Chapter 576 - 27: Suggestion

Chapter 576: Chapter 27: Suggestion

Murphy spoke slowly, "Do not be frightened. Do not be afraid."

"Calm yourself, and do as I command."

At his words, Rodrick found that his frantically beating heart actually began to slow.

The fear that had threatened to consume him began to recede from his body, bit by bit.

His breathing steadied, his legs stopped trembling, and even the cold sweat on his forehead felt as if it had been dried by the night wind.

Rodrick swallowed, moistening his dry throat, then slowly bent into a deep bow.

"Sir."

"Please, give me your orders. Whatever it is, I will see it done."

Murphy looked at him and nodded. "Take me to the Nightmare World."

’Nightmare World?’

Rodrick looked up at Murphy, an unmistakable flicker of confusion in his eyes.

’For a great figure like a Third-Level Wizard, isn’t entering the Nightmare World a simple matter?’

’Why would he need a mere First-Level Wizard like me to lead the way?’

The thought had just surfaced in Rodrick’s mind,

but it vanished just as quickly,

as if wiped away by some unseen force.

Rodrick blinked. ’What was I just thinking?’

’It felt like there was a problem...’

’What kind of problem?’

He frowned, trying to remember, but found the thought had vanished completely, leaving not even a trace behind.

In its place was a feeling of perfect sense.

The Sir had said to take him to the Nightmare World.

So he would take him there.

’What was so strange about that?’

’A First-Level Wizard guiding a Third-Level Wizard... isn’t that perfectly normal?’

Rodrick bowed again. "Yes, Sir."

He paused, then added, "Sir, going to the Nightmare World requires some preparation. Opening the passage requires a specific ritual and materials. The entrance I normally use only becomes stable enough to cross at a specific time."

"If you’re not in a hurry, I should be able to take you through by tomorrow evening at the latest."

When he finished, he raised his head and watched Murphy cautiously, awaiting his response.

Murphy listened in silence, his face expressionless. After a moment, he spoke.

"Good."

Just one word.

But it made Rodrick sigh in relief.

He hurried to say, "Sir, would you like to rest here for the night? There’s a guest room upstairs. It’s simple, but quite clean. I can have my butler prepare it for you..."

"Unnecessary," Murphy cut him off.

Rodrick immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Murphy turned and walked toward the window.

The moonlight spilled over his long black robes, outlining his silhouette in silver.

Rodrick stared blankly at his back, then suddenly remembered something.

"Sir," he blurted out, "how did you get in? I mean, the guards outside, and the butler... they..."

He didn’t finish.

Because he suddenly realized how foolish the question was.

Would a Third-Level Wizard need to bother with guards and butlers to enter the villa of an ordinary Wizard?

He truly couldn’t understand why he would ask such a stupid question.

That wasn’t how a Wizard should behave.

But this sliver of doubt also vanished quickly.

Nothing remained.

But Murphy neither turned around nor answered Rodrick’s question.

He simply continued walking forward.

Before he reached the window, his figure began to fade under the moonlight, bit by bit, as Rodrick watched.

Like a wisp of smoke dissipating into the void.

Finally, he vanished completely before the window.

Only the night wind remained, carrying the fresh scent of plants and trees.

Rodrick stood there stunned, staring at the empty patch of moonlight for a very long time before he slowly came to his senses.

He looked down at himself.

His pajamas were soaked through with cold sweat, clinging icily to his skin.

Then he walked to the side of the bed and sat down hard, letting out a long breath. He couldn’t help but glance back at the window.

There was nothing there.

Only the moonlight, and the silent garden outside the window.

Rodrick leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling, his mind in a complete jumble.

A thousand chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind.

Even memories of being in his mother’s arms as a child bubbled to the surface.

But amidst the chaos, one thought remained exceptionally clear.

After sunrise, he had to prepare everything for the journey to the Nightmare World.

The Sir’s orders had to be carried out.

As for everything else...

’Was there anything else worth thinking about?’

He frowned, trying to remember if he had been thinking about something else.

But after thinking for a long while, he couldn’t recall anything.

’Forget it.’

He shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

The wall clock went TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK.

Rodrick closed his eyes, leaned against the headboard, and waited for dawn.

...

「At the same time.」

Anvil’s residence.

In the second-floor bedroom, Anvil sat on the edge of the bed. He held a burnt-out cigarette between his fingers, its ash dusting the floor.

He hadn’t lain down.

He had been sitting there ever since Tommy came back a little after three in the morning to report that Murphy was missing.

He’d kicked out the three women long ago.

He wasn’t in the mood.

Murphy was gone.

A living, breathing person had vanished from the living room into thin air.

His guy at the door said he didn’t see him leave.

His guy in the yard said he didn’t see him leave either.

He had just vanished.

Anvil took a hard drag from his cigarette, only to find it had long gone out. Annoyed, he threw the butt to the floor and crushed it under his boot.

The man he’d sent to watch the manor hadn’t come back to report yet.

That might be a good thing.

Then again, it might not be.

The good news was that Murphy hadn’t gone looking for Sir Rodrick.