Reader of the Novel’s Extra

A sharp sting on Lee's back and a heavy force, making him stumble.

Rachel's blue eyes were wide in panic as she quickly grabbed him.

Nayun was already moving, her bow firing emerald-wreathed arrows in the direction of the shot. "You bastard!"

Screams echoed as the civilian tourists scattered.

But the Heroes and Mercenaries immediately went on guard and rushed the attacker, pinning him down.

Nayun grit her teeth but she focused and pulled up her smartwatch, making a call. "Dad! I need a medic here!"

Rachel held Lee close, hugging him with wide eyes. "Lee! You can't-!"

At that time, a cold laugh echoed and a man spoke up in English.

"Princess. To live so freely despite being England's only hope..."

Rachel froze and snapped her head towards the voice. When she did, her eyes widened in shock.

A man wearing a cape. Although pinned to the ground at the moment, with his graying hair and cold eyes, Rachel recognized him in an instant.

"...Sir Lancaster."

Alex Lancaster, the previous Captain of the Royal Guard, as well as the one who taught Rachel the blade.

The Heroes and Mercenaries holding Sir Lancaster down stayed sharp. But perhaps recognizing that it was an important conversation, they didn't say anything and just let the two talk.

Rachel shifted Lee towards Nayun and drew her rapier. "...I thought you perished." She glanced towards the black veins creeping along his neck and said, "...But instead I find you sold your soul."

Sir Lancaster laughed. "I didn't sell my soul. I-"

A blinding flash. A surge of mana.

And then Lee's spear pierced Sir Lancaster's head.

A clearly fatal blow.

But the man dispersed into shadows instead.

Rachel's eyes widened and she turned to look at Lee.

His uniform had a hole in it from where he was shot in the back. And his back was bruising.

But he was fine.

Nayun was standing there, shocked, furious, but also relieved.

As for Lee himself...

"Dammit. Just a mana puppet."

...He clicked his tongue and pulled his hand back, causing his spear to fly back into his hand.

Rachel stared at Lee.

Lee glanced at her. "What?"

"You...!" Rachel didn't know whether she wanted to cry or laugh at the mix of emotions she just felt. So instead, she just grabbed Lee by his collar and started shaking him. "You are going to give me an ulcer with how much you make me deal with you despicable man!"

Lee laughed.

===

Across Wonju in a hidden room within an abandoned building, Lancaster coughed, sending out a spray of blood. "What in the world...?"

It was a simple plan.

Lancaster had seen how close Lady Rachel was to that spearman, so he had investigated. And he found out that the young man was an American.

So, to ensure his death in the most visceral way towards Lady Rachel, Lancaster had managed to procure the gun used by John Wilkes Booth to murder President Abraham Lincoln.

It was expensive. And it required him to kill quite a few people along the way.

But it was something that, even if the target survived, if they were American, they would be killed within 24 hours.

An inevitable end. A curse of death that took advantage of the weight of history.

But...

Lancaster wiped his mouth and focused on another of his clone observing the scene from a distance. "...He's fine?"

It was impossible.

It should be impossible.

But-

A flash of white.

Lancaster's eyes widened and then he felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he had been personally pierced in the heart instead of his clone.

He doubled over and coughed out another handful of blood. "What in the devil...?!"

A wound.

On him.

Through his clone.

Lancaster clutched his chest, feeling the tangible injury there.

It wasn't deep. But there WAS a wound. As if something had pierced just under his skin.

"...I underestimated him."

Was that 'Lee Shin' purposefully obscuring his full combat capabilities?

As far as anyone knew, he should be weak. His Gift was a basic Lightning Thrust that granted speed for a strike. But that should be all.

Moreover, Lee Shin lacked the ability to use magic power, sword ki, or any form of magic.

"So what is this...?!"

Lancaster could feel it.

The wound wasn't healing.

It was like the fact that his body was injured had been etched onto his very soul through his clone.

Still.

Lancaster didn't panic. He didn't rage. He remained calm and adjusted his plans.

"Lee Shin. I will remember your name."

Lancaster was caught off guard this time.

The second time wouldn't be the same.

===

[Wonju. Saturday. Midnight.]

A private black van, guarded by elite members of the Chae family.

Inside, Lee let the medic, an elderly man that Nayun called, check on him. Meanwhile, he stared at the messages in his field of view.

> Self Command activates!

> The fatal curse <Revenge of John Wilkes Booth> has been negated!

> Lightning Thrust activates!

> No Second Strike (Rederived) activates!

> The target is laced with magic power!

> The stun effect is elevated to Magic Power Backlash!

> Your proficiency increases a little!

> Mana Manipulation activates!

> You have stolen mana from the target to use in No Second Strike (Rederived)!

> A portion of the expended mana lingers!

> Your proficiency increases a little!

> The stolen mana returns to the target carrying the Magic Power Backlash!

'Interesting.'

Lee didn't know what that curse was, but from the name it was clearly a specific fatal curse meant for Americans.

That meant that Sir Lancaster, Rachel's former guardian... that guy had meant business.

'If it's anything like how Lincoln died, then it should guarantee death within 24 hours even if the initial injury is survived, right?'

Lee remembered that, contrary to popular belief, Lincoln didn't die on the spot in the theater, but actually the day after from his injuries.

It was probably a curse with a similar effect... and probably fired by the gun itself.

'It's probably a good thing Rachel destroyed it in a fit...'

Lee was NOT going to take the risk of Hajin getting a hold of that thing.

Though they were friendly right now, there was a chance that Lee could go against Hajin in the future since they had different goals.

After all, Hajin wanted to go home.

Lee wanted to stay.

'I'll need to look into whether the gun that killed Kennedy exists too...'

Since this had become a real world... and since American history was definitely the same until the 2000s, that gun definitely existed.

And Lee would rather not find out if <Self Command> also neutralized a curse from a gun that was STILL talked about today considering how it seemed to be an impossible shot.

The real details were probably straightforward, but since mythical weapons were influenced by their myths...

Yeah.

Not testing it.

But as for how Lee was right now after getting shot in the back...

"Hm." The medic looking at him said, "You appear a bit anemic, Mister Lee. And the area on your back will probably bruise. But overall, you should be fine."

"Thanks, Doc."

The medic nodded. "Then-"

The doors suddenly opened and Nayun peeked in. "Lee! Tell Rachel you aren't dying before she bursts into tears!"

Rachel rubbed her eyes, clearly glistening with unshed tears, and she said, "I-I am not crying!"

Lee laughed. "I'm fine. Right, Doc?"

The medic smiled. "Yes. Mister Lee is fine. In fact, he is fitter than most. Although..." He looked at Lee and said, "Your body cannot hold magic power. You have done well to make up for it with physical strength, but healing magic and potions will not work for you..."

Lee slipped his shirt on and said, "I know my body, Doc. Don't worry."

"...Of course."

Nayun grabbed Lee's left arm and dragged him out of the car. "Enough talk! We're heading straight back to the hotel before anything else happens!"

Rachel immediately moved to grab Lee's right hand and nodded. "Yes. We are leaving. And you are sleeping. We can shop in the morning."

Lee chuckled. "Fine... Far be it for me to worry two beautiful ladies."

Nayun grumbled and led the way. "Worry? More like give a heart attack... You do know that Yeonha is going to chew you out for this too, right? If you're not healed by the combat classes, she'll be pissed."

Lee paused. "...Fair point. I'll be careful then."

===

In the crowd of Heroes and Mercenaries at Wonju, Jain stared at Lee being dragged away by Rachel and Chae Nayun.

She was in a disguise, of course. After all, it wouldn't do to be caught while doing surveillance.

Still, since Boss had taken an interest in Lee Shin, and since Jain got an alert that Lee Shin had reserved a Portal to Wonju, she had discreetly gone along to scope him out.

And from what she saw...

'Interesting. Cheok Jungyeong would like him.'

Jain had seen Lee react.

It was clear that he sensed Lancaster early, but feigned the injury and let the man talk to Rachel.

Then Lee Shin performed a decisive strike.

Granted, it had been a simple mana clone that Lancaster sent and not the real body.

But...

'I wonder how that Lancaster is feeling right now?'

Jain had confirmed it.

Lee Shin definitely had anti-magic combat capabilities. Both defensively and offensively.

Defensively for certain since the gun that Lancaster used against Lee was HEAVILY cursed. Enough that Lee shouldn't have been able to get up from the gunshot.

But he did.

And not only that, immediately after, Lee had attacked with his Gift, <Lightning Thrust>... but at range.

People didn't notice again, likely taking it as Lancaster dissolving his own mana clone.

But Jain saw it.

The attack Lee sent had dispersed Lancaster's mana clone, shredding it apart. Definitely not in a peaceful way.

Not only that, Lancaster had a second clone observing Lee from a distance. And Lee had immediately attacked THAT clone too, using <Lightning Thrust> once more.

Jain didn't know for certain how he knew that Lancaster had a clone there. But judging from how Lee was sweeping the buildings immediately after with his eyes...

'Not luck or intuition. And not experience either... Is it simple deduction?'

If it was, that was terrifying.

Intuition was common in this world. At a certain level of magic power, the body began able to pick up on danger. The same was true after a certain level of physical training.

But Lee didn't have that. He wasn't a genius on the likes of Kim Suho or Shin Jonghak with those monstrous instincts and physiques.

Experience... Lee was too young for that.

Luck... No. It wasn't a blind throw.

That meant it had to be pure deduction. An intellectual assessment based upon reading Lancaster's motive, intentions, and then the possible locations for scouting based upon that man's capabilities.

Jain chuckled and walked away. "Boss is right. This one is someone that we can't lose."

Even if it wasn't for his anti-magic capabilities, that level of deduction as well as the complete nerves of steel and composure to wait for a fatal counterattack...

"Ah, two weeks can't pass fast enough, can they?" Jain smiled. "Boss must be losing her mind waiting~"

===

Back in his dorm room, Kim Hajin was just winding down for bed after reporting the entire situation with Yoo Yeonha.

And then he got a message.

> Luck activates! Sir Alex Lancaster made a hasty attack and suffered debilitating injuries!

> Luck activates! Rachel Elizabeth Louise has gained resolve to become stronger! Her potential has increased to 9.0!

> Luck activates! Various Heroes and Mercenaries are now wary of guns after seeing one imbued with a lethal curse! Lethality of firearms improved slightly!

> System update occurring to process new developments!

> ETA: One Week

> New functions: Book of Truth and Stigma

Hajin slowly blinked. Then he sighed and laid in bed. "...Alright. The first chance I get, I'm going to get Aether. At this point, I need all the advantages I can get..."