Possessor #2 Just Wants to Fangirl Chapter 172

“Not me! I’m attracted to the war-starting apple! If I pick it, it’s the apocalypse!”

I adamantly refused to pick the apple. As I waved both hands and backed away, my team members helped me out.

“Right! Yeon Sora should be excluded from the options entirely!”

“The person herself doesn’t want to—forcing her doesn’t seem right….”

“D-don’t make her do something she hates!”

Yet Junhwi remained firm.

“A result is a result.”

“Only Yeon Sora can do this.”

Surprisingly, Hyeonmin also took Junhwi’s side.

When our eyes met, Hyeonmin glanced at the monster collapsed on the ground, then met my gaze again.

The message was clear.

‘You’re saying the prophet has to choose?’

Logically, it makes sense. The problem is I’m still only a prophet-in-training.

I don’t know anything. It’s too nerve-wracking to gamble when the fate of the world is at stake.

“I really, truly don’t know anything this time….”

I earnestly pleaded while starting to backstep again, when Hyeonmin said something unexpected.

“You don’t need to know.”

“But—”

“Just do it like yesterday.”

“…!”

My worries vanished completely. Because I’d gained a very important realization from this short exchange.

‘Treasure hunting has absolutely nothing to do with prophecy!’

The treasure I found yesterday had nothing to do with future knowledge.

There was one reason I could perform well.

Because I had a quest window that only I could see! And I still have that window.

【Viewing Side Quest <Tower’s Wish>】

————————

…

☑︎ 3F: Find the ‘Goddess’s Vessel’ (3 points)

☐ 4F: Harvest the ‘Goddess’s Seed’ (3 points)

☐ 5F: (Information cannot be accessed)

————————

Today’s mission is the seed.

Roughly surveying the area, this garden has nothing but grass and weeds except for the apple tree. The only thing that could be called a seed is the golden apple.

Then as the quest participant, I should pick the apple.

“Okay, I’ll go.”

I nodded my head resolutely. There was no hesitation. Because I know the method for picking the apple.

I just need to follow yesterday’s winning strategy. In other words, summon the fairy and threaten her.

Then the first thing I need is securing a hostage.

‘As expected, the snake’s the easiest target, right?’

My gaze turned to the 100 snakes sleeping on the ground. They’re monsters with the name Ladon, whose title is ‘Guardian of the Golden Apples.’

An important monster protecting the treasure. The fairy will probably call them ‘divine beasts.’

“I’m going to approach the monster now, so don’t be too surprised, okay?”

After giving that warning and about to move, Juwan startled and tried to approach me.

But Hyeonmin blocked his path by extending the holy sword. Fortunately, the sword was sheathed.

“Don’t interfere.”

“Even if it’s sleeping, it’s still a monster. It could be dangerous—”

“Yeon Sora is not a child.”

“……”

“She’s the one who put that snake to sleep too.”

The first persuasion attempt didn’t work at all, but the second statement was quite effective. Juwan hesitated but held his position, and I moved toward the monster alone.

But an anomaly occurred before I reached my destination.

Clunk!

A strange sound came from under my feet. Looking down, my foot was stepping on a rectangular-shaped stone.

That stone floor trembled with a shudder, then suddenly shot upward. It started ascending vertically like an elevator.

“Kyaaa!”

The small rectangle could barely fit one person standing, so I might fall if I’m not careful. I lay flat on the floor and squeezed my eyes shut.

‘Please tell me… this isn’t divine punishment?’

I feel guilty since I was just about to stage a hostage situation.

Just as I was about to start repenting,

Clunk—

With a dull sound, the movement stopped.

Dense darkness spreads before me. Fog is also thick. I can’t see my babies.

“Juwan! Hyeonmin! Junhwi! Boram!”

No matter how much I shouted, no sound came back.

I’ve entered some kind of space alone.

Being left alone made my heart pound a little, but I tried my best to regain composure and looked at the moving stone floor.

‘Is it a device activated by pure mana?’

When Go Daesik ran around earlier, nothing happened, but when I stepped on it, the floor became an elevator.

It’s designed to only carry those with pure mana.

This is a good sign.

As I spun the positive-thinking circuit like that,

Whiiiish—!

A warm wind blew over and swept away the fog. Before my cleared vision, a three-pronged path shaped like a fork glowed green.

Golden apples shone at the end of the paths. At the entrance stood signposts with familiar phrases written in Korean.

————=

Those who wish to wear the crown, all lands shall be placed beneath your feet.

Those who desire wisdom, the path shall be visible in all wars.

Those who desire love, the most beautiful being shall stand beside you.

————=

I first moved straight along the first path. The order doesn’t matter anyway, so I started from the leftmost.

Trudge trudge.

After walking for about 20 seconds, I reached the end.

A golden apple hung from a single branch at waist height, so I wrapped both hands around it, when—

Sssss—

A damp, moisture-filled sensation spread over me.

It’s made of pure mana material! A condition for treasure.

‘But I still need to verify!’

I pulled out a dagger from my inventory and called its peculiar whistle-like name, then with a pop sound, the fairy appeared.

“Wh-what, how did you get here— What are you doing?”

The fairy looked around, then startled when she saw me. Because I was holding the dagger and taking the apple hostage.

“This is a dagger used in alchemy class. It can’t cut people or animals, but when it comes to plants and herbs, its cutting power is incredible.”

“So why are you—”

“There are three golden apples here. Which one is real?”

Even I think I look exactly like a villain.

It’s fortunate Juwan isn’t here. My baby would be very disappointed seeing this.

The fairy crossed her arms and started huffing.

“You know you’re really evil, right?”

“Could you call me wise instead?”

“Threatening with a knife and you want wisdom?”

“Have you never heard of Solomon?”

“……”

Humanity’s great predecessor left behind a lesson. If you want to distinguish real from fake, pull out a knife first!

If this golden apple is real, the fairy will tearfully back down for the apple’s safety.

However, the fairy showed no sign of wavering.

“I have no obligation to tell you! I told you, right? We’re not in a master-servant contract.”

“If you don’t talk, I’ll stab it?”

“Hmph!”

She just snorted. And I don’t feel inclined to stab an innocent apple with my own hands….

A situation where Solomon’s wisdom doesn’t work.

After pondering for a while, I belatedly realized my mistake.

‘Idiot! Apples don’t bleed when you stab them!’

The threatening method was wrong. Humans die when you cut them and blood flows, but apples don’t die even when spurting juice.

I have to put the apple in real danger for the hostage situation to work.

Fwoosh!

If it burns in fire, even apples would be in danger.

When I conjured a small Fireball in my left hand, only then did the fairy’s complexion turn pale.

“Tell me. Is this apple real?”

“Y-yes, it’s real!”

“You’re not lying?”

“You know! If I lie to you, I turn to powder!”

“So this is the real one?”

“……”

“Then the rest are unnecessary, so I’ll burn them all?”

Fwoosh!

“N-no! All three are real!”

As I waved the enlarged fire around, the fairy panicked and started spilling words rapidly.

“B-but two of them cause war and discord, and only one brings peace!”

“So which one’s the peace apple?”

“I, I don’t know either! Only a human who can read the great goddess’s will can taste it! That’s all I know!”

Even with hard-core threatening, the result was the same.

All three apples are the goddess’s possessions. But two of them bring destruction endings. The correct answer only comes when the right person eats one.

In other words, the fairy doesn’t know the answer either.

“So if you taste it, the ability manifests? Then is it okay to just pick them without eating?”

“Huh? Yeah….”

While the fairy folded her wings dejectedly, I used the dagger to harvest all three golden apples, then headed to the stone floor elevator.

“What are you going to do?”

“Ask.”

There’s one thing to do when you don’t know the answer.

I have to ask Junhwi.

* * *

I brought all three apples down and explained the situation.

Three apples, only one is real.

Only one person can eat.

Who should eat which apple?

After I threw out the question like this, all sorts of opinions started flying.

By the way, they say Yeon Sora shouldn’t eat any.

“Yeon Sora is… dangerous. It’s from a completely different source, but considering her constitution, it’s a bit worrying.”

“Constitution?”

“Even though it’s in a fairytale, there’s a case of falling asleep after eating an apple.”

“…!”

“Sn-Snow White!”

“S-Sora can’t eat it!”

Since Yeon Sora has Sleeping Beauty Syndrome, eating an apple is dangerous.

Hearing it put that way, it makes sense, so we decided someone other than Yeon Sora would eat the apple…. The conversation isn’t pleasant.

Three candidates emerged.

Gyeon Junhwi, Ki Hyeonmin, and Yeom Juwan.

But….

“Isn’t this Ki Hyeonmin’s? Ki Hyeonmin is stronger than Yeom Juwan, right?”

“But peace doesn’t come from strength alone. Wisdom is important, right?”

“The apple of wisdom is one Athena gives to heroes. It opens paths for individuals with basic combat ability, so Ki Hyeonmin and Yeom Juwan suit it. On the other hand, power is… no matter how you look at it, Gyeon Junhwi.”

I think I understand why the golden apple is called the seed of discord.

At first they unfolded logical reasoning, but gradually the conversation became increasingly frown-worthy.

“Ki Hyeonmin is… no, Yeom Juwan is more cooperative. It’s hard to imagine Ki Hyeonmin stepping up to prevent discord.”

“Then we abandon power?”

“No matter how strong you are, you can’t match forces, right? In that sense, if Gyeon Junhwi gains power….”

Something feels… wrong about this.

It feels like we’re evaluating my babies.

Each has strengths and weaknesses, but it’s uncomfortable comparing them to each other and determining one side’s superiority. I just have a strong feeling that this entire situation is somehow twisted.

“I’m dropping out.”

Nauseated by the conversation, I just walked away to somewhere I couldn’t hear anything.

Then a large stone monument appeared before me.

————==

The earth goddess bestows a blessing upon the human who has come this far. You will be allowed to taste the god’s gift for just one bite, so choose carefully.

What do you truly desire?

————==

What I truly desire….

At least not this current situation.

I feel like I’m getting a hunch….