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Thus, when Jinseong mentions a ‘proper’ shaman, he refers to one in the singular.

Not ‘shamans’ who operate on the stage of Africa, but simply a ‘shaman.’

There is only one shaman who has settled there.

“There exists a shadowmancer there.”

A shaman known as a shadowmancer resides in Africa.

“Shadowmancer…?”

Agnes mumbled the unfamiliar name. It was a term she had never once heard while traveling the world.

“I’d guess the name suggests it’s a shaman who uses magic related to shadows, am I right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Jinseong nodded in response to Agnes’s question.

“A shadowmancer is a shaman who explores shadow-related magic.”

Shadows.

At first glance, it doesn’t quite register.

Shadows, shadows, shadows.

The only thing that immediately comes to mind when thinking of manipulating shadows is a child’s play of shadow puppets.

Having a bright light on and moving one’s hands around to create shadows resembling animals or objects, nothing more than a child’s trivial amusement—shadow play.

That was all that came to mind when it came to shadows.

Shadows are simply something that clings to one’s body.

Related to light and darkness, they deepen in blackness as light intensifies…

The typical view of a shadow is just that.

However…if one digs a little deeper…

“Since ancient times, shadows have been believed to be closely related to the soul.”

You encounter deep, eerie symbols.

The soul.

The ego.

The doppelganger.

Furthermore, even existence.

Shadows embody all of these; they serve as symbols.

“Have you ever heard of the story of the man who sold his shadow?”

In the 19th century, a piece written by Adelbert von Chamisso from Germany exists.

It’s the tale of the man who sold his shadow.

A destitute man sells his shadow to a mysterious figure and receives a magical purse from which gold coins flow endlessly. The man rises to wealth and fame, yet, unfortunately, he could not truly enjoy it.

Because he had no shadow.

He could not roam during the day.

At night, he couldn’t walk in brightly lit areas either.

He had to avoid torches and could only act in the dark.

Simply moving about required a servant, and though he felt a fateful love, being without a shadow kept him from approaching and left him suffering from unrequited love.

And in the end, he was exiled by people who eventually noticed he had no shadow.

Thus, the man became a wanderer…

“Yes, I know. But that man didn’t sell his soul; he sold his shadow, didn’t he?”

“That’s true. Yet, some interpret it this way: the man sold his shadow, which was visible to people, a signal of his existence in this world. Thus, by selling his shadow, he became seen by God as devoid of soul, as non-existent in the eyes of people…”

“…That’s an interesting interpretation.”

“Indeed. The ensuing debate about whether such shadows can transact, remain eternally bound, and exist unchanging is also fascinating… But we needn’t delve that deep.”

Jinseong paused and smiled brightly.

“There are several other stories. Like the one in which a man sees his shadow moving on its own and realizes he’s about to die. Or the tale of a man whose shadow unexpectedly disappears, after which a doppelganger is spotted in the city from that day forward. And even stories from both East and West that equate shadows with souls….”

“The soul….”

“Something you can’t touch, but undoubtedly exists. It accompanies a person from birth until death. Perhaps that’s why shadows have been equated to souls.”

And the soul is the ego, the element that defines existence, sometimes even being existence itself.

That’s why shadows are significant.

Hence, the shadowmancer delves into shadows.

To uncover another ego, an outwardly revealing soul, to prove existence.

To unveil the unchanging truth that exists like a mirage.

To uncover the shadow that undoubtedly exists behind the light until the entire universe goes dark and cold.

“That’s why shadowmancers are dangerous. They don’t directly target anyone like wicked humans or ferocious beasts, nor do they exude malevolence towards those who visit them… but it’s this very aspect that makes them perilous.”

“…If there’s no malice, why would they be dangerous?”

When Agnes asked, Jinseong answered in a manner reminiscent of a knowledgeable scientist.

“It’s because they possess the characteristics of disasters.”

“Disasters…? Natural disasters, you mean?”

“Yes.”

Shadowmancers aren’t malevolent.

If they’re not disrupting the structure, they won’t radiate any ill intent toward others either.

They solely explore, research, and delve into shadows.

However, shadows are souls, doppelgangers, egos, existence.

Thus, the magic imbued with that essence was also utilized for teasing, controlling, capturing, and shattering.

Therefore, shadowmancers wield that magic for purely academic purposes.

They sculpt the shadows of plants that take root and grow.

Tall growing grass is laid flat by the wind, resembling hair, only to be knotted and bound by the shadowmancer’s touch—its form fixed.

They intertwine like rings, lying flat as if the fierce wind has blown, yet remain upright without bending even in intense winds.

They carve the shadows of towering trees.

Thus, the great tree maintains its shape while its shadow is carved according to the shadowmancer’s will.

The branches extend, becoming nets that capture prey, transforming into grasping claws, while the stout trunk is carved and twisted, becoming a pillar. In this manner, the tree withers and blooms, twisting and growing amidst the disconnect between shadow and reality.

They cut the shadows of beasts that run on four legs.

Like creating a perfect sculpture, the animal’s shadow is sliced. The legs of a galloping herbivore are severed, and the lion, which had been biting the neck of the herbivore, cannot even open its mouth.

The shadow of the severed leg flops weakly, unable to move, sometimes sticking firmly to the ground. The chain binding the lion’s shadow prevents it from opening its mouth like a muzzle, leaving the lion to perish in a frenzy.

And then.

They toy with the shadows of people.

“He plays with the shadows of plants and animals. For him, plants are souls without distinct egos, while animals have clearly defined souls. He shapes shadows of plants and experiments with the shadows of animals. Moreover, animals aren’t limited to just insects and beasts; humans fall under this as well.”

Beasts have the souls rich with primal instincts.

Humans possess distinctly unique and individual egos.

Thus, shadowmancers freely use magic on humans.

To explore shadows.

Though they hold no malevolence, the places where shadowmancers reside become distorted and twisted.

As the shadows reveal reality, they are sculpted and warped, leading reality to similarly twist along with the shadows…

Thus, the area surrounding them transforms into a bizarre space, disconnected from reality.

Shadows dance, and shadows settle, distorting the forms of objects.

“Of course, they do hide people. But even still, it’s hard to say it’s not dangerous. The criteria for concealing people lies purely within the judgment of the shadowmancer—the individual.”

The existence of a shaman comes with strong individuality.

Their judgments and thoughts exhibit traits that transcend law.

Some shamans differentiate between who to kill and who not to based on karma, while others judge based on how much potential they have taken from others. Some assess based on the impact they have had on the world, and others consider the pros and cons they present to nature.

All different.

Just as the category of magic is too vast and ambiguous to be easily defined, so too is the shaman.

Individuality, thoughts, their actions.

It’s not something that can be easily judged.

That’s why shadowmancers possess the nature of a catastrophe.

Unpredictable in timing, and uncertain in impact.

Yet they certainly exist, emerge, and bring about significant repercussions.

Their criteria may genuinely exist, yet they’re so vast that it resembles a natural disaster whose principles are unfathomable. Thus, it can appear capricious when they tease the shadows of humans and treat them as materials.

If we were to claim that they don’t possess the properties of a catastrophe, what would be said?

That’s why shadowmancers are dangerous beings.

However, this particular shadowmancer is less dangerous than the two things he knows about.

Those two, precisely…

“The rest is a secret.”

Jinseong cut off there.

“…A secret?”

“Yes. The remaining two… Haha. You probably don’t need to know. And well, with just this much, do you understand why Africa is dangerous?”

“…It’s rather long.”

Agnes nodded.

But she wore a strangely uneasy expression, akin to being somewhat annoyed that Jinseong had abruptly cut his riveting story short.

And this unease wasn’t only visible to Agnes.

Odilia, who had been earnestly listening while pretending not to, dropped her aloof demeanor and gazed at Jinseong, while Anastasia looked at him with the expression, ‘How could someone commit such horrific acts?’ clearly written on her face, and Ella felt a mix of eerie chills and relief as the eerie tale’s abrupt halt left her with a tinge of disappointment.

They all seemed to want Jinseong to continue his narration, but…

“Unfortunately, the remaining two are no longer present in today’s Africa.”

 

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