I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 196

Chapter 196: IF ━ If Malak Had Not Responded （1）

# This story is based on the assumption of “What if this had happened?” and is not the official story.

‘Why? Why…!’

Paya looked at the dragon-shaped totem placed in the center of the altar, which was piled with all sorts of things, and cried out inwardly.

‘Why are you not responding? Why?’

It had already been several hours since the descent ritual began. High-level offerings, ritual tools, and a perfectly crafted totem （At least, Paya did her best to sculpt it）. The basic preparations were perfect, and the ritual proceeded smoothly in order.

Nevertheless, Malak, the Loa she served, did not respond. It wasn’t even the only ritual she performed today.

Paya had performed the ritual every time the preparations were complete, and this was the fourth ritual today. Now there were no more offerings or tools left.

‘Please…! Malak…!’

Paya closed her eyes tightly.

She thought it would be possible. According to the stories passed down from long ago, He had favored us.

He must have been heartbroken to see us suffering in this world that had turned into a nightmare.

She thought that He was simply unable to descend due to His divine status, and that He would descend immediately if the preparations were perfectly in place.

Moreover, as a priestess who had mastered the art of handling flying animals, she was certain that she had some spiritual affinity with Malak-nim, who was said to roam the skies.

Her faith was not rewarded until the very end.

“Please…!”

Finally, a sound escaped from Paya’s chapped lips.

It was after all her shamanic power had been completely exhausted. She would soon lose consciousness.

“Ah…!”

Feeling her consciousness fading, Paya collapsed with a pain-filled face.

The ritual, which she performed using all possible methods and believing it to be the last, ended in failure.

“Paya!”

As Paya saw her brother, Kanto, running towards her with a worried face, her consciousness faded away.

And so her heart crumbled.

▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄

Paya regained consciousness after several days.

“…”

Paya got up without a word and immediately shut herself in the priestess’s tent, not coming out. She didn’t show even a hint of her face despite the worries of Kanto and the tribe members.

Kanto brought food to the front of the door. A small hand popped out and took it.

“Hmm.”

Kanto let out a small groan. He was worried about his younger sister, but he didn’t interfere.

‘She probably needs some time alone.’

Unlike his appearance, which made it seem like his brain was full of muscles, he was a considerate and understanding person. Kanto turned around silently.

“…”

Paya, who was watching Kanto leave through a small gap in the tent, picked up a book again. Unlike modern paper books, these books were made of bark or animal skin.

The priestess’s tent was filled with books collected or written by the previous priestesses of the Blue Moss Tribe.

“There must be…There must be a way…”

Paya, who had directly managed the tribe in place of her brother, who was weak at using his head, knew that the end of the tribe was slowly approaching.

They might have been able to hold out a little longer if they had conserved their resources, but the tribe had made too many sacrifices for the descent ritual.

They needed another way to protect the tribe.

Paya read books ceaselessly. Until her bright eyes became bloodshot.

After a few more days, Paya came out of the tent. As soon as she came out, she ran to her brother and said,

“We need to go to the Necromancer’s Tomb with the warriors.”

It was a shocking statement. Before the bewildered Kanto could react, Paya’s explanation continued.

“The end of the tribe is approaching. Because of the cultists who have noticed that we live in the mountains, we can no longer hunt at the foot of the mountains, and with even our stored food dwindling, we will eventually starve to death.”

“Even so, the Necromancer’s Tomb…Isn’t that the tomb of Karon, the infidel?”

“We need new power to survive this winter. I will no longer…I will no longer rely on Malak-nim. I will learn necromancy. I will learn it and gain the power to defeat the demons.”

“There is a reason for all that is forbidden. That sorcery might eat away at your body and mind.”

Kanto tried to dissuade her, saying that it was too dangerous, not to mention sacrilegious, but he couldn’t break Paya’s firm will.

“It is the disaster that I brought upon us. If I hadn’t performed the descent ritual, this wouldn’t have happened. I am the priestess of the Blue Moss Tribe. I must take responsibility for the consequences.

And, I just sent Tteunteuni to Nix, the chieftain of the Sky Tree Tribe. We can’t back out now.”

“…If that is the will of Priestess Paya. But, I will go too. It is the chieftain’s duty to directly face the tribe’s crisis.”

And so the chieftain, the priestess, and the best warriors, including Denzo and Una, left the tribe. Some mourned, saying that they were sacrificing themselves to reduce the number of mouths to feed.

Symphony, where the Blue Moss Tribe was located, and Dubenheim were at the southern and northern ends of the empire, respectively. It was a very long journey, but after traveling non-stop, Paya’s group was able to reach Dubenheim.

The problem was the Sky Tree Tribe. Nix, the tribe’s chieftain and priestess, refused to guide them, saying she couldn’t help with something so unholy.

“Even if it is what the Loa desires, how can a mere priestess covet forbidden power? I would rather die at the hands of demons than become an infidel.”

“…I understand.”

Kanto and Paya nodded. In the end, they only received Tteunteuni, who had been sent by carrier pigeon, and left.

After walking for several hours, relying on an inaccurate map,

“Ah, this is it. We’re almost at the tomb. Just a little more…”

Paya’s words trailed off. It was because she came face to face with a man wearing Paladin armor.

The Paladin’s name was Reno Johnson. He was also searching for the Necromancer’s Tomb.

“What are all these damn barbarians doing…”

Reno Johnson’s sword was enveloped in light.

Unfortunately, he had a lot of experience fighting barbarians while searching for Hidden Pieces. He had almost died many times when he was low-level, so his hostility was immense.

“I’ll kill them all. These bug-like NPCs!”

The battle began without a word. Reno Johnson used his skills to pressure the barbarian warriors and killed them one by one.

Even the best warriors couldn’t stand against a Level 4 Paladin. Especially if they were warriors exhausted after a long journey.

A shining sword plunged into the chest of Denzo, Kanto’s right-hand man.

“Ugh!”

Denzo opened his eyes wide and grabbed the sword embedded in his body. It was to create an opportunity for Kanto to attack.

“Hyaah!”

Soon after, Kanto’s ax severed Reno Johnson’s neck. It was a victory without a victor.

“Denzo. My right hand. You were a great warrior and a teacher to all warriors. Rest in peace.”

Kanto looked at the lifeless Denzo with sad eyes.

Paya’s group buried the dead warriors and arrived at the Necromancer’s Tomb.

“I’ll wait here.”

Kanto, who said so, slumped to the ground. Blood was seeping from his side.

“I’ll rest for a while, so come back.”

Kanto was critically injured by Reno Johnson’s attack. He had received first aid, but without proper treatment, he would eventually die.

“Chieftain…!”

Una, who had a crush on Kanto, shed tears.

“…Okay. Please wait for me.”

But she couldn’t show tears herself. Paya swallowed her tears and turned her back.

“Paya.”

It was Kanto’s voice.

“Don’t look back.”

“…”

“Was I a good brother?”

Perhaps it was the last lingering thought of the brother who had taken care of his younger sister in place of their parents who had passed away early.

“Yes.”

Paya, whose eyes were welling up, nodded. There was no reply, but her brother must have been smiling.

Shaking off her hesitation, Paya entered the Necromancer’s Tomb. The tomb was filled with a gloomy energy, making it impossible for warriors without spiritual abilities to enter carelessly.

Chirp!

But she was not alone. Tteunteuni, the spirit pigeon, was by her side.

“Let’s go, Tteunteuni.”

Paya and Tteunteuni overcame the gloomy energy that filled the tomb with their spiritual abilities and reached the center.

She passed the murals drawn by the infidel Karon and reached the bookshelf, where she obtained the ‘Book of the Dead’, which contained necromancy.

“Huh?”

She tried to leave immediately, but something caught her eye. She felt a strange energy from the wall near the book.

‘Is it a hidden treasure? …It might be a clue to the strong power I desire.’

The wall was protected by shamanic measures, but it was nothing to Paya, who was an excellent shaman.

She dispelled the protective spell and dug into the wall. A small jar was there.

“Huh?”

As Paya approached, the jar shook, and the lid opened. Something inside the jar reacted to Paya’s strong spiritual ability.

A red spirit that was inside the jar flew towards Paya. It was Karon, who had become an evil spirit.

She was in danger of having her body taken over.

Chirp!

“Tteunteuni!”

At that moment, Tteunteuni intervened. Tteunteuni’s eyes turned red as he covered Paya and took the red spirit instead.

━ It’s a shame…But it can’t be helped.

Karon, who had taken over Tteunteuni’s body and read his memories, looked down at Paya.

━ Priestess Paya.

Paya was sitting on the floor, breathing heavily.

━ The opportunity has returned to me, to us.