Memorize Chapter 263

Careful not to crush it, Baek Hangeol gently handed me the glowing orb. I took it and examined it closely on my palm. It was, quite literally, just a radiant spherical object. Yet, for some reason, I had a vague sense of what it might be.

The staff Marvolo had wielded against me—Ordo, which I’d later kicked away. I’d seen it elongate from his hand like a staff, so it surely held some hidden secret.

‘Was this in the first life? My memory is fuzzy.’

Tilting my head, I activated my Third Eye.

『Ordo of Order』

(General Description: Ordo of Order, the key to the magical city of Magia and proof of its leader, used by the ancient Hall Plain’s great archmage Marvolo de Aylight. It is essentially a crystallization of ancient magical knowledge. Being recognized as Ordo’s master grants full authority over Magia.)

(Detailed Description: 1. Exclusive equipment for Mage, Alchemist, and Priest classes. 2. Requires a binding ritual; upon success, Ordo binds to the player (binding is released upon the player's death). 3. Increases all magical attributes by 150% (includes holy spells). 4. Boosts magic recovery rate by 30%. 5. Can fully restore the player's magic, but only for the recognized master, recharging every 7 days. 6. Allows casting Dispel three times daily, based on the player's magic and luck stats, recharging daily. 7. Slightly increases basic magic resistance. 8. Grants the potential ability of Chantless Casting.)

“…”

‘Holy shit.’

I stared blankly at the floating messages, snapping back to reality under the trio’s intense gazes. I kept a calm facade, but my heart pounded like a drum. I swallowed hard, barely suppressing a grin. Forcing my twitching lips down, I handed the orb back to Baek Hangeol.

“Han-Byeol, where did you find this?”

“Well, I’m not sure where it came from. When we went to get you, it floated up from where the mage fell and hovered there. So I grabbed it…”

“Good job. Let’s keep it safe and analyze it back in the city.”

Objectively, this expedition had already paid off massively with just Ordo. But that wasn’t the end. Marvolo’s stronghold surely held the items I remembered. Thinking about claiming them all, I struggled to keep my mouth from splitting into a wide grin.

I steadied myself and waited for Go Yeon-Joo. About ten minutes after inspecting Ordo, I saw figures approaching, stepping over fallen bodies. I didn’t need to look closely to know it was Go Yeon-Joo, An-Hyun, and Yun-Jung, back from scouting.

Go Yeon-Joo’s expression was calm, but An-Hyun and Yun-Jung’s cheeks were puffed out. The city’s former grandeur had faded significantly. They must’ve been disappointed seeing the crystal windows we’d passed earlier now reduced to tattered rags.

“Su-Hyeon, you’re up.”

“Hyung! You scared the hell out of us.”

“Oppa, are you okay? Does it hurt?”

As they reached us, the three expressed relief at seeing me awake. Their concern warmed my heart. I nodded a couple of times in gratitude and spoke in a low voice.

“Although I'm a bit tired, it's not to the point where it's difficult to move. I heard you scouted—how’s the area? Any signs of Riverside clan members or the rescue team?”

Go Yeon-Joo, perhaps exasperated by my immediate shift to business, gave a wry smile.

“Nothing. Not a trace. It feels like a desolate ghost city. We checked a few buildings, but nothing triggered any reactions.”

“Hm. You haven’t crossed the bridge yet?”

“No. That would’ve taken longer, so we waited for you to wake up.”

“Got it.”

As I stood, a sharp dizziness hit me, but I focused on balance and avoided collapsing. Go Yeon-Joo suggested rest, but I refused. Lingering here for half-hearted rest was less efficient than finishing up and returning to the city to recover properly.

I stretched deeply and glanced at the bridge. It was my second objective, but we’d already dealt with the boss before crossing. As I took the lead, the clan members instinctively formed a formation.

Watching them assemble, I was about to say, “Let’s go claim our rewards,” but I paused and changed my words.

“We might be too late.”

“Huh?”

“The players who came here first… Let’s move. No immediate dangers detected, so let’s go quickly.”

With that, I began a brisk march for rescue and exploration.

We crossed the bridge swiftly and advanced straight along a wide avenue. The scenery before and after the bridge was subtly different. My target wasn’t the crumbling buildings but the towering castle ahead.

‘Mana elixirs, weapons, classes… Marvolo’s research achievements are there too. Ha-Yeong and Vivienne will be thrilled. Hell yeah.’

In the first life, many clans participated in Marvolo’s defeat, so rewards were split thinly. But we had the chance to claim it all. That’s why I dragged the clan here. Magia was a treasure trove, brimming with riches preserved over 300 years.

The avenue to the castle was lined with buildings infused with mages’ aesthetics, not just plain structures. Unlike the ruins before the bridge, these buildings weren’t completely dilapidated. As the distant castle loomed larger, the sense of desolation lessened slightly. The eerie atmosphere lingered, but the clan’s expressions began to soften with excitement.

Ignoring other buildings under the pretense of rescuing players, we arrived at our destination faster than expected.

“Phew, we made it to the castle. But are there really players here?”

“He said he locked some up. If so, they’re likely in his stronghold—the castle.”

Answering Go Yeon-Joo casually, I looked up at the castle. It was truly an ancient fortress, still retaining a faint trace of its former glory. But that was it.

The bricks forming the walls were dark and grimy, with loose joints that looked ready to crumble if kicked. Some areas had gaping holes. Though the structure held its shape, it exuded the aura of a dead castle.

“Ugh… This is a castle? It smells like a wet dog.”

“Hey, Yun-Jung, we’re here to rescue players. Watch your mouth.”

“Crazy bastard, what’s that supposed to mean? Who said I’m not rescuing them? Are you gonna save them and leave empty-handed?”

“Just kidding, kidding. I meant don’t get your hopes up.”

Could they have such a conversation if their comrades were truly trapped inside? Thinking back to our early days in the Rite of Passage, it was a bit sad, but I didn’t stop them. This was part of adapting to Hall Plain.

Listening to their banter, I stepped into the desolate castle. The gates were wide open, posing no barrier.

*

Unlike the outside, the castle’s interior was relatively well-kept—relatively speaking.

At the entrance, statues of mages holding ornate staves caught my eye. Most were marble, but their eyes and staff tips gleamed with something shiny. Gems.

‘Gotta strip those clean on the way out.’

Since I planned to scour every corner of the castle and strip it bare, I decided to take my time with the rewards. After entering, we walked down a long corridor, glancing at portraits of unknown figures hanging on the walls.

Soon, we arrived at a grand hall with a spacious interior. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, a smooth U-shaped staircase led to the second floor, and rectangular windows, though grimy, were neatly aligned.

But the most striking feature was the massive fireplace directly ahead. About two meters tall and one meter wide, its interior was pitch black.

‘Time to head underground.’

The clan’s gazes were mostly fixed on the second floor. The structure led from the second to the third, and then to the fourth floor. Wondering if my memory might be off, I considered climbing the stairs but turned to Go Yeon-Joo instead.

“Go Yeon-Joo, have you scanned the area?”

“I did as soon as we entered. Nothing on the first or second floors. We’d need to go higher to know more.”

“Where do you think the captured players are?”

“Hmm. If you’re asking for the Shadow Queen’s opinion…”

Go Yeon-Joo paused, dramatically lifting her leg and slamming it down.

Boom!

“Right now, I can sense mana flowing downward. Back in Mule, I built a similar underground setup for an inn. I’d bet my life there’s a door to a basement somewhere in this castle, and that’s where the players are.”

“I agree. Finding that door is the key.”

“Hoho, nailed it, didn’t I? Alright then…”

“Alright then, what?”

I shot back sharply, and Go Yeon-Joo burst into laughter. Sighing, I crossed the center of the hall.

I intensified my mana and spread my detection in a fan shape. As I scanned slowly from the rear, I felt the clan members following closely behind.

I already knew where the door to the basement was. But if I went straight to it, I’d draw suspicious looks. So, I’d dropped a hint to Go Yeon-Joo. It was a bit tedious, but as the saying goes, “Tap the stone bridge before crossing.” I decided to treat this as a confirmation process. As my mana detection brushed past the fireplace, I sensed something unusual, as expected.

“The fireplace seems suspicious.”

“It’s definitely an odd size.”

Staring at it briefly, I stepped inside. Its massive size allowed easy entry. A musty, old smell stung my nose, but it was bearable.

“───. ───. ───. Light.”

Without prompting, the quick-witted Kim Han-Byeol cast a Light spell. A fist-sized orb of light floated in, illuminating the interior.

“…”

As expected, the fireplace was unnaturally deep. The light drifted about five meters before stopping, brightly lighting up the surroundings. And then…

“Huh? What’s that? Something’s in there?”

“It’s a door! Wow… a door inside a fireplace.”

We discovered a heavy iron door, tightly shut, inside the fireplace.

“A door in a fireplace? That’s shady as hell.”

“Let’s hurry. Rescue comes first.”

Urging the clan, I stepped up to the door. Examining it closely, I noticed it wasn’t locked. An-Hyun peeked over my shoulder and whispered:

“Hyung, is this the door to the basement?”

“Most likely.”

“Then the players are…”

“Let’s open it and find out. Everyone, get into formation and draw your weapons. Han-Byeol, can you maintain the Light spell?”

I waited as the clan prepared. Once they were ready, I reached for the round doorknob.

Creak!

The iron hinges groaned unpleasantly, but the tightly shut door began to open. As I pulled it fully, a long, dark blue staircase stretched downward before us.

‘Bingo.’

The Light spell illuminated the stairs. They were longer than expected. Warning the clan to watch their step, I began descending slowly.

*

About 20 minutes into the descent, a strange scent filled the air, and an indescribable, oppressive atmosphere weighed down on us. Even with careful steps, the underground staircase stretched on endlessly.

But I instinctively knew it would end soon. The scent growing stronger wasn’t just a fragrance anymore—it was a vile mix of blood, night-blooming flowers, body odor, and bodily fluids. As the stench intensified, I stopped enhancing my sense of smell with mana.

That’s when it happened. The light orb, descending ahead, stopped as if blocked. Halting my steps, I peered closely and saw a large wooden door painted black in front of it.

“…”

The surroundings were silent. Though the battle was over, a different kind of tension began to swirl. I readied my Sun-Moon Divine Sword for action and approached the door. Stopping just in front, I noticed an inscription at eye level.

It was in an ancient language, but I had some knowledge of it. As I deciphered the text, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Go Yeon-Joo silently pressing a finger to her lips, gesturing inside three or four times—a signal that she sensed something within. I nodded and quietly drew my Sun-Moon Divine Sword.

Before opening the door, I read the inscription again.

‘Remember that day. Abandon emotion and become a beast.’