resist her influence with his own mental strength, and she quickly returned to being a woman... but at least he could avoid being enchanted.

Mental magic activated by dispersing the opponent's mana did not affect someone like him, who had mana leakage.

Even though it was an enchantment magic of the highest level, he could momentarily glimpse her true nature through his senses.

She looked at Baek Yu-Seol, deliberately averting her gaze, and smiled softly.

"Hmm, you seem quite different from an ordinary young human. If you were an ordinary human male, you would have rushed at me a long time ago."

"... Thank you for the compliment. May I inquire about your identity?"

She was the Twelth-God, one of the beings with the greatest power in the game world of Aether World.

Even legendary dragons were said to be no match for them, so he shouldn't let his guard down.

"Me? As you can see, I am a yokai. And also a familiar, a divine general, a divine spirit, and a divine month(or God). Is that explanation sufficient?"

{TN:- Yokai is a term used in Japanese folklore to refer to a class of supernatural creatures, spirits, or monsters. They are often depicted as mischievous or malevolent entities with various forms and abilities. Yokai can include a wide range of creatures such as ghosts, demons, shapeshifters, and mythical creatures.}

"I see. I understand who you are."

"Ahahat, so tell me. What is your purpose for coming here?"

"That is..."

"If you don't speak honestly, I'll devour you."

When she playfully opened her red eyes wide, his senses sent him a strong warning.

One wrong move, and he would truly die.

"... I came to retrieve a heart."

"Oh, really? Whose heart?"

"The heart of a familiar."

"Oh~ Are you planning to kill a familiar and take its heart?"

"No, I do not have the power to kill a familiar. I was planning to retrieve a heart that has been lost by its owner from the 'Tomb of the familiar,' which exists deep within."

As soon as the words "Tomb of the Familiar" were mentioned, the fox's expression sank.

"There is no heart there."

"... Nevertheless, I must find it."

"Why?"

Baek Yu-Seol pondered for a moment. This woman had the ability to distinguish lies. If he were to speak of taking it for his own gain, his life would be forfeit in an instant.

He needed something that could serve as a reasonable excuse.

"... There is one. The reason I came all the way here to retrieve the heart was primarily for the sake of Celestia.”

And didn't she give him a damaged wooden pendant as a token of friendship?

He quickly took it out of his backpack and showed it to the incarnation of Yeonhong Chunsamweol.

"I am doing it to save my friend."

"That is...!"

Yeonhong Chunsamweol's eyes widened. A familiar never gave their token of friendship to just anyone.

Although he didn't have a particularly close relationship with Celestia... because he was the only human who could save her, he was able to receive it.

"I see... So that's how it came to be... Well, that's interesting. If a human has such a relationship with a familiar, it must mean that you're not an ordinary human."

Among the Twelve Gods, Yeonhong Chunsamweol had a particularly deep affection for the familiars.

For that reason, she used her ability of "Enchantment" to lure numerous familiar to this place, and ensure their safety.

The Fourth Layer.

This strange space was entirely a part of Yeonhong Chunsamweol. She created her own realm at the roots of the World Tree, tempting only familiars and forming a small kingdom.

From a human's perspective, it might seem oppressive or like a zoo, but ultimately her judgment was correct.

Countless familiar were able to escape the clutches of the Dark Mages.

However, as the price for creating this space, Yeonhong Chunsamweol lost the ability to venture outside forever.

Although she could partially inherit her power and bestow "Blessings," even that did not yield positive results.

One of the victims of this unfortunate consequence was the Elf King, Florin. Bound by the overpowering force of enchantment, Florin couldn't even engage in external activities, unaware of the reason why he became that way.

"Well, fine. If it's for that reason, I can give you a heart. After all, you're a friend of familiar. Moreover, I can faintly smell the scent of familiars emanating from your aura... It seems you have quite an intimate relationship. Hehehe."

She covered her mouth with her hand and smirked ominously, as if imagining something.

It was just that he was diligently breathing beside Celestia... and that was how it turned out...

"However."

Suddenly, she relaxed her expression, let out a sigh, and shook her head.

"To be honest, I'm tired of it now."

".... Excuse me?"

"I can no longer trust humans."

"No, wait a moment. Why all of a sudden..."

"Throughout history, there have been many humans like you. Heroes who fought for familiars, fairies, and us... the Shinwol."

She spoke with a nostalgic look in her eyes, as if gazing into the distance.

"Our fates were tragic. In the end, they too betrayed us and turned against us. We have had deep relationships with many humans so far. And we were betrayed."

"I… I..."

"Why? Do you want to say that you won't be like them? I've heard that story dozens, hundreds of times already. I'm tired of it. The human race."

"Hmm..."

He expected her to put up a wall like this.

Even in the original game, Yeonhong Chunsamweol belonged to the difficult category to conquer.

The method to inherit her abilities was simple yet challenging, matching the "required ability conditions."

In the case of Yeonhong Chunsamweol, it was increasing affinity with familiars and enhancing mental power, but his current ability fell far short of those conditions.

However, his current goal was just to show himself to Yeonhong Chunsamweol and let her know of his existence. It was still too early to conquer her.

However, he thought it would be possible to just take the heart of a familiar. But she was being so thorough and not willing to help with anything.

"My friend is dying... Please, save them."

"You humans have a short lifespan. Even if familiar lose their memories, they are eternal. That child will forever remain asleep even after you die. I will go and save them at that time."

"No, then can't you just come with me now?"

"... That's impossible. I've expended a lot of power creating this space, so I can't move right now."

‘Ugh, this frustrating woman. How can she refuse to budge even when she can't due to her lack of trust in humans?’

He didn’t emember the story, so he didn’t know how Yeonhong Chunsamweol was betrayed by a certain human and what they did to her. But anyway, those humans became quite resented.

"You have the qualification to be a friend of a familiar. You prove that you can sacrifice even your life for the sake of familiar. But..."

"..."

Well, that was true.

No matter what, his own life was precious to him.

"I don't want familiar to give their hearts to humans. They will eventually be hurt."

"Yes..."

Baek Yu-Seol didn't expect himself to be so blocked like this.

Maybe he shouldn't have come to find Yeonhong Chunsamweol.

No, that was not it.

It was important to keep showing his face consistently to gain Yeonhong Chunsamweol's favor. Even though she was not friendly towards him right now, someday his efforts would bear fruit.

‘... Perhaps I need to find another way to obtain the heart.’

‘What should I do?’

While pondering quietly, suddenly his whole body shivered and he felt chills.

[A variable has occurred in the episode.]

[Episode 7 Arshuang's Dark Corruption Route is in progress.]

Such a message appeared.

… So even Arshuang's route was progressing.

He expected this much. It was probably a variable caused by his existence.

However, there was no need to worry.

Arshuang's corruption would be resolved by Hong Bi-Yeon one way or another, even if he didn’t pay much attention to it.

If it seemed too dangerous, he could just go back immediately.

[The variable has been resolved.]

As expected, Arshuang's Dark Corruption Route was resolved not long after. So he turned his attention back to it and wanted to have a few more words with Yeonhong Chunsamweol... but...

[Warning! Your story line interference has caused a significant 'butterfly effect'.]

[Episode 8 Dark Magic Corruption is being merged with the current ongoing episode!]

[The difficulty level of the episode has increased significantly!]

The message appeared and startled him.

"What...?"

[Episode 7-8]

[Familiar Contract Ceremony and the Dark Mage Corruption]

Baek Yu-Seol stood frozen, his mouth agape, and took a step back.

Episode 8.

It meant that Professor Maizen Tyren would be completely corrupted by the dark magic and go on a rampage.

Why was it happening so soon?

He quickly put on his spec to confirm, and he saw that Professor Maizen’s corruption rate had surpassed 50% and was now at 80%.

‘What is this... Why all of a sudden...?’

Episodes were supposed to occur only when they were related to the protagonists, so it shouldn't happen in a place unknown to him.

Professor Maizen had become corrupted somewhere near the roots of the Heavenly Spirit Tree, where all the protagonists had gathered.

‘Darn it, he's becoming a dark mage here.’

So far, there had been many unexpected variables, but they never had such a direct impact on the episode itself.

But now, the episode was occurring ahead of schedule.

There was no way to know or prepare for this. He didn't know when or how it would happen.

‘This... is because of me.’

He had made efforts to accelerate Professor Maizen’s corruption into a dark mage. However, he never expected it to happen in a place like this.

It was still impossible for the protagonists to defeat him among themselves.

In the original game, it was mentioned that the allies would weaken Maizen through their attacks, creating an opportunity for the player to strategize.

However, there was not a single "ally" here. It was because the location of the episode had changed.

Therefore, it meant that he had to find allies separately in this place.

But who else could be here? There was no one else to help the protagonists in this place except him.

"What is this...?"

Yeonghong Chunsamwol also seemed to have sensed the dark magic and was looking somewhere with a bewildered expression.

"Oh, it's not yet... The dark magic shouldn't intrude yet..."

Her space was still unfinished, so she must have set up a strong barrier to ward off dark magic.

But, if a blatant daek mage had infiltrated, it was enough for her to be greatly surprised. The current Yeonghong Chunsamwol was in a state where she had lost most of her original power and was unable to act.

In a fluster, he quickly shouted at her, covering her cheeks with both hands.

"Where is it?"

"Wha... what is this..."

"I mean, tell me where the dark magic is detected! I will go and stop it!"

"No, it's not possible. You can't stop it at your level. I need to summon my child, Kkotseorin, right away..."

{TN:- The Korean term "꽃서린" (Kkotseorin) can be translated more accurately as "Blooming Flower" or "Flowering Serenade" in English. It conveys the idea of a flower in its full bloom or the act of a serenade associated with flowers.}

"We don't have time for that! Quickly tell me the location!"

Baek Yu-Seol, who had been speaking politely, was taken aback.

The current Yeonghong Chunsamwol, who had most of her memories sealed, seemed unable to maintain composure.

It was truly an ironic situation.

One of the Twelve God, Yeonghong Chunsamwol.

One of the strongest weapons she possessed was her unwavering mental strength, yet she seemed flustered just because a single dark mage had intruded.

It pained him to see her weakened state, but he couldn't afford to focus on that now.

"There... It's over there. The dark magic is corrupting my children from that place."

That was enough information. Holding the Artifact, the Vengeance Branch, tightly in his right hand, he rushed without hesitation in the direction she pointed.