The walk to the museum ended up taking far longer than necessary. Not only did Iske have to keep stopping to ask for directions, but he was more focused in admiring the city around him than in actually reaching his destination.
For him, it was an incredible experience—seeing the city he had only ever imagined was actually amazing. Even though Iske's memories had already shown him this place, seeing it for himself was something else entirely.
Because of that, it took fifteen minutes for Iske to reach the museum.
Massive stone columns lined the entrance, and the air was filled with the faint smell of old paper and varnish. Glass cases held artifacts lit softly beneath high, arched ceilings, casting a warm, golden glow. The quiet, reverent atmosphere made every step feel heavier, as if he’d stepped into another era entirely.
Walking through the quiet, peaceful halls, Iske paid no mind to the exhibits or artifacts around him. He moved with purpose, eyes scanning the space, focused solely on finding something specific.
It didn’t take long for him to find it.
A long, heavy purple cloth hung suspended in the air by magic, completely concealing an exhibit that seemed not yet revealed to the public.
‘I found it’
This was exactly what Iske had been searching for—the clue that would tell him precisely which part of the novel’s timeline he was currently in.
The exhibition concealed by the magical cloth featured artifacts discovered in a tomb within the Lost Lands—a region that was never reclaimed after the Great War against the Demons thousands of years ago.
‘It was an incredible find, no doubt. The only problem is they brought back something far more dangerous. The evil spirit of an ancient demon.’
‘That spirit will cause an incident—the first that will involve Iske. And it will happen on the very day this exhibition is inaugurated. That’s why I’m here, if I see what day will be the inauguration, I’ll know how many days I have until I have to be a part of the story’
As he approached the cloth, he was suddenly stopped by an invisible barrier. A magical display flickered into view, like a primitive, enchanted version of a hologram. Only one message appeared on the display: “Date of inauguration: 03/23.”
‘Alright, today is day six. That gives me two weeks until the first incident I need to be involved in. After that, I have about five months before the event that will turn me into a vessel for the Demon King.’
‘Five months to form my core’
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Iske nodded to himself with clarity and turned away from the magical cloth. He then made his way back, intent on leaving the museum now that he had accomplished what he came for.
‘Five months, that’s not what I wanted, but I guess I can manage. Within these months, I have to form a connection with Jasper, and get the crystals from him, the sooner I do that, the better it will be’
‘Let’s start my plan then’
Iske nodded in silent agreement with himself, then turned and headed toward the exit, leaving the quiet halls of the museum behind.
Reaching the bustling streets, Iske set off with steady strides toward his next stop: an antique shop.
‘I need a ring, some paper, a good knife… and a doll,’
Iske walked through the city streets with purpose, knowing exactly where he was going: the city’s most respected antique shop. Thanks to his knowledge from the novel, he found it easily within minutes.
The exterior of the shop was unassuming, its sign worn and its windows cluttered with faded curios. But as he entered, a world of relics unfolded around him. The air was thick with the scent of dust, aged wood, and paper, as if time itself had settled here.
Shelves groaned under the weight of countless objects—trinkets tarnished by years, peculiar dolls with lifeless, glassy eyes, and ornate masks whose empty gazes seemed to follow him as he moved deeper into the shop.
‘It does seem like an antique shop, though all of this is just a disguise’
Behind the shelves of relics, the antique shop was much more than it appeared—it is an operational base for the Special Forces, the government's elite unit tasked with dealing rogue mages.
At the counter stood a young woman, her short, tousled blonde hair falling loosely around her face. She wore a white blouse tucked under a tailored dark jacket, her expression tinged with boredom as she leaned on the counter, her deep brown eyes momentarily focused on a small object in her hands.
Iske recognized her instantly. One of the characters of the novel, Maria, a mage assistant
Her gaze lifted as Iske approached, and she paused, assessing him with a detached curiosity, followed by a polite smile.
“Hello, how can I help you?” Maria greeted him, her tone polite but warm, a slight spark of curiosity in her gaze.
"I'm looking for an old ring, some paper… and a doll," Iske replied, trying to sound casual.
Maria raised an eyebrow at the odd combination. “We don’t carry paper, but we have plenty of dolls and rings.” She gestured to a shelf lined with a variety of antique dolls, their glassy eyes staring blankly out. “Feel free to choose a doll from there. I'll go check our stock in the back for rings.”
With that, she slipped through a door behind the counter, leaving him alone with the silent collection of dolls.
While waiting for Maria to return, Iske scanned the shelf and quickly settled on a small rag doll—a bear with black button eyes. It was stitched in a slightly crooked way, giving it an oddly charming, worn look.
Maria returned quickly, placing five worn rings on the counter, each with a different design and the faint patina of age. "We have more in the back if you’d like to see them," she offered.
Iske gave the rings a cursory glance before shaking his head. "No, one of these will do just fine." He picked one at random—a simple, tarnished silver band with faint engravings along the edge. It didn’t matter much which one he chose; he knew any of them would suit his purpose.
Maria pulled out a small, worn notebook from beneath the counter and flipped it open, presenting it to Iske with a neutral expression. "We have this type of paper. Will it do?"
Iske glanced at the pages, nodding. “That will do, thanks.”
With a swift motion, Maria tore out a clean sheet and handed it to him, her tone polite but a little distant. “The ring is fifty Gemmas, and the doll is twenty.”
Iske reached into his pocket, pulled out a stack of notes, and carefully counted the amount before handing it over to her. “Here.”
She counted the money, her fingers moving with practiced ease. Once satisfied, she tucked the notes into the register and looked up with a smile. “Thank you for your purchase. We appreciate your business.”
Iske gave a small nod in return, the exchange brief and efficient. He took the paper, doll, and ring, then turned to leave, the door chimes echoing softly behind him.
On the streets, Iske thought, ‘Well, that was kinda anticlimactic for my first meeting with any character, though I guess I shouldn’t have expected much, since Maria is just a minor character’
He glanced at the items in his hands—the paper, ring, and doll—and allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. “Now all I need is a good knife,”
‘After that everything will be ready for my plan’ Iske though with a mischievous grin, ‘I’ll extort Jasper of all his crimson crystals’