The name didnt matter much to me. Among the items that directly boosted stats, this pair of gloves was the cheapest and most efficient.

As I was tightening the Velcro strap around my wrist, Ye-eun approached me curiously.

Hey, ahjussi, are you a biker?

Ugh, ahjussi?

No, I havent even been near a motorcycle.

Really? But then why do you dress like a crazy person?

Her question was brutally honest. I responded with equal honesty.

Well maybe because I am a bit crazy?

Was my answer too honest? Ye-eun stepped back slightly with a confused expression on her face. Oh no is she going to cause another accident by moving around like that?

Hey, wait!

It was already too late. With Ye-eun stepping back, she knocked over a hanging cauldron. The large cauldron tumbled down and scattered various items everywhere.

[Invisible Hand]

I had to use a spell to catch it. I definitely didnt want another chaotic mess like before.

Ye-eun was startled to see the falling cauldron suddenly stop in mid-air and then gently lower down.

Wow! Are you a person with special abilities, ahjussi?

No, Im a mage.

A mage? Oh! Is that why youre wearing a mask?

Yes.

I wasnt sure what connection mages had with masks, but I was too lazy to say anything else so I just said yes.

Wow!

Clatter, bang!

Ye-euns was excited by my response and her enthusiastic jump caused more items to tumble down.

Just wow, please stay still.

This shop was far too dangerous for a girl her age brimming with energy.

Why on earth did he let her work here? Did he say this was her first day?

Hey ahjussi, do you want to see some masks? There are really a lot over there!

Evidently thrilled from having seen magic a few times unintentionally, she pulled me towards a corner of the pawnshop.

Did they sell masks here? I hadnt specifically looked for masks in this place, so it was possible I didnt know about them.

The area Ye-eun led me to was filled with a collection of masks.

There were traditional items like Hahoe masks, presumably Japanese and Chinese masks, along with colorful Venetian masks and even some scary ones that might have belonged to an African tribe.

I guess its possible that I didnt remember them.

They were just ordinary masks after all.

I wasnt sure if there was any antique value to them, but for the most part, they were items of little significance to me.

Still, maybe these masks are more convincing than those cheap plastic ones?

Before I was dragged into this world, I certainly never had an interest in masks of any sort.

However, now many things had changed. Was it because of my mask obsession?

The items I saw were just ordinary masks with no special functions or abilities, yet for some reason, they all seemed fascinating to me.

Eventually, I found myself slowly taking time to browse through the masks.

How about it? There are some good ones, right?

From Ye-euns expression, it seemed I had moved in a way that made me look like a serious mask otaku without even realizing it.

I tried to respond to Ye-eun, but I couldnt open my mouth.

[System: Madmans Luck effect is activated.]

This was because a strange noise came from among the masks.

El, El, El Ugh, Ugh, Ykaaa Lgeb. Zackl Va.

It was a very strange sound.

Zi, Kur Ugh, Ugh Az Ai!

There was a ticklish sensation beneath the mask.

Ye-eun, who had not noticed my abnormality kept chattering about something but I couldnt quite make out what she was saying.

Where is this sound coming from?

It was definitely a sound from among the masks. Yes. There, that one.

Among the cluttered masks scattered around, the most unique and special one caught my eye.

It was a mask.

It was modeled after the shape of a hideous goblin. It was a mask of an odd form, with two additional holes beneath the eyeholes.

Meaning it didnt have two eyeholes but four, which made it an utterly fascinating design.

What was stuck to my face right now?

Ah, it was a crude plastic mask imitating a skull.

To think I was wearing such a toy.

This couldnt be called a mask.

The real mask was over there.

I wanted to wear that one. A young human female spoke to me. I knew her name Ah, was it Ye-eun? Why was she talking to me?

I need to wear that mask.

-Fhaan cthull, Venyuo aan Gi EL.

That was the real mask.

I came here to become one with that mask. My obsession with masks that was embedded in my mind existed for this very moment.

Slowly, I reached out for the mask

Fizzz

[System: The unique trait Madness of the Abyss has been activated. The effect of distortion has been nullified.]

Are you going to buy that one?

This was the voice of Jeong Eun-taek, the pawnshop owner.

Yes?

No, wait.

What was it?

A hallucination? No, was there disorientation? When did it start? Why didnt I get a message about disorientation? Did it appear and I just didnt remember?

An unpleasant sensation overwhelmed me. My memories werent fully connected.

Ye-eun stood right beside me, her face betraying no sign of anything amiss.

Contrary to my perception, was I looking at the masks while having a good conversation with Ye-eun?

In my hand was the same mask I had seen earlier.

Are you interested in that mask?

Jeong Eun-taek seemed to have formed a different impression as he noticed my momentary hesitation.

How much is it?

Hmm let me see it.

Here it is.

Jeong Eun-taek took the mask and looked at it for a moment using strange glasses with dozens of lenses, and then he made a hissing sound.

This doesnt seem like something youd be interested in.

He implied it was just an ordinary item that had no connection to magical artifacts or the being of the abyss.

Is that so?

Strange.

Because my eyes were seeing something quite different.

[??s Mask (??-rank Accessory): Mask of unknown origin. Research or appraisal is required to determine its nature.]

This was undoubtedly an unappraised artifact.

It was an item whose true value could only be discerned if you took the time to appraise it.

But even Jeong Eun-taek cant appraise it?

Jeong Eun-taek was an NPC with appraisal skills.

During gameplay in [Cthulhu World], it was common to bring unappraised artifacts to Jeong Eun-taek for appraisal.

Items he couldnt appraise were usually mythical or legendary stuff. In terms of rank, they were SSS or higher.

Is this mask one of those items? But why didnt I know about such a mask?

It was an artifact I had never seen before.

Now that I think about it, didnt a trait activate earlier?

[Madmans Luck: If you have a mental illness, Hidden Artifact Discovery Probability and Crafting Success Rate increase. The owner of this trait is considered to have Unexpected Success, Brilliant Creativity, and Random Encounter traits.]

Ah thats it. Was this an artifact I couldnt have found without this trait?

In any case, it was a hidden artifact I had never seen before. I wanted to take it and discover its abilities.

I tried to hide my excitement in my voice as I spoke.

Id like to have it, even if its just a trivial item. As you can see, Im collecting masks.

Hmm Is that so?

Jeong Eun-taek peered at my face through his strange glasses.

He had the look of someone appraising an item as if I were the merchandise.

Then, suddenly, he broke into a generous smile.

Well, if you want such trinkets, Ill give you one as a gift.

He reached out and held out the mask to me. I took it and replied,

Thank you.

He must think he made a good deal by buying the orb at a fair price. He was probably confident he could make a profit of five or six thousand from an easy customer. Considering the buying price of the items he sold me, it was indeed a jackpot day for him.

Weve both made a good trade, it seems. Do come again.

Thats right. Ill visit often.

I hope to see you for a long time.

The average lifespan of fixers in Paju, which was almost like a den of thieves, was extremely short.

For someone like Jeong Eun-taek to retire unscathed was a rare occurrence indeed.

I placed the money I received in my backpack and left the pawnshop.

I could hear Ye-eun shouting something about me coming again, but I could also hear Jeong Eun-taek telling her not to come back again from tomorrow.

Anyway, it was a good deal.

Lets go to the motel quickly. I need to check the mask properly in a place where no one else is around.

***

As soon as I got back to the motel, I briefly cleaned up the room.

It wasnt a complicated preparation, but I was about to conduct a magic ritual.

Even though it might be a hassle, it was better to perform at least a minimal purification.

I scattered a handful of salt from the pawnshop in each corner of the room.

Then I put all unnecessary items in my backpack and threw it in the bathroom.

There were two tasks to accomplish.

First, I needed to seal the [Wriggling Slime] and [Black Goats Body Fluid].

Next, I planned to examine the mask I had received from the pawnshop.

Before inspecting the mask, I must seal these first. If I become disoriented while examining the mask, theres no knowing what these guys would do.

No matter how strong I am, I cant afford to be careless.

These are not mere objects.

They are items imbued with the power of beings from the abyss.

They are mediums that can directly connect to those beings, fragments of them, and perhaps even their avatars.

They possess their own will and desire, along with the power to realize it.

They always manifest in ways that destroy or corrupt human souls.

Special measures are necessary to block their power.

I laid a black cloth on a small round table beside the bed and placed a small crystal pillar about 10cm in length, on it.

Then I took out incense candles and lit them. All these items were stuff I bought from the pawnshop.

The cloth was made from the skin of a hungry ghost that was purified by exposing it to sunlight and moonlight for a hundred days and a hundred nights.

The incense candles were made by hardening cedar scent mixed with corpse wax (a wax-like organic substance formed by body fat in corpses).

I closed my eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and then moved my hands using magical power.

Kiiiiing

A trail of fluorescent light formed following the movement of my hands.

And now, to form the magic circle.

Usually, these circles are drawn in a circular shape with triangles or squares, considering symmetry, symbolism, and aesthetics to create a beautiful and mystical form.

In reality, this isnt necessary. A magic circle is essentially just a kind of circuit diagram.

Its not the shape thats crucial, as long as there is input, processing, amplification, and output.

Of course, magic academies or magic towers must consider visibility and teaching convenience, so they enforce the use of shapes that are easy to replicate and manual-friendly.

For example, an equilateral triangle inside a circle is said to enhance the power of fire magic.

As for me I have no need to teach others, nor do I need to remember magic circles in specific forms.

Therefore, I ignored symmetry and symbolism and focused solely on the most efficient and practical form for the magic circle.

The result looked like wild graffiti.

Good, just a few more like this.

Magic circles with the meanings of sealing, weakening, confinement, and purifying begin to emerge.